Refine
Year
Publication Type
- Article (49)
- Lecture (13)
- Contribution to a Periodical (10)
- Conference Proceeding (6)
- Book (4)
- Part of a Book (4)
- Other (3)
- Preprint (1)
- Report (1)
Keywords
- physical activity (6)
- Vertrauen (4)
- Dienstleistungsqualität (3)
- Diplomarbeit (3)
- Kooperation (3)
- childhood cancer (3)
- Aktivitätserfassung (2)
- Akzelerometrie (2)
- Bedarfsplanung (2)
- Cyclization (2)
Faculty
- keine Zuordnung (91) (remove)
This review provides a survey of studies investigating physical activity and exercise interventions in patients during tumor treatment and survivors of childhood cancer. PubMed and Medline databases were searched using relevant terms. References of selected papers were tracked. A total of 28 studies could be identified. Seventeen studies investigated physical activity, 11 studies determined the effect of activity enhancing interventions during and after therapy. Even though most studies showed limitations and results were not consistent, considerably reduced physical activity is highly probable in patients during and after therapy. Studies on interventions provided promising results and revealed challenges to be faced. Pediatr Blood Cancer
Purpose
The diagnosis of a malignant bone tumor in the lower limb is a risk factor for physical disability, limiting physical performance. Walking ability especially, which is essential for most activities of daily living, is limited in those patients. In the present study, the extent of limitations during the course of treatment was investigated to determine when the assessment of functional parameters is meaningful in those patients.
Methods
In the present study, activity levels were determined in 20 patients with a malignant bone tumor in the lower limb who received endoprosthetic replacement of the affected bone and in 20 healthy individuals. A uniaxial accelerometer was used to investigate patients at five different time points after surgery.
Results
Patients performed significantly less amounts and intensities of activity than control individuals at all measurements. Significant increases in the volume of activity were observed after cessation of treatment. However, the intensity of activity only showed minor increases. Patients experiencing complications of surgery revealed greater restriction than those without even 18 months after surgery.
Conclusions
After cessation of treatment for their disease, patients recovered markedly and showed great improvements in physical activity. However, some limitations appeared to persist. Comparisons with patients with longer follow-up revealed that meaningful functional assessment does not make sense within the first 12 months after surgery. More research is needed to show if longer follow-up periods reveal further improvements. Based on such information, it should be more promising to develop individually tailored activity recommendations and intervention programs.
Background
The diagnosis of cancer bears severe implications for pediatric patients. One immense restriction consists in a reduced level of activity due to different factors. Physical activity affects various aspects of development and can be regarded as an essential part of a child's life. In the present study physical activity in patients undergoing cancer therapy was quantified in order to determine the extent of the restriction and to provide baseline information for the assessment of possible interventions.
Procedure
Physical activity in 80 patients and 45 healthy children matched for age and gender was measured using the StepWatch 3™ Activity Monitor (SAM, OrthoCare Innovations).
Results
Pediatric cancer patients, at 2,787 gait cycles (gcs) per day, were significantly less active than their healthy counterparts (8,096 gcs). Patients were significantly more active at home than during inpatient stays (3,185 gcs compared to 1,830 gcs), and patients with bone tumors were less active than those with leukemia regarding both, the amount (1,849 gcs vs. 2,992 gcs) and the intensity of activity.
Conclusion
The present study quantified an often observed but so far hardly assessable problem. Activity in cancer patients is considerably reduced and patients with bone tumors are at increased risk from the detrimental effects of prolonged inactivity. Both our findings and the accepted fact that activity is an essential element of child development confirm the need for interventions tailored to a patient's needs and abilities during the course of treatment.
Background
Degenerative musculoskeletal disorders are among the most frequent diseases occurring in adulthood, often impairing patients' functional mobility and physical activity. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the impact of three frequent degenerative musculoskeletal disorders -- knee osteoarthritis (knee OA), hip osteoarthritis (hip OA) and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) -- on patients' walking ability.
Methods
The study included 120 participants, with 30 in each patient group and 30 healthy control individuals. A uniaxial accelerometer, the StepWatch™ Activity Monitor (Orthocare Innovations, Seattle, Washington, USA), was used to determine the volume (number of gait cycles per day) and intensity (gait cycles per minute) of walking ability. Non-parametric testing was used for all statistical analyses.
Results
Both the volume and the intensity of walking ability were significantly lower among the patients in comparison with the healthy control individuals (p < 0.001). Patients with LSS spent 0.4 (IQR 2.8) min/day doing moderately intense walking (>50 gait cycles/min), which was significantly lower in comparison with patients with knee and hip OA at 2.5 (IQR 4.4) and 3.4 (IQR 16.1) min/day, respectively (p < 0.001). No correlations between demographic or anthropometric data and walking ability were found. No technical problems or measuring errors occurred with any of the measurements.
Conclusions
Patients with degenerative musculoskeletal disorders suffer limitations in their walking ability. Objective assessment of walking ability appeared to be an easy and feasible tool for measuring such limitations as it provides baseline data and objective information that are more precise than the patients' own subjective estimates. In everyday practice, objective activity assessment can provide feedback for clinicians regarding patients' performance during everyday life and the extent to which this confirms the results of clinical investigations. The method can also be used as a way of encouraging patients to develop a more active lifestyle.
Introduction
Hip and knee osteoarthritis are associated with functional limitations, pain and restrictions in quality of life and the ability to work. Furthermore, with growing prevalence, osteoarthritis is increasingly causing (in)direct costs. Guidelines recommend exercise therapy and education as primary treatment strategies. Available options for treatment based on physical activity promotion and lifestyle change are often insufficiently provided and used. In addition, the quality of current exercise programmes often does not meet the changing care needs of older people with comorbidities and exercise adherence is a challenge beyond personal physiotherapy. The main objective of this study is to investigate the short- and long-term (cost-)effectiveness of the SmArt-E programme in people with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis in terms of pain and physical functioning compared to usual care.
Methods
This study is designed as a multicentre randomized controlled trial with a target sample size of 330 patients. The intervention is based on the e-Exercise intervention from the Netherlands, consists of a training and education programme and is conducted as a blended care intervention over 12 months. We use an app to support independent training and the development of self-management skills. The primary and secondary hypotheses are that participants in the SmArt-E intervention will have less pain (numerical rating scale) and better physical functioning (Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) compared to participants in the usual care group after 12 and 3 months. Other secondary outcomes are based on domains of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI). The study will be accompanied by a process evaluation.
Discussion
After a positive evaluation, SmArt-E can be offered in usual care, flexibly addressing different care situations. The desired sustainability and the support of the participants’ behavioural change are initiated via the app through audio-visual contact with their physiotherapists. Furthermore, the app supports the repetition and consolidation of learned training and educational content. For people with osteoarthritis, the new form of care with proven effectiveness can lead to a reduction in underuse and misuse of care as well as contribute to a reduction in (in)direct costs.
Trial registration
German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00028477. Registered on August 10, 2022.
In der Januar-Ausgabe der Pflegezeitschrift hat sich Jutta Kaltenegger
kritisch zum Fehlen jeglicher Kritik an der Entbürokratisierung
geäußert. Sie verweist darauf, dass mit der Entbürokratisierung
nur die Spitze des Eisberges „Probleme der Pflege in Deutschland“
berührt wird und weist auf Handlungsbedarf in verschiedensten
Bereichen hin. Julius Thume, Pflegemanager M.A., begleitet in seinem
Verantwortungsbereich Qualitätsmanagement seit fast einem
Jahr die Einführung der Entbürokratisierten Pflegedokumentation in
mehreren vollstationären Einrichtungen. Seine Erfahrungen möchte
er an dieser Stelle teilen und zur weiteren Diskussion anregen...
Prokrastination - Was tun?
(2019)
Background: Mental health is an emerging topic on university campuses, with students reporting higher levels of psychological distress than the general population of the same age. Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time have been proved promising measures to promote mental health in the general population. However, to derive and implement effective measures to promote mental health among university students, further exploration of the associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress in this specific setting is needed.
Objective: This study aims to identify associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress after controlling for sociodemographic and behavioral variables among university students in Germany. We hypothesize that perceived stress is inversely related to physical activity and positively associated with sedentary time. Furthermore, we hypothesize that combined associations of concurrently high physical activity and low sedentary time on perceived stress are stronger compared with either alone and that the association between physical activity and perceived stress depends on activity intensity.
Methods: We conducted cross-sectional analyses from a large-scale internet-based student health survey (n=4189; response rate=10.0%). Physical activity, sedentary time, and engaging in moderate and vigorous activity intensities were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form with categorization into low, intermediate, and high levels. We measured perceived stress using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (range 0-40).
Results: The results indicate that higher physical activity and lower sedentary time are associated with reduced levels of perceived stress. Following adjustment for gender, BMI, income, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, and sleep quality, perceived stress scores were lower for students reporting high physical activity levels and low sedentary time compared with the least active and highly sedentary students (Perceived Stress Scale –2.2, 95% CI –2.9 to –1.5, P<.001 for physical activity and –1.1, CI 95% –1.7 to –0.5, P<.001 for sedentary time). Combined associations with perceived stress revealed that students concurrently reporting high total physical activity and low sedentary time reported the lowest perceived stress scores of all possible combinations following adjustment for confounders (Perceived Stress Scale –3.5, CI 95% –4.6 to –2.5, P<.001 compared with students reporting low physical activity levels and concurrently high sedentary time). Associations between vigorous physical activities and perceived stress were not stronger compared with moderate activity intensities.
Conclusions: Self-reported physical activity and low sedentary time are favorably associated with perceived stress, while the intensity of physical activities seems to be of minor importance. These results help to effectively implement health-promoting measures on campus among university students through increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.
Haiku of Maladisms
(2021)
Daughters and Mothers
(2020)
Heading in soccer involves repetitive head accelerations that may be detrimental for brain health. One way to mitigate adverse effects may be to increase head-neck stabilization and thus reduce the kinematic response after intentional headers. This study aimed to (a) assess associations between neck strength and head kinematics and (b) evaluate an exercise intervention designed to increase strength and attenuate head acceleration during intentional heading in youth soccer players. In 22 athletes, we used accelerometers to assess associations between neck strength and peak linear acceleration (PLA). We attached the accelerometers to the occiput and sternum, allowing us to differentiate between total, trunk, and head PLA. Longitudinally, we evaluated the effects of a 14-week twice-weekly resistance training in a subsample of 14 athletes compared with regular soccer training (N = 13). Results showed that female athletes had lower isolated neck strength (p ≤ 0.004), lower functional neck strength (p ≤ 0.017), and higher total PLA during purposeful headers compared with males (17.2 ± 3.5 g and 13.0 ± 2.3 g, respectively, at 9.6 m·s−1 ball velocity during impact; p = 0.003). The intervention group showed moderate to large strength gains (η
= 0.16–0.42), resulting in lower PLA (total −2.4 g, trunk −0.8 g, and head −1.5 g) during headers. We conclude that a resistance training focusing on cervical and trunk musculature is practicable in youth soccer, elicits strength gains, and helps to mitigate PLA during purposeful heading. Results should encourage youth strength and conditioning professionals to incorporate neck exercises as a risk reduction strategy into their training routine.
Die hohe Anzahl sportassoziierter Gehirnerschütterungen verdeutlicht die gesundheitliche Bedeutung dieser Verletzungen. Im Fußball liegt das Risiko bei 0,2 bis 1,4 Schädel-Hirnverletzungen pro 1.000 Spiel- und Trainingsstunden. Vor dem Hintergrund der Verletzungsprävention wird zwischen antizipierten und nicht-antizipierten Kraftstößen auf den Kopf unterschieden. Insbesondere jüngere und weibliche Spieler/innen können von einem spezifischen Training der Hals- und Rumpfmuskulatur zur Verletzungsprävention profitieren.
Tumorerkrankungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter haben während der Akuttherapie und darüber hinaus einen signifikanten Einfluss auf das Aktivitätsniveau und den Knochenstoffwechsel. Dieser Beitrag untersucht, inwiefern bewegungstherapeutische Interventionen das Aktivitätsniveau und damit auch die Entwicklung der Knochendichte während der Akuttherapie von Patienten mit Knochentumoren der unteren Extremität beeinflussen können. 21 Kinder und Jugendliche im Alter von 13,6 Jahren konnten in die Untersuchung aufgenommen werden und wurden einer Interventions- (IG, n=10) oder einer Kontrollgruppe (KG, n=11) zugeordnet. Sämtliche Patienten erhielten die standardisierte physiotherapeutische Behandlung. Der IG wurde zusätzlich ein Sportprogramm angeboten, das an jedem zweiten Tag während der Akuttherapie absolviert werden sollte. Die Knochendichte der Lendenwirbelsäule und des nicht betroffenen Schenkelhalses wurde mittels Dual-Röntgen-Absorptiometrie (DXA) während der Lokaltherapie, sowie nach sechs und nach zwölf Monaten erfasst. Die Alltagsaktivitäten wurden zeitgleich nach sechs und zwölf Monaten im heimischen Umfeld objektiv mit einem Beschleunigungsaufnehmer über einen Zeitraum von sieben Tage erhoben. In beiden Patientengruppen wurde während der Akuttherapie eine deutliche Reduktion der Knochendichte beobachtet. Im Gruppenvergleich zeigten sich in der Entwicklung der Knochendichte zwischen den Messzeitpunkten kleine bis große Effekte zugunsten der bewegungstherapeutischen Intervention. Zudem weist die Interventionsgruppe im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe durchweg signifikant höhere Alltagsaktivitäten (durchschnittliche Schrittzahl pro Tag und Phasen hoher körperlicher Aktivität) auf. Die Ergebnisse belegen die Durchführbarkeit und den Nutzen eines therapiebegleitenden Sportprogramms für Kinder und Jugendliche während der Akutphase der Behandlung einer Knochentumorerkrankung der unteren Extremität.
Background
Bone mineral density (BMD) accrual during childhood and adolescence is important for attaining peak bone mass. BMD decrements have been reported in survivors of childhood bone sarcomas. However, little is known about the onset and development of bone loss during cancer treatment. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate BMD in newly diagnosed Ewing's and osteosarcoma patients by means of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Methods
DXA measurements of the lumbar spine (L2-4), both femora and calcanei were performed perioperatively in 46 children and adolescents (mean age: 14.3 years, range: 8.6-21.5 years). Mean Z-scores, areal BMD (g/cm2), calculated volumetric BMD (g/cm3) and bone mineral content (BMC, g) were determined.
Results
Lumbar spine mean Z-score was -0.14 (95% CI: -0.46 to 0.18), areal BMD was 1.016 g/cm2 (95% CI: 0.950 to 1.082) and volumetric BMD was 0.330 g/cm3 (95% CI: 0.314 to 0.347) which is comparable to healthy peers. For patients with a lower extremity tumor (n = 36), the difference between the affected and non-affected femoral neck was 12.1% (95% CI: -16.3 to -7.9) in areal BMD. The reduction of BMD was more pronounced in the calcaneus with a difference between the affected and contralateral side of 21.7% (95% CI: -29.3 to -14.0) for areal BMD. Furthermore, significant correlations for femoral and calcaneal DXA measurements were found with Spearman-rho coefficients ranging from ρ = 0.55 to ρ = 0.80.
Conclusions
The tumor disease located in the lower extremity in combination with offloading recommendations induced diminished BMD values, indicating local osteopenia conditions. However, the results revealed no significant decrements of lumbar spine BMD in pediatric sarcoma patients after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Nevertheless, it has to be taken into account that bone tumor patients may experience BMD decrements or secondary osteoporosis in later life. Furthermore, the peripheral assessment of BMD in the calcaneus via DXA is a feasible approach to quantify bone loss in the lower extremity in bone sarcoma patients and may serve as an alternative procedure, when the established assessment of femoral BMD is not practicable due to endoprosthetic replacements.
Die Erfassung von Alltagsaktivitäten (activities of daily life, ADL) ist unerlässlich, wenn der Zusammenhang von körperlicher Aktivität und Gesundheit aufgezeigt oder die Effizienz von Interventionen zur Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität evaluiert werden soll. Derzeit existiert keine Methode, die präzise alle Formen der Alltagsaktivitäten erfassen kann. Diese Übersichtsarbeit beschreibt und vergleicht auf Basis einer umfassenden Literaturrecherche moderne Messverfahren zur Erfassung körperlicher Aktivitäten im Alltag, bei der die Darstellung objektiver Verfahren einen Schwerpunkt bildet.
Subjektive Erhebungsmethoden wie Fragebögen und objektive Aktivitätsmonitore, zu denen Schrittzähler und Akzelerometer zählen, sowie kombinierte Verfahren von Akzelerometrie und Herzfrequenz, sind derzeit die gängigsten Methoden, Alltagsaktivitäten zu erfassen. Daneben existieren weitere Möglichkeiten wie Doubly Labeled Water, Kalorimetrie oder direkte Beobachtungen der Testperson, die als Goldstandard des Activity Assessments angesehen und zur Validierung oben genannter Verfahren genutzt werden können. Obwohl diese Methoden das größte Potential bei der Erfassung körperlicher Aktivitäten hinsichtlich der Messpräzision haben, muss bei der Auswahl der Erhebungsmethode angesichts der Vielzahl an Möglichkeiten auch ihre Anwendbarkeit berücksichtigt werden. Die technischen Entwicklungen insbesondere im Bereich des Aktivitätsmonitorings machen eine ständige Auseinandersetzung mit seinen vielfältigen Möglichkeiten unerlässlich. Diese Übersicht soll für den Anwender eine Hilfestellung bei der Studienkonzipierung darstellen.
Zur Bestimmung der Messgenauigkeit handelsüblicher Bewegungssensoren wurden ein Akzelerometer und acht Pedometer von Schulkindern und jungen Erwachsenen unter kontrollierten Bedingungen und unter Alltagsbedingungen im Rahmen einer 24-stündigen Aktivitätsmessung getragen. Die präzisesten Ergebnisse unter kontrollierten Bedingungen wurden mit einem piezoelektrischen Pedometer erzielt. Die absoluten Abweichungen (Median) lagen für diesen Schrittzähler bei den Kindern zwischen 0,2 und 1,0%, bei den Erwachsenen zwischen 0,2 und 1,4%. Die absoluten Abweichungen für den Akzelerometer lagen zwischen 0,8 und 3,1% für die Schulkinder sowie zwischen 0,6 und 3,2% für die Erwachsenen. Die Messpräzision stieg unter kontrollierten Bedingungen mit zunehmender Bewegungsgeschwindigkeit an. Besonders bei den Schulkindern wiesen einige Schrittzähler mit Pendelarm-Mechanismus hohe absolute Abweichungen von über 50% auf. Die Unterschiede unter Alltagsbedingungen verdeutlichen, dass Schrittzahlangaben diverser Monitore nicht direkt miteinander verglichen werden können. In jedem Fall sollten Schrittzähler vor ihrem Einsatz in wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen auf Gütekriterien wie Validität und Reliabilität gestestet werden.
Objective assessment of brace wear times and physical activities in two patients with scoliosis
(2010)
Conservative treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis consists of therapeutic exercise and the application of braces. The effectiveness of bracing mainly depends on patient compliance, which can be determined by means of temperature sensors. This methodological paper describes the feasibility of objectively determining compliance and daily physical activities before and during conservative scoliosis treatment, being a relevant indicator for quality of life in children and adolescents. One patient with low compliance (61.4±24.9%) reduced her activity level during bracing by 50.1%, whereas another patient with a satisfactory compliance (85.7±19.5%) increased her daily activity level by 33.7% during conservative treatment.
The aim was to evaluate the effects of additional exercises during inpatient stays on bone mass in pediatric bone tumor patients. 21 patients were non-randomly allocated either to the exercise group (n=10) or the control group (n=11). DXA of the lumbar spine, the non-affected femur and both calcanei was performed after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (baseline), as well as 6 and 12 months after baseline. Bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and height-corrected lumbar spine Z-scores were determined. Group changes after 6 and 12 months were compared by covariance analyses. Additionally, daily physical activities (PA) were assessed by means of accelerometry. After adjusting for initial age, height and weight, mean reductions in lumbar spine and femoral BMC were lower in the exercise group (not significant). Effect sizes during the observational period for lumbar spine and femur BMC were generally small (partial η²=0.03). The exercise group demonstrated substantially higher PA levels in terms of gait cycles per day, per hour and moderate PA (activities above 40 gait cycles per minute). Additional exercises for bone tumor patients are feasible during hospitalization. Though the intervention did not influence BMC, it appeared beneficial regarding PA promotion with respect to volume and intensity.
Im Rahmen der Implementierung eines Gesundheitsförderungsprogramms bei der Miele & Cie. KG wurde ein individuelles, arbeitsplatzbezogenes Training als Pilotprojekt für Bandarbeiter und Emaillierer über einen Zeitraum von 12 Wochen in Kombination mit einem persönlichen Heimtrainingsplan und ergonomischer Beratung angeboten. Zu Beginn und nach Abschluss der Intervention wurden der Rumpfkraftausdauertest nach McGill, der Functional Movement ScreenTM (FMSTM) sowie eine Gesundheitsfragebogenerhebung (SF-36) durchgeführt. In den motorischen Testverfahren konnte eine Reduzierung muskulärer Dysbalancen der Rumpfkraftausdauer im Rechts-links-Vergleich um 50 % (p = 0,006), eine Verbesserung des Summenscores im FMSTM um 2,0 ± 2,8 Punkte (p < 0,001) sowie eine Minimierung schmerzhafter Bewegungsabläufe um 40 % nachgewiesen werden. Die Ergebnisse des SF-36 deuten auf eine moderate Steigerung des subjektiv empfundenen Gesundheitszustands für die psychischen Items hin. Die Ergebnisse belegen, dass ein individualisiertes und arbeitsplatzbezogenes körperliches Training bereits über einen kurzen Zeitraum die Kraftausdauer der Rumpfmuskulatur und grundlegende Bewegungsmuster signifikant verbessern sowie schmerzhafte Bewegungsabläufe positiv beeinflussen und somit das Risiko für zukünftige Funktionsstörungen des Bewegungsapparates reduzieren kann.
Beim hier vorgestellten „functional warm-up“ werden die Muskeln durch eine Kombination aus Halteübungen, Abbremsen und Beschleunigungen erwärmt und gedehnt, um das Verletzungsrisiko im funktionellen Training („functional training“) zu verringern. Die dargestellte Übungsreihe folgt dem Grundsatz „vom Einfachen zum Schweren“ und wird im Gehen auf einer Strecke von 10 bis 20 Metern durchgeführt.
Objective
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a 4-wk inpatient rehabilitation program on postural control and gait in pediatric patients with cancer.
Design
Eighty-eight patients with brain tumors (n = 59) and bone/soft tissue sarcomas (n = 29) were evaluated. Postural control was assessed examining the velocity of the center of pressure and single-leg stance time on a pressure distribution platform. Walk ratio, a measure of neuromotor control, was used to evaluate intervention effects on gait.
Results
Repeated measures analysis of variance showed improvements in postural control measures, indicated by a decrease in velocity of center of pressure of −0.4 cm/sec (F1,80 = 7.175, P = 0.009, ηp2 = 0.082) and increase in single-leg stance time (mean [median] = 1.1 [2.6] sec, respectively; F1,80 = 12.617, P = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.136). Walk ratio increased by 0.2 mm/steps per min (F1,82 = 3.766, P = 0.056, ηp2 = 0.044). Mean changes in dependent variables did not differ between both patient groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions
The results indicate benefits of an inpatient rehabilitation program comprising standard physical therapy as well as aquatic and hippo therapy on postural control and gait after treatment of pediatric patients with cancer.
Abstract
Purpose
Chronic health conditions and impaired quality of life are commonly experienced in childhood cancer survivors. While rehabilitation clinics support patients in coping with the disease, studies evaluating an inpatient rehabilitation program on promoting physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are missing.
Methods
A 4-week inpatient rehabilitation program was prospectively evaluated. One hundred fifty patients with leukemia or lymphoma (N = 86), brain tumors (N = 38), and sarcomas (N = 26) were enrolled on average 17 months after cessation of acute medical treatment. PA amount and cadence (indicating the intensity of walking activity) using the StepWatch™ 3 Activity Monitor and HRQoL global and physical well-being scores using the KINDL® questionnaire were assessed before, immediately after, and 6 and 12 months following the program and analyzed using multiple linear mixed models.
Results
Significant effects on PA were only found at 12-month follow-up for amount and cadence variables (all p < 0.05). While leukemia and lymphoma patients revealed the highest PA level throughout the study, rehabilitation effects were more pronounced for cadence variables in brain tumor and sarcoma patients. The rehabilitation program had immediate (t = 4.56, p < 0.001) and sustainable effects on HRQoL global scores (6-month follow-up, t = 4.08, p < 0.001; 12-month follow-up, t = 3.13, p < 0.006).
Conclusions
Immediate and sustainable increases in HRQoL indicate that a 4-week rehabilitation program is beneficial for improving psychosocial well-being, while the significant increase in PA levels could be related to general recovery as well. The lack of a control group hampers the evaluation of the rehabilitation program on promoting PA levels in pediatric cancer patients.