Systematic review evaluates exercise-based prehabilitation's effectiveness in reducing pain post-surgery in breast cancer patients, indicating a need for further research.
Key Points
This review aims to assess the impact of exercise-based prehabilitation on postoperative pain in women undergoing breast cancer surgery.
Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines
Included randomized controlled trials comparing exercise-based prehabilitation with usual care
Primary outcome measured was pain at one month post-surgery
Included six RCTs with 519 participants and three studies (n=157) in the meta-analysis
Meta-analysis showed a small, non-significant effect on postoperative pain (SMD = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.55 to 0.08; p = 0.14)
Interventions varied in duration and type, but showed safe and feasible implementation of exercise-based prehabilitation