Unilateral Resistance Training Can Be Tailored Using Lifting Velocity in Breast Cancer Patients.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Cancer Survivorship

Background:

• Individualized training is crucial for breast cancer survivors.
• Assessing limb symmetry post-surgery is important for rehabilitation.
• Velocity-based training (VBT) offers objective load and fatigue monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of VBT for unilateral bench press (UBP) in breast cancer survivors.
• To individualize load and velocity loss (VL) prescription using VBT.
• To analyze potential strength and fatigue asymmetries between operated and non-operated limbs.

Main Methods:

• Twelve post-surgical breast cancer survivors underwent progressive UBP assessments to establish load-velocity profiles.
• Velocity metrics (mean propulsive velocity, mean velocity) were modeled against %1RM.
• Participants completed sets at 60-80% 1RM to a 40% velocity loss (VL) threshold, with repetition counts compared between limbs.

Main Results:

• Strong correlations (R² ≥ 0.92) were found between velocity metrics and %1RM for both limbs.
• Trivial differences in velocity at matched relative loads (≤ 0.01 m/s) and non-significant differences in repetitions to VL threshold (≤ 3 reps) were observed between limbs.
• Load-velocity profiles and fatigue responses demonstrated symmetry between operated and non-operated limbs.

Conclusions:

• VBT is a feasible and effective method for prescribing individualized load and volume during UBP in breast cancer survivors.
• Symmetrical load-velocity profiles and fatigue responses support VBT's use.
• VBT can be integrated into rehabilitation and return-to-function programs for this population.