Postoperative Exercise Rehabilitation and Postural Outcomes Among Transgender Individuals Undergoing Chest...

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy
• Transgender Health
• Surgical Recovery

Background:

• Chest masculinization surgery (CMS) is a common procedure for transgender individuals.
• Postural changes can occur following CMS, impacting physical well-being.
• Structured rehabilitation programs may aid recovery and improve outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and initial effectiveness of a postoperative exercise rehabilitation program.
• To evaluate the program's impact on postural outcomes in transgender individuals post-CMS.
• To explore participant satisfaction with the rehabilitation intervention.

Main Methods:

• A prospective pilot study involving 34 participants (18-25 years) undergoing CMS.
• Comparison between a rehabilitation group (n=20) and a standard care group (n=14).
• An eight-week exercise protocol targeting posture, with measurements of scapular tip distance and wall-to-tragus distance pre- and post-operatively.

Main Results:

• High adherence (40%) and satisfaction reported for the rehabilitation program.
• Significant improvement in scapular tip distance (p=0.003), indicating enhanced scapular retraction.
• Trends toward improvement in other postural metrics, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• The postoperative exercise rehabilitation program is feasible and acceptable for transgender individuals post-CMS.
• The program shows potential for improving specific postural outcomes, particularly scapular retraction.
• Larger studies with longer follow-up are recommended to validate findings and explore psychosocial benefits.