Photo by Bill Branson
Children with cancer can benefit from “adapted” physical activities, according to a pilot study published in ecancermedicalscience.
Investigators followed 11 cancer patients, ages 10 to 18, on a dog sledding expedition, which involved adapted training activities.
All of the patients completed the training and the expedition, and they exhibited significant improvements in physical and psychological health after completing the program.
“What I learned from this study is that we doctors have the false belief that kids with cancer cannot practice sport because they are too tired or weak from their treatments,” said study author Nicolas André, MD, PhD, of Hôpital d'Enfants de la Timone in Marseille, France.
“These perceptions are at least partly wrong. Adapted physical activities can be performed by most children with cancer, even during their treatment, and can bring a lot to children.”
To arrive at these conclusions, Dr André and his colleagues measured the effects of a 6-week long adapted physical activity program on children and adolescents with cancer.
The study included 11 patients—4 girls and 7 boys—with a mean age of 14.3 ± 2.9 years. Seven of the patients were still receiving treatment.
About the program
The patients first completed a physical preparation program consisting of general conditioning to improve their strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, skill, and ability to handle greater workloads.
Typically, these activities lasted from 60 to 120 minutes and took place 1 to 5 times a week. The intensity of physical activity was adjusted to each subject.
After completing the preparation, the patients began a 5-day long expedition in Quebec, Canada. They completed a session of physical training in the snow and had their first contact with the pack of dogs and the sleds the day before departure.
Overall, the subjects engaged in physical activity 4 to 5 hours per day during the expedition.
Results
The patients performed a series of physical tests and completed psychological questionnaires before and after the program. The results showed improvements in all physical and psychological parameters.
After completing the program, the subjects reported significant improvements in global self-esteem (P=0.02), perceived sport competence (P=0.02), and perceived physical strength (P=0.001).
They also demonstrated significant improvements in their ability to do sit-ups (P=0.01), their muscle tone (P=0.01), and their resting heart rate (P=0.03).
“Based on our work over the last 8 years, we all are convinced that practicing adapted physical activity is very positive for children with cancer,” said study author Laurent Grélot, PhD, of Aix Marseille University in France.
“It avoids cardiovascular and muscular deconditioning, can decrease treatment-induced fatigue, and can help maintaining social integration.”
Based on the success of this pilot study, the investigators are conducting a randomized trial to evaluate the benefits of adapted physical activities for children with cancer.
