Feasibility of Implementing Personalized Exercise for Prostate Cancer Survivors

• Author / Creator

  Boudreau, Kaitlyn

• Introduction: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men. Exercise has been shown to increase physical function, decrease the risk of recurrence, and improve the quality of life of men with prostate cancer. Aerobic and resistance exercise are seen as beneficial for this population; however, research has primarily examined general exercise protocols, with prescriptions generally following public health guidelines for physical activity. Personalized exercise programs may prove beneficial to men with prostate cancer to support their specific needs following cancer treatment. Objectives: To examine the feasibility of implementing a personalized exercise program for men with prostate cancer. Methods: A single-arm before and after trial including men with prostate cancer. Two weekly exercise training sessions were conducted including one group personal training session and one group circuit training class over the 12-week period. Feasibility was assessed at the level of the exercise specialist; examining time requirements, expertise levels, and equipment needs. Feasibility was measured at the level of the participant by evaluating need for exercise modifications, program adherence and physical fitness outcomes. Results: Twenty-four participants with a mean age of 67.7 years participated in the study. The primary identified barriers to exercise were fatigue, existing co-morbid health and musculoskeletal conditions, and incontinence. Sixteen participants (67%) required modifications to standard exercise programming with five participants requiring physiotherapy consult, three requiring concurrent physiotherapy treatment, and two requiring specialist care to address incontinence. The cost of the additional interdisciplinary services over standard exercise programming was estimated at $3643.43. Significant improvements were found in upper and lower body strength, six-minute walk distance, number of sit-to-stands, and waist circumference. Conclusions: Among participants, cancer-related fatigue and existing musculoskeletal/ co-morbid conditions were reported as primary barriers to exercise participation. Closer attention to the monitoring and reporting of adherence to exercise prescription variables of intensity, frequency, and duration may better inform the dosage of exercise needed to obtain fitness benefits. Our findings suggest that many prostate cancer survivors, especially those with other health and musculoskeletal issues, may benefit from an interdisciplinary team approach to personalize exercise. Further research is needed to further evaluate the cost benefit of this approach.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Implementation
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Personalized Exercise
  • Feasibility

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-z400-qs63

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.