A pilot randomized, controlled trial of a Wall climbing intervention for gynecologic cancer survivors
Abstract
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an eight-week supervised climbing intervention for gynecologic cancer survivors (GCSs). . DESIGN: A pilot randomized, controlled trial. . SETTING: The Wilson Climbing Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. . SAMPLE: 35 GCSs who had completed cancer therapy. . METHODS: GCSs were randomized to an eight-week (16 session) supervised wall climbing intervention (WCI) (n = 24) or usual care (UC) (n = 11). . MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Feasibility outcomes included recruitment rate, adherence rate, skill performance, and safety. Preliminary efficacy outcomes were objective health-related and functional fitness assessed before and after the eight-week intervention using the Senior Fitness Test. . FINDINGS: Median adherence to the WCI was 13.5 of 16 sessions. Most GCSs were proficient on 16 of 24 skill assessment items. No serious adverse events were reported. Based on intention-to-treat analyses, the WCI group was superior to the UC group for the 6-minute walk, 30-second chair stand, 30-second arm curls, sit and reach, 8-foot up-and-go, grip strength-right, and grip strength-left assessments. . CONCLUSIONS: The Gynecologic Cancer Survivors Wall Climbing for Total Health (GROWTH) Trial demonstrated that an eight-week supervised WCI was safe, feasible, and improved functional fitness in GCSs. Phase II and III trials are warranted to further establish the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of WCIs in cancer survivors. . IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Oncology nurses may consider a climbing wall as an alternative type of physical activity for improving functional fitness in GCSs.
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A recent systematic review reported that yoga during and after cancer treatment improves quality of life and fatigue, with potential to improve sleep, depressive symptoms, anxiety/distress, and cognitive change needing confirmation.
“In a recent systematic review of the role of yoga in symptoms management for cancer survivors, yoga both during and after cancer treatment was reported to improve quality of life and fatigue, while further research is needed to confirm the observed potential to improve sleep, depressive symptoms, anxiety/distress, and cancer-related cognitive change(78).”
From Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable (2019) · cites this paper as [78]
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- Authors
- Crawford, J., Vallance, J., Holt, N., Bell, G., Steed, H., & Courneya, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Alberta (CA)
- Athabasca University (CA)
- Cross Cancer Institute (CA)
- Venue
- Oncology Nursing Forum
- Publisher
- Oncology Nursing Society (ONS)
- Published
- 2017-01-01
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 77-86
- ISSN
- 0190-535X (ISSN-L)
- 1538-0688
- OpenAlex
- W2585447912
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 0.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Oncology nursing forum (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
- Keywords
- wall climbing, gynecologic cancer survivors, functional fitness, physical activity, supervised exercise, feasibility, exercise adherence, grip strength, oncology nursing, cancer survivorship
- MeSH terms
- Stair Climbing, Cancer Survivors, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alberta, Exercise Therapy, Female, Genital Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Muscle Strength
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