Aim. The present study was conducted to compare the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MIT) (with and without blood flow restriction) on quality of life in cardiotoxic women after breast cancer treatment.
Background. Today, breast cancer is very common and cardiotoxicity is one of the most important non-avoidable complications after chemotherapy, which has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. Using aerobic exercise training, with and without blood flow restriction, may improve quality of life of cancer survivors experiencing symptoms of cardiotoxicity. Restricting blood flow is already one of the methods used to enhance the effects of exercise training. On the other hand, previous studies show that different types of physical exercise have different physiological and psychological effects.
Methods. In this randomized clinical trial, 20 patients with cardiotoxicity after treatment for breast cancer were randomly divided into four groups including High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Moderate Intensity Continuous Training (MIT), HIIT with Restricted Blood Flow (HIIT+BFR), and MIT with BFR (MIT+BFR). Interventions were applied for 12 weeks and three sessions per week. Patients in all groups completed the IHF-QoL quality of life questionnaire before and after 12 weeks of intervention.
Findings. The results of the present study showed that HIIT as well as the aerobic exercise with limited blood flow affects the quality of life of cardiotoxic patients. Quality of life scores in the HIIT+BFR group was significantly higher than that of the other groups. According to the scoring method in the questionnaire, increasing the individual score in each of the four areas of the questionnaire indicates a decrease in symptoms that disrupt the quality of life.
Conclusion. It seems that HIIT with BFR is a better way to deal with the symptoms that disrupt the quality of life, compared to HIIT without BFR, and also MIT (with and without restricting blood flow).