Two Types of Exercise May Decrease Neuropathy Caused by Chemo

People who received chemo and practiced balance exercises and exercises on a vibrating plate had lower rates of neuropathy than those who didn’t do these exercises. Written by Jamie DePolo

This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.

Neuromuscular training may help prevent neuropathy among people receiving chemotherapy for cancer, suggests a small study. This training includes  balance exercises and exercises performed on a vibrating platform. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. 

Key takeaways

  • About 71% of people who didn’t do neuromuscular training developed neuropathy, compared to 30% of people who did balance exercises and 41% of people who stood or exercised on a vibrating platform.
  • Among people receiving the chemotherapy medicines Eloxatin (chemical name: oxliplatin) or vincristine or vinblastine (both vinca alkaloids), neuromuscular training decreased cases of neuropathy by 50% to 70%, depending on the medicine.
  • The exercises were performed for 15 to 30 minutes twice a week and caused no side effects.

What the results mean for you

Neuropathy is a common and troubling side effect among many people receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer, particularly the medicines Taxol or Taxotere. Besides pain and numbness in your feet and hands, neuropathy also can affect your balance and gait, increasing your risk of falling, which can lead to broken bones.

The chemotherapy medicines used in this study aren’t commonly used for breast cancer. But given that the neuromuscular training exercises in the study were found to be safe for people in treatment, you may want to try them anyway.

About the study

The study included 158 people – 65 women and 93 men – who were receiving chemotherapy. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups:

  • 55 people did balance exercises on surfaces that were gradually more unstable
  • 53 people did exercises on a vibrating platform
  • 50 people received usual care during chemotherapy that didn’t include exercises

The people doing the exercises did them twice a week, with each exercise session lasting between 15 and 30 minutes.

Detailed results

In the five years after completing chemtherapy:

  • 71% of people receiving usual care developed neuropathy
  • 30% of people who did balance exercises developed neuropathy
  • 41% of people who did exercises on a vibrating platform developed neuropathy

Compared to the people receiving usual care:

  • people who did balance exercises had more than 50% less neuropathy
  • people who did exercises on a vibrating plate had 29% less neuropathy

People receiving vinca alkaloid chemotherapy medicines seemed to get the most benefits from either type of exercise because they had the lowest rates of neuropathy compared to people receiving usual care.

The researchers also looked to see if the exercises offered other benefits.

Compared to people who received usual care or did exercises on a vibrating platform, people who did balance exercises had better:

  • sensitivity to vibration
  • sense of touc
  • lower leg strength
  • balance control

People who did balance exercises had less pain and burning sensations compared to the other two groups.

"[T]his specific exercise regimen not only presents potentially the best current treatment option for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, but also has the potential to prevent [neuropathy], improve quality of life, and have a positive impact on the course of oncological treatment," the researchers concluded.

Learn more about neuromuscular training

Neuromuscular training is the broad term for the two types of exercises done in this study: balance exercises and exercises done on a vibrating plate, which also help improve balance.

The exercises focus on the fundamental movements that increase your balance, coordination, stability, and motor control. They’re about the quality of the movement, rather than how quickly you can do something.

Examples include:

  • standing on one leg 
  • standing on an unstable surface, such as thick foam pad or a BOSU ball
  • standing on one leg or an unstable surface with your eyes closed
  • squatting

Vibration plates are available commercially, but they can be expensive.

Because form is extremely important in neuromuscular training, you may want to look for a trainer who has experience in both neuromuscular exercises and working with people with breast cancer.

If weekly training sessions are out of your budget, another option is to meet once with a trainer for an evaluation. Be open about your situation and ask if there are basic neuromuscular exercises that you can do at home. Make sure you feel safe and comfortable doing the movements. 

— Last updated on August 23, 2024 at 12:12 PM


This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.
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Posted in: Exercise, In Treatment, Mindfulness/Wellness, Post Treatment, Survivorship