ABSTRACT

Objective: This study was conducted to check the effect of occupational therapy intervention on the physical function, muscle activity, and quality of life of breast cancer patients. Methods: The subjects of this study were 15 mastectomy patients, and an occupational therapy intervention program consisting of stretching was applied as the therapeutic activity. The trial was applied for 40 min per day, twice a week for 12 weeks. The physical function was checked using Korean version of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-K) and Baseline Dyspnea Index(BDI) the muscle activity was checked using surface Electromyographic (sEMG), and the quality of life was checked using Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast(FACT-B). Results: The degree of fatigue was improved after intervention, dyspnea significantly decreased after intervention (p<.01), and the muscle activity showed a statistically significant difference only in pectoralis major (sternocostal head), anterior deltoid, middle deltoid, and infrasupinatus(p<.05). The quality of life after intervention showed that the total score of life quality, Physical Well-Being(PWB), Functional Well-Being(FWB), Breast Cancer Subscale (BCS), and significantly improve(p<.001). Conclusion: We can conclude from the above that the occupational therapy intervention was effective on breast cancer patient recover.