The effect of hand-foot exercises on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy-related pain, falls, and quality of life in colorectal cancer: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of hand-foot exercises on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy-related pain severity, falls, and quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods

The study was conducted in the outpatient chemotherapy unit of a public hospital between 25 April-31 December 2022. The enrolled 39 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention (n:19) and control (n:20) groups. The hand-foot exercises program was applied to the intervention group in three sessions a day and three days a week fashion for 8 weeks at home. No intervention was applied to the control group other than routine treatment and care. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews in the first interview and the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th weeks. The exercise program adherence of the intervention group was followed up through telephone/face-to-face interviews in weeks 1–8. Data were collected using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Fall Follow-Up Form, the CIPNAT scale, EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR29 scales. Mann-Whitney U Test, Chi-square test, Wilcoxon signed test, and Friedman test were used to analyze the data.

Results

The study found that as of week 4th, the intervention group experienced less pain severity than the control group (p < 0.001); at week 8th, the peripheral neuropathy symptoms of the intervention group decreased compared to the control group (p < 0.05); at weeks 2nd,4th,6th,8th, there was no statistically significant difference in falls (p > 0.05); at week 8th, while there was no significant difference between the groups regarding colorectal cancer quality of life (p > 0.05), the overall cancer quality of life improved in the intervention group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The hand-foot exercises program is effective in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy-related symptoms, pain severity, and overall cancer quality of life.

Trial registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05873829.