Skip to content

Does the speed of aquatic therapy exercises alter arm volume in women with lymphoedema?

Are slow aquatic therapy exercises better than fast aquatic exercise in decreasing arm volume in women with lymphoedema?

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ANZCTR
Registry ID
ACTRN12614000557639
Enrollment
18
Registered
2014-05-23
Start date
2014-07-07
Completion date
2016-02-01
Last updated
2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Project aim: to compare the changes in upper limb volume between a low speed aquatic exercise protocol and a conventional aquatic exercise protocol in women with secondary lymphoedema. We anticipate that slow aquatic exercise (Ai Chi) will have a greater reduction in arm volume than fast aquatic exercise.

Interventions

Slow aquatic therapy (Ai Chi) is an exercise protocol based on the principles of Tai Chi, that uses rhythmic, breathing and movement patterns for the whole body. Research 'subjects' will undertake a single sessions of slow aquatic therapy (Ai Chi) of approximately 50 mins. Subjects will participate within a group (8-10) for slow aquatic exercise. They will be measured pre / post the exercise intervention by a researcher who is "blinded" to their exercise format; Ai Chi (Slow) or Conventional (f

Slow aquatic therapy (Ai Chi) is an exercise protocol based on the principles of Tai Chi, that uses rhythmic, breathing and movement patterns for the whole body. Research 'subjects' will undertake a single sessions of slow aquatic therapy (Ai Chi) of approximately 50 mins. Subjects will participate within a group (8-10) for slow aquatic exercise. They will be measured pre / post the exercise intervention by a researcher who is "blinded" to their exercise format; Ai Chi (Slow) or Conventional (fast). there is then at least a one-week washout period, after which the subjects will be allocated to other intervention (control) exercise protocol. this will again be in a small group (8-10) and again be measured pre / post by the research assistant who is blind to their randomized Exercise protocol.

Sponsors

Bendigo Health
Lead SponsorHospital

Study design

Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
All
Age
30 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Women with upper limb lymphoedema

Exclusion criteria

Medically unstable or unfit to undertake aquatic therapy, such as open wounds.

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ANZCTR · Data processed: Mar 4, 2026