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Chronic lymphedema causes psychophysical sequelae jeopardizing quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer (BC) survivors, and lack of effective therapies represents a major challenge for healthcare professionals. Structured adapted physical activity (APA) may represent an effective strategy to attenuate cancer treatment-related impairments and improve QoL. Here, we describe the effects of a specific APA intervention based on a novel multiperspective methodology in counteracting lymphedema-related morphofunctional alterations and improving QoL of BC survivors.BC survivors with chronic moderate/severe lymphedema attending the Cancer Rehabilitation Center in Florence were assessed before and after 8-week APA. The protocol consisted of both APA specialist-supervised and self-leaded sessions using a tailor-designed proprioceptive board. Body mass index, bioimpedance parameters, indirect upper limb volume measurement, and ultrasonography were performed. Wrist flexion/extension and hand strength functional tests were also executed. QoL, depression/anxiety and pain intensity were evaluated by ULL27, HADS, distress thermometer and NRS questionnaires, respectively.Although bioimpedance, ultrasound and volumetric measures remained mostly unchanged, wrist mobility, pain perception, depression, and QoL were all significantly ameliorated after APA.Our findings suggest that a multidisciplinary treatment approach involving APA professionals should be employed in the management of BC-related lymphedema to improve patient psychophysical outcomes and QoL.

Sport practice has the widely demonstrated potential of promoting well-being and physical/mental health, especially in disabled individuals. Nowadays, visually impaired people can participate in several sports commonly adapted and played substituting visual input with auditory or tactile ones. By integrating movement and music, dance can simultaneously promote physical and emotional involvement and enhances vicarious sense recruitment. On these premises, we performed a survey to assess the psychological well-being (PWB) and quality of life (QoL) in visually impaired athletes, comparing dancesport vs other sound input-based sports. Twenty-one visually impaired dancers and twenty-seven visually impaired athletes practicing adapted baseball, showdown, blind futsal, or blind tennis completed a structured self-report survey including the Italian version of PWB-18 scale and the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire. Dancers reported significantly higher scores in PWB-18 autonomy, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance along with a higher PWB total score than the other athlete group. Similarly, the SF-12 questionnaire results demonstrated significantly higher scores in both physical and mental QoL of visually impaired dancers compared with other athletes. In conclusion, our findings suggest that, given its peculiarities, the practice of dancesport may have a stronger positive impact on PWB and QoL of visually impaired individuals than other sound input-based sports.

Adapted physical activity (APA) can improve psychophysical wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) in cancer survivors, a vulnerable population requiring a global management, especially during the recent pandemic. On this basis, we investigated for the first time the impact of a tailored APA intervention on a melanoma-affected 18-year-old female athlete to counteract treatment sequelae and promote lower limb functional and strength recovery. Patient was evaluated at baseline and post-protocol by a test battery focusing on mobility, muscle strength measured by dynamometry, and lower limb girths assessed at specific anatomical points. Moreover, health-related QoL, depression/anxiety, psychological distress and pain intensity were evaluated by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Melanoma (FACT-M), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), distress thermometer, and numerical rating scale (NRS) questionnaires, respectively. An almost doubled up increase in lower limb strength, along with hip mobility improvement, and post-surgical edema and pain reduction were observed following the protocol. Concerning the QoL assessment, a moderate post-intervention improvement in physical and emotional wellbeing was detected, while depression state worsened though remaining within the normality range. Our findings show that a specialist-supervised structured APA protocol based on a patient-centered multidisciplinary approach may represent an effective strategy to recover functional and psychophysical efficiency, thus promoting a quick return to daily life activities and offering a concrete chance of resuming competitive sport practice.

Background: Growing evidence indicates that physical/sporting activities may improve the health outcomes and quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer (BC) survivors. Since recent reports have suggested that sailing can improve the psychophysical well-being and QoL of people with disabilities, this pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a tailored sailing experience on the QoL and psychological distress (PD) of BC survivors. Methods: A group of 19 breast cancer survivors, who were attending the Cancer Rehabilitation Center in Florence, were invited to participate in a sailing school and completed a survey based on a structured online questionnaire assessing QoL and PD both on departure (baseline) and one week after returning (follow-up). The survey comprised a first part (i.e., sociodemographic characteristics and the practice of physical/sporting activities at baseline; sailing experience satisfaction at follow-up) and a second part (i.e., Short Form-12 (SF-12), State/Trait-Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-Y), distress thermometer questionnaires). A paired Student’s t-test was used to compare the baseline versus follow-up QoL and PD scores. Results: A statistically significant improvement in SF-12 mental component scores and a reduction in both STAI-Y state/trait components and distress thermometer scores were found after the sailing experience. Conclusions: We conclude that sailing practice could be a feasible intervention to increase the psychophysical well-being of BC survivors.

Physical activity (PA) interventions can improve physical functioning, treatment-related symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in cancer survivors. Most investigations have been conducted in breast cancer survivors, while studies on PA interventions in gynecological cancer survivors are scant. Here, we report for the first time the possible benefits of a structured PA pathway (i.e., eight weeks of adapted PA followed by twelve weeks of adapted fitness) on physical side effects, pain and QoL in an uncommon case of survivorship of both primary breast and gynecological cancers. For this purpose, a 69-year-old woman was assessed by functional test battery (shoulder–arm mobility, range of motion, back flexibility) at baseline and after the structured PA pathway. QoL and surgical shoulder, back and lower limb pain intensity were evaluated by Short Form-12 (SF-12) and numerical rating scale questionnaires, respectively. Lower limb circumference was also assessed. Improvement in upper limb function, reduction of lower limb edema and pain perception, as well as an increase in overall QoL were achieved after the completion of structured PA intervention. Our findings suggest that a PA intervention tailored to individual characteristics may represent an effective countermeasure to reduce post-treatment functional disability and pain, and thus to improve QoL in breast and gynecologic cancer survivors.

Italian baseball played by visually impaired and blind athletes is an adapted team sport which maintains the peculiar fast-moving features of this popular sport. It is also a mixed team game played together with sighted subjects. Here, we performed a national survey aimed at assessing the differences in psychological well-being (PWB) and quality of life (QoL) between visually impaired baseball players from Italian teams and non-players using a structured online questionnaire. Forty-three visually impaired baseball players and thirty-four visually impaired sedentary individuals completed a structured self-report survey including the validated 18-item Italian versions of the PWB (PWB-18) scale and the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire to assess the QoL. PWB-18 and SF-12 reference data from the Italian normally sighted population were also employed for comparison with the visually impaired baseball player group. Visually impaired baseball players reported better scores in all dimensions of the PWB-18 scale and significant higher scores in both physical and mental QoL evaluated by SF-12 than the non-player group. In addition, PWB-18 scale findings revealed significant differences between visually impaired baseball players and the reference normally sighted population consisting in lower scores for autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relations with others and purpose in life dimensions. Conversely, the mean scores for PWB-18 personal growth and self-acceptance dimensions were not significantly different between the two groups. The SF-12 questionnaire results demonstrated a significantly higher physical score in visually impaired players compared with the reference population. Instead, the SF-12 mental score of visually impaired athletes tended to be lower, though this difference was not statistically significant. Collectively, our findings suggest that the practice of Italian baseball may have a positive impact on PWB and QoL of visually impaired individuals.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific adapted physical activity (APA) protocol on upper limb disability and quality of life in breast cancer survivors and to assess longitudinally the possible role of APA on long-term benefits. Breast cancer survivors from an Italian cohort were assessed by fitness tests (shoulder-arm mobility, range of motion, and back flexibility) before and after 8-week APA. Quality of life and back and surgical shoulder pain intensity were evaluated by Short Form-12 and numerical rating scale questionnaires, respectively. At 1.5-year post-APA follow-up, survivors were evaluated as at baseline/post-APA to assess long-term effects. A statistically significant improvement in shoulder-arm mobility, pain perception, and quality of life was observed in breast cancer survivors after APA intervention. Longitudinal analyses indicated an overall decrease in the achieved benefits at 1.5-year post-APA. The survivorship phase of breast cancer requires a multidisciplinary collaboration involving either the cancer-care medical team or APA professionals to manage psychophysical outcomes. A specific APA protocol may represent an effective countermeasure to reduce post-treatment upper limb disability and improve the quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Participation in structured APA protocols should be maintained over time to preserve the achieved benefits.

Current evidence suggests that physical activity interventions can improve quality of life, fitness, and strength, reducing depression and fatigue in breast cancer survivors. However, in the long-term many survivors are insufficiently active. Here, the possible long-term benefits of a specific adapted physical activity (APA) intervention on upper limb functional performance and quality of life in breast cancer survivors were investigated. For this purpose, fifteen survivors were assessed by fitness tests (shoulder-arm mobility, range of motion, back flexibility) at the baseline and at eight weeks post-APA intervention. Quality of life and surgical shoulder and back pain intensity were evaluated by Short Form-12 and numerical rating scale questionnaires, respectively. Five participants, who continued to follow the APA protocol over time, were again evaluated after two years and compared to either five women who were inactive or five others who practiced general physical activity after ending the eight-week APA protocol. Shoulder-arm mobility and self-reported questionnaire data revealed the maintenance and/or improvement of the achieved benefits two years after the APA intervention. Our findings suggest that the long-term practice of APA tailored to individual characteristics should be recommended to breast cancer survivors in order to preserve quality of life and fitness.

Este artigo tem por objetivo compreender o processo de comunicação em projetos de Tecnologia da Informação (TI). Além disso, este estudo busca investigar a influência do perfil profissional, considerando-se as áreas de temas e de negócios, na importância atribuída à área de comunicações em projetos. A abordagem metodológica selecionada usa uma combinação de métodos qualitativos e quantitativos. Um estudo de caso foi desenvolvido em uma empresa prestadora de serviços de TI de grande porte. Adicionalmente, foram coletadas informações através de um questionário do tipo survey preenchido por 57 profissionais da empresa estudada, envolvidos em projetos de TI, dos quais 58% são da área de sistemas e 42% da área de negócios. Os resultados sugerem que existem características distintivas entre estes dois perfis de profissional. This paper aims to understand the communications process in Information Technology (IT) projects. Furthermore, this study investigated the influence of professional profile on the perception of project communication importance, considering both systems and business-oriented areas. The selected methodological approach uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. A case study was performed in large IT Service Company. Besides, data were gathered from a questionnaire survey of 57 professionals of the studied company involved in IT projects, which 58% represented the system-oriented area and 42% the business-oriented area. The results suggested that there are distinctive characteristics between these two professionals’ profiles.

Este artigo tem por objetivo compreender o processo de comunicação em projetos de Tecnologia da Informação (TI). Além disso, este estudo busca investigar a influência do perfil profissional, considerando-se as áreas de temas e de negócios, na importância atribuída à área de comunicações em projetos. A abordagem metodológica selecionada usa uma combinação de métodos qualitativos e quantitativos. Um estudo de caso foi desenvolvido em uma empresa prestadora de serviços de TI de grande porte. Adicionalmente, foram coletadas informações através de um questionário do tipo survey preenchido por 57 profissionais da empresa estudada, envolvidos em projetos de TI, dos quais 58% são da área de sistemas e 42% da área de negócios. Os resultados sugerem que existem características distintivas entre estes dois perfis de profissional.This paper aims to understand the communications process in Information Technology (IT) projects. Furthermore, this study investigated the influence of professional profile on the perception of project communication importance, considering both systems and business-oriented areas. The selected methodological approach uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. A case study was performed in large IT Service Company. Besides, data were gathered from a questionnaire survey of 57 professionals of the studied company involved in IT projects, which 58% represented the system-oriented area and 42% the business-oriented area. The results suggested that there are distinctive characteristics between these two professionals’ profiles.

Background:Physical activity interventions are known to be effective in improving the physical and psychological complaints of breast cancer survivors.Purpose:To investigate the impact of a specific exercise training program on upper limb mobility and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.Methods:The study included 55 women recruited at the Cancer Rehabilitation Centre in Florence after the completion of breast cancer treatment and rehabilitative physiotherapy. All participants underwent an 8-week specific exercise training to improve upper limb mobility function and quality of life. Anthropometric parameters were measured, and each subject underwent a battery of fitness tests to assess shoulder-arm mobility, range of motion, and back flexibility before and after specific exercise program. All participants filled out the Short Form-12 and numerical rating scale questionnaires to assess the quality of life and to quantify back and shoulder pain intensity.Results:The evaluation of shoulder-arm mobility and self-reported questionnaire data revealed a statistically significant improvement after completion of our specific exercise program.Conclusion:An organized specific program of adapted physical activity can be effective in reducing the main adverse effects of surgery and oncological therapy, and may significantly improve shoulder-arm mobility and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.