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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Apr 16;33(5):391.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09458-x.

Exercise and cancer-related lymphedema in the lower limbs-a randomized cross-over trial on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with and without compression garments

Merete Celano Wittenkamp  1   2 , Carsten Bogh Juhl  3   4 , Bo Zerahn  5 , Anders Vinther  3   6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Exercise and cancer-related lymphedema in the lower limbs-a randomized cross-over trial on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with and without compression garments

Merete Celano Wittenkamp et al. Support Care Cancer. .

Abstract

Purpose: The aim was to evaluate the safety and possibility of performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on a stationary bike for participants with cancer-related lower limb lymphedema (LLL) with and without compression garments in a cross-over design.

Methods: Twenty-one participants with LLL were randomized to two sessions of HIIT on a stationary bike, one with and one without compression garments. The sessions were separated by a seven-day washout period. The trial was carried out in a hospital setting from September to November 2018. The acceptability and safety of the intervention were assessed. The safety was evaluated as adverse events and immediate and 24-h changes in self-reported symptoms (pain, heaviness, and tension). Additionally, recruitment, completion rate, and post-exercise changes in LLL were assessed by circumferential measurements of the legs, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), respectively.

Results: Twenty-one out of 35 (60%) eligible patients were included, and 19 (90%) patients completed both exercise sessions. Acceptability was high, and there were no adverse events. There was no clinically relevant difference between performing exercise with and without compression in self-reported symptoms or in limb volume. Small statistically significant differences in soft tissue mass (164.2 g corresponding to 1.4%) and extracellular fluid (L-Dex range < 5 units) were observed with and without compression, respectively, both favoring exercise with compression.

Conclusion: HIIT on a stationary bike was acceptable for patients with LLL and seemed safe regardless of the use of compression garments.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov registration (NCT03653819).

Keywords: Cancer related lymphedema; Compression; Exercise; High-intensity interval training; Lower limb lymphedema.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: The trial was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Capital Region of Denmark (ID: H- 18031266) and by the Danish Data Protection Agency (I-Suite no.: 06072, ID-no.: HGH- 2017–129) and was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. The trial was registered in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03653819) upon recruitment. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Illustration of the HIIT program
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Flowchart of recruitment and completion of the trial
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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