The Impact of Surgical Techniques in Patients with Rectal Cancer on Spine Mobility and Abdominal Muscle Strength—A Prospective Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The aim of our study was to evaluate the spine joint mobility, muscle strength and chest mobility in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer following abdominoperineal resection, or laparoscopic or open resection of the rectum. The studied patients were examined three times: prior to surgery, three months after surgery and six months after surgery. Three months after surgery, all study groups showed a reduction in the range of spine joint mobility, reduction in chest mobility and a reduction in the rectus abdominis and oblique muscle strength. Six months after surgery, an improvement was observed in terms of mobility and muscle strength. The dynamics of improvement were the greatest in patients undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection. ABSTRACT: The aim of this non-randomized study was to evaluate the impact of spine joint mobility and chest mobility on inhalation and exhalation, and to assess the abdominal muscle strength in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer with one of the following methods: anterior resection, laparoscopic anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection. In patients who were successively admitted to the Department of Surgical Oncology at the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz, the impact of spine joint mobility, muscle strength and chest mobility on inhalation and exhalation wasassessed three times, i.e., at their admission and three and six months after surgery. The analysis included 72 patients (18 undergoing abdominoperineal resection, the APR group; 23 undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection, the LAR group; and 31 undergoing anterior resection, the AR group). The study groups did not differ in terms of age, weight, height, BMIor hospitalization time (p > 0.05). Three months after surgery, reductions in spine joint mobility regarding flexion, extension and lateral flexion, as well asreductions in the strength of the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles, were noted in all study groups (p < 0.05). In comparison between the groups, the lowest values suggesting the greatest reduction in the range of mobility were recorded in the APR group. Surgical treatment and postoperative management in colorectal cancer patients caused a reduction in spine mobility, abdominal muscle strength and chest mobility. The patients who experienced those changes most rapidly and intensively werethose undergoing abdominoperineal resection.