Impact of Exergames in Women with Breast Cancer After Surgery: a Systematic Review

Abstract

In recent years, exergames have been used in healthcare, and particularly in rehabilitation, with positive results. Exergames in healthcare have a significant potential; however, gaps in some areas remain, including the domain of exergames post-surgery for breast cancer. This study aimed to synthesise the existing studies on exergames following surgery for breast cancer and evaluate their impact through a systematic review. A total of 8 articles published between 2015 and 2022 were selected. The search took place in January 2022 with no time limits. Altogether 209 women participated in these studies. Interventions ranged from 4 to 8 weeks. Most of the interventions took place in the late postoperative period. It was possible to observe their impact on some indicators (range of motion, pain, functionality, depression). Importantly, no negative impact was reported in any of the different studies. The present review concluded that exergames can be a promising intervention for rehabilitation in oncology. However, more robust studies are needed that evaluate the effectiveness of using exergames as a complement to conventional rehabilitation and to assess the degree of satisfaction, motivation, and adherence of participants.