Background: Hand-foot syndrome is a form of perifier sensory neuropathy caused by chemotherapy. The syndrome can cause side effects such as pain, discomfort, numbness, swelling and impaired balance. Evaluated treatment is lacking.
Purpose: Examine how twelve week physiotherapy treatment short-wave diathermy, interference and balance training affects side effects of the foot/lower leg caused by chemotherapy in seven patients with hand-foot syndrome.
Method: Study group, quasi-experimental outcome study. Seven patients participated. Variables measured were, pain, discomfort, numbness, and balance. Three measurements were carried out, before, after, and eight weeks after the intervention. Self-reported estimates and the physical measurement were used.
Results: The group's pain, discomfort and numbness decreased in all measurements. For pain measurement after the intervention and eight weeks after showed significance (p = 0,027),(p = 0,042). Discomfort showed significance after the intervention (p = 0,018). Numbness showed no significance. Balance showed significance in: Sharpened Romberg, left, eyes closed, eight weeks after intervention (p = 0,043). Sharpened Romberg, left, eyes closed, after the intervention (p = 0,027), eight weeks after intervention (p = 0,028). Standing on one leg, the right, eyes closed, after the intervention (p = 0,042), eight weeks after intervention(p = 0,027). No measurements showed deterioration.
Conclusion: The results showed that treatment with short-wave diathermy, interference and balance training reduced pain, discomfort, numbness and partial improvements in balance in hand-foot syndrome. However, it is not possible to demonstrate which treatment component that affected the most. Further studies are needed to produce results more valid.