Effect of rowing on mobility, functionality, and quality of life in women with and without breast cancer: a 4-month intervention

Purpose Of the different modalities of rowing, dragon boat training is the most analyzed in breast cancer (BC). However, other types of boats, such as the felucca, use different biomechanical techniques, which have not been studied in the scientific literature. Consequently, in this study, we sought to determine the benefits of felucca rowing on the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of patients with BC and healthy persons. Methods A pre- and post-intervention, single-arm study without a control group with a 4-month intervention was carried out in Spain in 2019. The study sample included six women with BC and 15 healthy women. The following questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention: Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH), Constant-Murley score (CMS), and the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D, rate your health today). Differences were determined before and after the intervention using the paired t test. Results Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were found in the results of all the questionnaires for the women with BC and for the healthy women: DASH (− 13.8 BC and − 6.7 healthy), CMS (+ 12.0 BC and 9.2 healthy), and EQ-5D (+ 8.5 BC and 10.5 healthy). Conclusion Felucca rowing showed benefits in health and quality of life in both women with BC and healthy women. In future studies with controlled design, values regarding clinical relevance, such as effect sizes/confidence intervals, are needed to corroborate our results.