Trunk Stabilization Exercises at Lipoedema Patients

Lipedema is a chronic, progressive adipose tissue disorder that is mostly seen as a symmetrical growth of the hips and legs, affecting women. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of trunk stabilization exercises in addition to active range of motion exercises on body composition, pain, edema, trunk endurance, functional capacity and postural stability.

Thirty female patients with upper and lower leg lipedemia were included in the study. Subjects were divided into two groups as experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15). The physiotherapy program of the control group will consist of active range of motion exercises and the physiotherapy program in the experimental group will include active range of motion exercises as well as trunk stabilization exercises. After recording demographic data of all subjects, limb volume (environmental measurement), body composition analysis, trunk endurance, pain (Visual Analogue Scale), postural stability (Biodex Balance System®) and functional capacities (6-Minute Walk Test) will be taken. After the six-week treatment program, all evaluations will be repeated. SPSS (SPSS 21.0) program was used for statistical analysis of the data. Significance level in all analyzes will be accepted as p <0.05.

Patients in this group will receive active ROM exercises, 10 repeats X 3 times a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. All exercises will be performed at home .

I addition to active ROM exercises, patients in this group will also receive trunk stabilization exercises training for 45 minutes, 2 times a week for 6 weeks. All exercises sessions will be supervised by a physiotherapist in a clinic per week.

Active ROM exercises programme will include hip flexion-extention, hip abduction-adduction, hip internal-external rotation, knee flexion-extention and ankle dorsi-plantar flextion exercises.

Trunk stabilization exercises training will be given under the supervision of a physiotherapist. This training exercises will include diphragmatic exrecises, posterior pelvic tilt exercises, abdominal streghtening exercises,

Inclusion Criteria: diagnosed with lower or upper type lipedema to be able to understand Turkish being older than 18 years Exclusion Criteria: diagnosed with vestibular disorders having orthopedic or neurologic co morbidities