de Fatima Guerreiro Godoy, M., Guimaraes, T.D., Oliani, A.H., & de Godoy, J.M. (2011). Association of Godoy & Godoy contention with mechanism with apparatus-assisted exercises in patients with arm lymphedema after breast cancer. International Journal of General Medicine, 4, 373–376.

To determine the effectiveness of the use of apparatus-assisted exercises with Godoy and Godoy contention (a cotton and polyester sleeve) for volume reduction of the upper limbs in patients with arm lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment

Each of the participants was given four apparatus-assisted exercises to complete using a pedal, pulley, horizontal bar, and elevation bar along with a Godoy and Godoy contention device (sleeve made of a cotton and polyester material). Each exercise was used for 15 minutes under low intensity (less than 10 movements per minute) in a seated position.

• The study sample was comprised of female patients who were experiencing edema of the arm (greater than 200 ml) after breast cancer treatment.
• Mean age was 57 years, with a range of 42–72 years.
• Types of breast cancer treatment included radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery with axillary lymph node resection.

The study took place at an inpatient setting in Brazil.

Patients were undergoing transition and active treatment for lymphedema.

 The study used a quasi-experimental design.

• Measurements were taken one hour before and after the completion of each of the four individual exercises.  
• Water displacement volumetry was used to measure the arm volume in the upper limbs.

There was a significant loss in arm volume (mean decrease of 57.32 g) after using the four different apparatus-assisted exercises (p = 0.0032).

The study suggests that there is a positive correlation between the use of apparatus-assisted arm exercises and the reduction of edema in patients with arm lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment.  However, the data should only be used for evaluation purposes because the study has many limitations.

• The sample size was small, with less than 30 participants.
• The study had a risk of bias because of no control group, blinding, random assignment, or appropriate attentional control condition.
• The study had a single observation only with immediate pre- and postmeasurement only.
   

The results from this study can be used as a tool to nurses when identifying treatment strategies for patients with arm lymphedema. However, nurses should be aware that not enough research has been done to validate the point that the use of Gody and Godoy during arm assisted-apparatus exercises has a strong relation to a reduction on peripheral edema. Further research needs to be conducted to validate the findings of the study using a more rigorous study design.