Content of the supervised physical exercise training programme in the intervention group
Frequency | Intensity | Time | Type |
Three times a week | Aerobic interval training, consisting of four intervals of alternating effort performed on a cycle ergometer:
| 24–28 min | Aerobic interval training |
Two times a week | During neoadjuvant treatment:
| 30 min | Aerobic training |
Two times a week | Resistance training, consisting of training six large muscle groups (leg press, bench press or chest press, abdominal crunch, pull over, low row and step up)† in two sets:
| ~20 min | Resistance training |
One time a week | Progressive muscle relaxation techniques.35 | ~20 min | Relaxation exercises |
*Further tailoring is done by the physical therapists: if a patient is not able to complete the high-intensity interval, the intensity will be reduced by 10%. The intensity can be reduced further in steps of 10% until the patient can complete all four high-intensity intervals. If a patient is able to complete all high-intensity intervals, moderate and high intensity will be increased by 10%.94 During neoadjuvant treatment95: if a patient scores below a Borg score of 12 intensity is increased, if a patient scores above a Borg score of 15 intensity is decreased.
†Physical therapists can offer alternative resistance exercises targeting the same muscle group to accommodate a patient’s abilities and preferences.
‡If the patient is able to do two repetitions more than planned, the load will be increased by 10%. The load will be decreased by 10% if the number of repetitions the patient achieves is two less than the planned number of repetitions.
1RM, one-repetition maximum; CPET, cardiopulmonary exercise test; VO2peak, oxygen uptake at peak exercise.