Exercise Therapy Interventions in Oncology - An Analysis of Structure and Programs in German Oncological Rehabilitation Clinics

Aim of the study The study analyzed the therapeutic interventions in terms of infrastructure, exercise therapy contents and methods in oncological rehabilitation clinics in Germany. Methods The cross-sectional survey was conducted by a self-designed questionnaire. The analysis included 157 rehabilitation clinics according to defined inclusion criteria. Results 33 rehabilitation clinics (21.02%) with a total of 44,828 rehabilitants (29.4%) could be included. 83.6% of the rehabilitants receive sports- and 82.2% physical therapy. All rehabilitation clinics carry out physiotherapeutic/sports science diagnostics before the beginning of exercise programs. Depending on the side effects, 44-80% of the clinics recommend physical activity according to current state of the art. Conclusion Exercise therapy is important in german oncological rehabilitation clinics. However, there are a lot of differences between the methods and contents of exercise therapy.