An interventional study of Supervised Exercise Rehabilitation Program in Sarcoma, Sarcoma of Bone and Connective Tissue and Sarcoma of Soft Tissue, sponsored by Curtin University. Completed. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-23.
Sponsored by Curtin University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
People who have had a sarcoma removed from the leg often live with weak muscles, stiff joints, and trouble walking. These problems can last for years. Formal medical follow-up usually ends about five years after treatment. Few studies have tested exercise at this stage.
This study tested an 8-week supervised exercise program. Participants were adults aged 18 to 67 who were at least 5 years past limb-sparing (wide resection) surgery for a leg sarcoma. They attended a clinic in Perth, Western Australia, twice a week for one hour. The program built leg strength, joint movement, balance, walking, and fitness. It progressed through three phases and was matched to each person's surgery and ability.
All participants received the same program type. There was no comparison group. Each person was tested twice before starting to confirm stable function. Testing was repeated at the end of the 8 weeks. It was repeated again 8 weeks later, after a period with no supervised exercise.
The main outcome was high-level mobility, measured by the High-level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT). This tool scores walking, running, hopping, and stair climbing. Other outcomes were six-minute walk distance, leg strength, joint range of motion, and self-reported physical function and quality of life (TESS and SF-36 questionnaires).
The study aimed to learn two things. First, whether exercise improves strength and mobility years after sarcoma surgery. Second, whether those gains last after supervision stops.
1,691 studies on the registry are indexed under Sarcoma; 393 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 25 is below the median of 40 across 1,300 interventional studies indexed under Sarcoma.
Browse Sarcoma studies →Curtin University is the lead sponsor of 13 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Adults at least 5 years after wide resection surgery for lower limb sarcoma. All participants received the 8-week, fully supervised exercise rehabilitation program described under Interventions. They attended a clinic in Perth, Western Australia, twice weekly for 1 hour. The program was individualised to each person's surgery and ability. Participants were assessed twice at baseline, at 8 weeks, and at 16 weeks, after 8 weeks without supervised exercise.
Behavioral: Supervised Exercise Rehabilitation Program
Behavioral. An 8-week, fully supervised, individualised exercise program for adults at least 5 years after wide resection for lower limb sarcoma. Sessions ran twice weekly for 1 hour (16 sessions), one-to-one, adjusted to each person's resection and ability. Resistance, aerobic, range of motion, balance and gait training progressed through three phases with achievement criteria. Phase 1 (weeks 1-2): range of motion, isolated muscle activation, hydrotherapy gait re-education, home exercises. Phase 2 (weeks 2-4): weighted leg flexion, hip abduction and adduction, closed-chain exercises, balance training, mirror gait retraining, 10 minutes continuous aerobic exercise at about 50% maximum heart rate. Phase 3 (weeks 4-8): squats, lunges, single-leg balance on uneven surfaces, multi-joint tasks, aerobic exercise at 60-70% maximum heart rate. No supervised exercise followed from weeks 8 to 16.
High-level Mobility Assessment Tool, HiMAT
The HiMAT measures high-level walking-based mobility across 13 timed or scored items: walking forwards and backwards, walking on toes, stepping over an obstacle, running, skipping, hopping, bounding on each leg, and ascending and descending stairs. Scores sum to a total from 0 to 54. Higher scores indicate better mobility. The primary outcome is the change in total score from baseline to the end of the 8-week supervised exercise program, and the retention of that change at 16 weeks, after 8 weeks without supervised exercise. Baseline is the second of two baseline assessments, taken one week apart to confirm stability. A 4-point change is considered clinically meaningful.
Time frame: Baseline (second of two assessments), 8 weeks, and 16 weeks
six-minute walk test distance
Participants walked back and forth between two points 50 m apart for 6 minutes. They covered as much distance as they could safely manage. The tester gave standardised phrases and no encouragement. Total distance in metres was recorded, along with pain in the affected limb and breathlessness at the end. Higher distance indicates better walking capacity. A change of 50 m is considered clinically meaningful.
Time frame: Baseline (second assessment), 8 weeks, 16 weeks
lower limb isokinetic strength (peak torque)
Knee extension and flexion peak torque measured bilaterally on an isokinetic dynamometer at 60 degrees per second, after warm-up repetitions. Values are normalised to body weight (Nm/kg). Hip abduction, adduction and flexion strength were also assessed by three-repetition maximum. Higher values indicate greater strength.
Time frame: Baseline (second assessment), 8 weeks, 16 weeks
lower limb joint range of motion
Active range of motion in degrees, measured with a goniometer or bubble inclinometer on both limbs. Joints: hip flexion and extension, knee flexion and extension, ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.
Time frame: Baseline (second assessment), 8 weeks, 16 weeks
Toronto Extremity Salvage Score, lower limb
The 32-item lower limb version of the TESS, completed unassisted. Scores range from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better function
Time frame: Baseline (second assessment), 8 weeks, 16 weeks
SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores
The 36-item Short Form Health Survey, completed unassisted. Eight domains combine into a physical component summary (PCS) and a mental component summary (MCS). Higher scores indicate better perceived health.
Time frame: Baseline (second assessment), 8 weeks, 16 weeks
No study locations are listed for this record.
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Plan to share: No
Ran from Jan 2014 to primary completion in May 2015, 16 months.
Of 147 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Sarcoma, half reached primary completion within 59 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 29 and three quarters within 120. This study's 16 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 150 studies reached it within 59 months; a quarter within 29 and three quarters within 120.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Curtin University