Cancer and Excercise
February 7, 2007 8:11 PM | Cancer | Exercise | Comments (0)
 | By now, everyone knows that exercise is great for healthy individuals, and most exercise programs are designed for them. But will exercise help someone who has cancer? In the past, cancer patients were told to rest and avoid physical activity. This sounds reasonable, since one of the most commonly reported side effects of cancer and its treatment is fatigue. It would make sense that if one is tired, he should rest. The problem, however, is that this leads to a never ending cycle. Prolonged inactivity leads to muscle wasting and loss of strength. When muscles are weaker, they fatigue more quickly, affecting everyday tasks, such as walking up stairs, or housekeeping. |
When the patient becomes fatigued again, they rest again, and don’t get stronger and even the simple tasks remain difficult. How do we break the cycle?
Several recent studies have shown that regular exercise benefits cancer patients. With a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise, a cancer patient can regain energy and strength, making everyday tasks easier. If a patient is normally active, a great place to start would be 15 minutes of exercise 3 times per week and work her way up from there. If the patient is generally inactive, or too tired to exercise, he can still start a program. Even as little as two minutes at a time, with rest in between and working up to 15 minutes of activity can greatly benefit him.
Patients who exercised regular before cancer should continue, even though their intensity level may be decreased. Patients looking to continue or begin an exercise program should first speak with their doctors. The doctor will determine when it is safe to begin or resume exercise, as patients should not exercise if presenting certain conditions (including, but not limited to low blood count or unbalanced mineral levels). Exercise should not be done if movement causes extreme pain, rapid heart rate, or loss of breath. In addition to fatigue, exercise has also proven to decrease other symptoms of cancer and its treatment such as depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Once an exercise plan is established, the patient can look forward to a better quality of life.
Copyright © 2009 by A.M. Birmingham, ISSA CFT
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