What every survivor should know about exercise…
Proven benefits of exercise from diagnosis and beyond:
• Before
treatment begins:
Exercise has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and
help prepare your body to handle the treatment better
•
During
treatment:
Exercise has been shown to reduce fatigue, improve quality
of life, improve ability to do daily activities, reduce
depression and anxiety, strengthen the immune system,
reduce treatment related nausea, improve sleep, and help
your body handle the treatment better.
Weight bearing exercise, such as walking, or strength
training may help minimize bone and muscle loss, and
minimizes the increase in fat tissue that often occurs with
some cancer treatments, such as breast cancer, and the use
of steroids with treatment.
•
After treatment:
Exercise improves healing and recovery, quality of life,
sleep, self- esteem, confidence, energy, fatigue,
depression, anxiety, energy, eases minor aches and pains,
and strengthens the immune system.
Most importantly, growing research is pointing to a
reduced risk of recurrence and improved survival
rates in some
cancers by as much as 40-50% over those who are not
exercising regularly (at least 150-300 minutes/week).
Survivors are at risk for developing other health
conditions. Exercise reduces risk for heart disease,
diabetes, stroke, obesity, and developing a second cancer.
It reduces high blood pressure, cholesterol, circulating
estrogen (for BC survivors), builds muscle, strengthens
bones, keeps the digestive system moving, and helps with
weight loss and weight management. Exercise has been shown
to reduce chronic inflammation, which may be an important
factor in many chronic diseases, including cancer.
Exercise is Medicine™ ! Can
you think of one pill that has as many benefits? The
AMA/ACSM and many other organizations think so, too.
www.ExerciseIsMedicine.org.
Special things to remember about your exercise program:
It is important to proceed gradually with exercise if you
are at risk for, or have lymphedema. See the end of this
section for more information***
After
a diagnosis/before treatment begins:
If
already an exerciser, keep moving! This may help your body
manage the treatment better. Non-exercisers should
gradually progress with a walking program, starting with as
little as a few minutes/day or work under supervision to
progress safely.
During
treatment:
The old
advice used to be to rest and take it easy. Resting is an
important part of recovery but it is important to remain as
active as you are able, making at least some
exercise
a priority. Our bodies were designed to move, and when we
don’t, we experience a lot of negative health
conditions, like bone and muscle loss, weight gain, an
increase in fatty tissue and an increase in other health
risks. Equally important is doing what you can to
feel
better.
Find the days in your treatment cycle where you feel better
and plan activity then. Some survivors report that the day
after treatment, when steroids are in their system, can
sometimes be a good day for exercise. Find what works for
you.
Regular exercisers: May need
to temporarily take it at a slower pace than normal or
break up exercise into smaller increments throughout the
day.
Non-exercisers: Start
with brief slow walks and stretching, slowly adding more
time.
At the end of the day, don’t beat yourself up if you
aren’t able to be active. Think about what you CAN
do, even if that means light stretching on a given day, or
just walking around the house. Focus on the days you
will
be able
to be active. See special precautions below.
SPECIAL
PRECAUTIONS:
* Always
check with your doctor before beginning an exercise
program.
**
A supervised program is preferable, when possible, and
constant communication with your physician is
critical. Seek the
guidance of a trained and certified exercise professional
to supervise your exercise program. A physical therapist
can also help you select the right exercises to build your
strength and stamina, as well.
The
American College of Sports Medicine and the American Cancer
Society, recently created a new certification for fitness
professionals to help cancer survivors called
Cancer
Exercise Trainer. Go
to
www.ACSM.org
to find
a certified professional near you.
***Most
cancer survivors who have had surgery that involved
removing lymph nodes or radiation may be at risk for
developing lymphedema. Risk may
change over time, and occur over a lifetime, due to
scarring that develops. Survivors should have a
consultation with a physical therapist who is trained and
certified as a lymphedema specialist before beginning an
exercise program. A list of these certified physical
therapists can be found at
www.lymphnet.com
. the
National Lymphedema Network, as well as more important
information.
• Working too hard or going
beyond a
typical workout or intensity may
trigger or worsen lymphedema.
• Exercise should be started gradually, increased
cautiously and stopped for pain, increased swelling or
discomfort
**** Survivors with cancer that has spread to the bone or
who have low platelets (bleed or bruise easily) should
avoid high impact sports. Patients should avoid vigorous
exercise when their hemoglobin (red blood count) is less
than 8.0 and should avoid activities that may increase risk
of infections (like swimming or exercising in a gym) when
their white blood cell count is less than 500.
After treatment:
Current
recommendations are to follow guidelines for cancer
prevention. Survivors
should not expect to be back to pre-treatment levels of
fitness immediately and the time it takes varies from
person to person. Fatigue may be cumulative with chemo and
radiation, and you may experience more than you have had at
any point, after treatment ends. The long-term goal of a
survivor should be to meet the minimum guidelines below and
preferably
double them for
maximum benefit in lowering risk for disease, recurrence,
and keeping weight under control.
The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are
explained in detail at
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/
and are
summarized here:
Aerobic activity:
If you
choose moderate activity, do at least 150 minutes each
week.
If you choose vigorous activity, do at least 75 minutes
each week.
Guidelines can be met in 10 minute increments or sessions!
Strength
training:
Do at
least 2 days per week: Exercises that include all major
muscle groups such as the legs, hips, back, chest, stomach,
shoulders, and arms and are hard enough that you can only
do 8-12 repetitions/times per exercise
Nutrition and Physical Activity During and
After Cancer Treatment: An American Cancer Society Guide
for Informed Choices
New York Times on Cancer and
Exercise
Chicago Tribune on Cancer and
Exercise
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