While fighting with cancer, don’t stop moving: here’s how exercise can help

Exercising is beneficial at every stage and for everyone. It's a healthy way of living life but studies prove it's healthier for cancer patients to exercise.

In a study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians researchers have mentioned that exercise is important for the prevention of various cancers like breast, colon, kidney, endometrial, bladder, stomach and esophagus cancers. The study goes on to say that exercising during the disease can help treating the fatigue and also aids in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression that are often accompanied with the diseases. It improves the quality of life after the diagnosis of the disease.

Researchers also suggest that depending on the patient's conditions, a proper exercise routine can be made. Doctors may prescribe moderate to moderately intense workout for 30 minutes every day. This is also done after considering patient's physical activities and abilities. Resting and ceasing physical activity after the diagnosis can lead to functional decline and thus it's beneficial to move more.

Benefits of exercising after cancer diagnosis

There have been documented proofs that exercising can decrease pain for the patients. It can also spurt positive thoughts and help patients to deal with depression and anxiety. Also, being on move makes them feel energetic and less tiresome.

Experts explain that when the analysed cancer patients who exercise, they found that exercises like aerobics benefited the health of the patients. In fact, it also helps changing the tumour cell environment. Exercise helps in triggering anti-tumour activity in immune system which fights with cancer cells.

Another factor to notice here is that being over-weight or obese has been often liked with the increased risk of cancer. Therefore, exercising helps keeping weight under check cutting off a risk factor. Obesity could lead to liver, pancreas, breast and endometrial cancers. There have been evidences that being overweight has also increased the chances of cancer recurrence and deaths by the disease. Therefore, exercising could be beneficial in keeping these factors under check.

Exercise for heart health of cancer patients

There have also been researches that prove exercising is beneficial for the heart of cancer patients. Cardiovascular diseases are common side-effects for patients suffering with cancer. Studies explain that no matter what kind of treatment a cancer patient is going through, a customised exercise routine is a must. The author of the study, Dr Flavio D'Ascenzi, University of Siena, Italy, says that the activity level in cancer patients is anyway less. He further suggests that endurance training is effective in improving cardiovascular health. But resistance training is better to start with for patients who are weak and fragile.

The conclusion

The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA), a national cancer organisation has issued formal guidelines regarding exercise for cancer treatment. The organisation in its directives has mentioned that exercise is as an important practice for cancer care. It helps counterattack the effects of cancer.

Discuss with your doctor regarding your stamina if in case you are unable to start with a rigorous routine. In such cases, it's always advisable to start with brisk walking to build stamina. If you have gone through a surgery for the treatment, take directives from your doctor and get back only when advised to. Once you get in form, start doing a resistance training or weightlifting at least twice a week. However, make sure you trainer knows about your health history. You may ask him to help you with some balance exercises.