How Exercise Can Help During Cancer Treatment

Great physical health is a vital step for anyone undergoing cancer treatment. It carries short and long-term benefits with developing research showing that it can significantly support the patient physically and mentally during the overwhelming treatment sessions.

Therefore, anyone needs to find a suitable exercise program to help them get moving during their treatment. It doesn’t matter whether you were physically active before the diagnosis or not. Today, we will explain how cancer exercise can help alleviate the side effects of the dreaded disease during treatment.

Overview of Cancer Stats

According to the American Cancer Society, the world records more than 1.7 million new cases every year. Moreover, almost 600,000 people die from the disease every year. Sadly, physical inactivity is one of the significant contributors to these ugly statistics. For this reason, patients in cancer treatment and cancer survivors are highly advised to remain physically active – it reduces fatigue and improves their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs).

The Department of Health and Human Sciences further adds that physical activity is vital for helping cancer survivors to manage various cancer-related issues, which improves their chances of surviving certain types of cancer. The latter include cancer of the colon, prostate, lungs, bladder, and breast, among others. While exercising carries a range of benefits for cancer survivors during and post-treatment, physical activity is highly beneficial for breast cancer survivors, explaining why most don’t meet HHS guidelines ten years post-diagnosis.

Fortunately, physical therapists for cancer exercise are available at various centers for fitness in Nashville TN. These experts personalize treatment plans for each individual to help them manage the side effects of the treatment. The side effects include reduced endurance, balance, strength, pain, and fatigue, while the customized plans use physical activities to achieve the designated goal.

The professionals work with the cancer survivors to help promote their health and functions and eventually ensure that they resume their normal lives at work and perform their ADLs with minimal risk for cancer recurrence. Here are some of the ways in which cancer exercise can benefit patients during treatment:

Reduces Fatigue

Cancer treatment is a demanding and overwhelming process that weakens the body, compromising its strength and endurance. Sadly, the body is already struggling to fight the chronic disease at the time, meaning it is already weak before the treatment.

Unknown to most people, exercising can benefit them greatly by reducing fatigue associated with cancer treatment. The workouts are the key to boosting your energy levels and endurance during and after the treatment, making you stronger and energized and lowering fatigue.

Promotes Muscle Strength

Both cancer and its treatment plans are strenuous on the human body. As the body struggles to fight back and correspond with the treatment, it becomes overwhelmed over time.

The muscle strength begins wearing off, and the only way to maintain the latter is to exercise regularly and suitably besides eating a balanced diet. Safe exercising is the key to growing optimal muscle power and maintaining it regardless of your state of health.

Reduces Stress

Cancer diagnosis and treatment is a stressful and anxious stage in life that affects the patient and their loved ones. It is an unbelievable time when one keeps wondering why it had to be them, what the future will be like, and if they will survive another day. This is a time full of fear—and without the right measures, you can easily fall into depression.

Besides counseling and finding support groups, it is also highly advised that you exercise adequately and safely. Exercising during the treatment is crucial for warding off the ongoing fear, anxiety, and depression. By working off the fear and anxiety, you become calmer, which is necessary for taking the treatment positively and hoping for the best outcome.

Prevents/Reduces Lymphedema and Swelling

Swelling is a common challenge among cancer patients. It occurs due to fluid retention and mostly in the lips, tongue, and eyelids. It is a vascular reaction – chemotherapy-related, which forces excessive fluid to escape from the cells into the skin layers causing the swelling.

Cancer exercise professionals at various fitness centers, among other physical therapists, can customize and recommend special physical therapy workouts to address the swelling and lymphedema. When done early, the therapy can also prevent the occurrence of swelling and lymphedema.

Reduces Pain

Cancer and cancer treatment are some of the most painful experiences anyone can encounter. Despite the strong anesthetics and painkillers administered, patients still suffer immense pain that leaves them desperate for any solution that works effectively. One of these solutions is exercise. As long as they are comfortable and safe, physical workouts have been proven to effectively help in the management of pain associated with cancer and cancer treatment.

Prevents and Reduces Weight Gain

Cancer treatment is a stressful phase of life that can easily make the patient opt to overeat due to stress and eventually gain excess weight. Exercising ensures that you stay physically active, which is the key to attaining and maintaining a healthy weight.

Reduces Brain Fog

Besides keeping you physically fit, exercising is also crucial during cancer treatment as it has an instant and long-lasting effect associated with lowering brain fog. The treatment involves a wide range of medications and techniques and takes several hours to complete.

Upon completion, the patient wakes up feeling tired and their brain in a fog. Exercising is the best way of eliminating the brain fog, leaving you feeling better, calmer, and with a clear mind.

Minimizes Loss of Bone Density

Battling cancer and withstanding the treatment comes with different severe effects. One of these effects is the tremendous loss of bone density. However, exercising suitably—especially the exercises done while standing or moving, can lower the rate of bone density loss. These exercises can also promote stronger and healthier bones, which are vital for preventing fractures.

Moreover, exercising during cancer treatment can also improve your chances of survival. Studies show that exercising while on cancer treatment enhances the outcome of the treatment. For this reason, more people who exercise while on cancer treatment are likely to survive longer than those who don’t.

These physical exercises also ensure that athletes who fall ill with cancer don’t stop their training while undergoing the treatment. Besides, countless great physical therapists can customize a safe and effective physical activity to meet your needs while ensuring compatibility with your cancer treatment plan. These professionals’ goal is to improve the quality of your life through hands-on care and prescribed movement while educating you.