By Tyrone Saul
There have been many clinical trials addressing the impact exercise has on people with cancer both during and after treatment.
There is sufficient evidence to show that exercise provides benefits in quality of life for people with cancer and that it does not cause harm to the individual.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine: exercise is defined as “a physical activity causing an increase in energy expenditure and involving a planned or structured movement of the body performed in a systematic manner in terms of frequency, intensity, and duration, and designed to maintain or enhance health-related outcomes.
A recent Canadian study by the Society for Exercise Physiology, discussed the impact of cancer rehabilitation through physical activity and exercise.
Their study found that regular consistent exercise had both psychological and physical benefits for those adhering to an exercise program.
The American College of Sports Medicine supports the notion that those surviving cancer are better off partaking in a supportive, well-structured exercise program than to be “inactive”.
Supported studies recommend the following:
1. A pre-exercise assessment to evaluate for any effects of disease, treatments, and comorbidities is recommended for all people living with cancer before they start an exercise intervention.
2. It is recommended that, where possible, people living with cancer exercise in a small group or supervised setting, because that environment might provide a superior benefit or outcome in terms of muscular and aerobic fitness gains.
3. It is recommended that, where possible, people living with cancer perform exercise at a moderate intensity (three to six times the baseline resting state) on an ongoing basis as a part of their lifestyle so that improvements in quality of life and muscular and aerobic fitness can be maintained for the long term.
Many studies have found an improvement in quality of life for patients with cancer participating in an exercise intervention during the active treatment or post-treatment period, it’s important to consult your doctor regarding such matters and seek out professional advice on what is best practice. Importantly, exercise prescription under supervision has been proven to be of benefit to those living with cancer when delivered in a structured manner under controlled environment.
