Contents:
- Medical Video: Mouse 'Avatars' Guide Cancer Treatments
- Benefits of exercise for former cancer sufferers
- Sports make former cancer sufferers able to live normally again
- Reducing stress, making moods happy, and forgetting memories of cancer
- Exercise can increase a person's immunity
- Can former cancer sufferers be able to exercise like other healthy people?
- What types of exercise can a former cancer patient do?
- What should be considered by former cancer sufferers if they want to exercise?
Medical Video: Mouse 'Avatars' Guide Cancer Treatments
A person who has successfully recovered from cancer and has finished treatment, does not mean he is free to do anything and does not have any risk. In fact, various restrictions and recommendations must be made by former cancer sufferers to prevent the recurrence of cancer that might occur and of course to maintain overall health. One way to avoid this risk is to do sports.
However, until now many have thought that former cancer sufferers should not be exhausted or tired, so their physical activity is restricted. Whereas on the contrary, regular exercise has many benefits for former cancer sufferers.
Then, what are the benefits of exercise for former cancer sufferers? What types of exercise are good for former cancer sufferers? Is exercise done by former cancer sufferers the same as other healthy people?
Benefits of exercise for former cancer sufferers
Sports make former cancer sufferers able to live normally again
Former cancer survivors who have successfully passed cancer treatment, of course, want to live normally again, continue their work or school as before being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer treatment that is done does make them detached from cancer, but various kinds of side effects arise that cause their quality of life to decrease, fatigue, decreased ability and physical strength.
Even so, the former cancer sufferers need to do physical activity even in mild intensity. By doing physical activity, the former cancer sufferer can restore the strength and muscle mass lost when undergoing treatment, the body functions become normal again, and reduce the risk of recurrence.
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Reducing stress, making moods happy, and forgetting memories of cancer
Almost all former cancer sufferers must have great fear and anxiety related to recurrence that might occur. This can make them stressful, unstable emotions, and feel scared throughout the day. But by doing regular exercise, their attention and thoughts about recurrence will be distracted.
Not only that, exercise can also be a stimulation or a stimulant that is good for ex-cancer patients to continue to maintain their health and keep them away from negative thoughts.
Exercise can increase a person's immunity
Most former cancer sufferers have a low immune system due to various cancer treatments. One that can restore the body's immune system to normal is to do regular exercise.
This has even been proven by research that found that former breast cancer sufferers who exercise regularly, are more resistant to various diseases and rarely sick compared to former breast cancer sufferers who do not exercise regularly.
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Can former cancer sufferers be able to exercise like other healthy people?
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), former cancer sufferers are advised not to be passive and do physical activities according to their respective abilities. The lack of physical activity in former cancer patients makes the risk of degenerative diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and heart attacks become greater.
Former cancer survivors who are adults, ie between 18-64 years old are advised to do moderate intensity exercise for 150 minutes per week or heavy or high intensity exercise for 75 minutes per week.
If one day former cancer sufferers feel tired and don't want to exercise, then it is understandable and it is better not to exercise. The physical abilities of former cancer sufferers are indeed different from healthy people. Although former cancer sufferers have successfully undergone treatment, the side effects that arise from treatment certainly affect their physical health. Therefore, the most important thing is to avoid a sedentary and passive lifestyle throughout the day. Doing light exercise in a short time can help them recover quickly.
What types of exercise can a former cancer patient do?
The type of exercise recommended for ex-sufferers is actually the same as other healthy people, namely moderate intensity exercise and heavy intensity. If someone can talk while exercising but cannot sing, then the type of exercise that is done is moderate intensity exercise, for example:
- Volleyball, baseball, or sports that require catching and throwing balls
- Tennis
- Leisurely walk
- Do gardening activities
While sports that make us only able to say a few words without stopping breathing, including the type of exercise that is high or heavy intensity, such as:
- Aerobics
- Cycling with a speed of 16 km per hour
- Mountain climbing
- Jogging
- Swim
- Karate, taekwondo, silat, etc.
- Jump rope
READ ALSO: Why Do You Have to Exercise Even With Cancer Treatment?
What should be considered by former cancer sufferers if they want to exercise?
Actually, former cancer sufferers have various health risks, such as the occurrence of cancer recurrence, or other degenerative diseases caused by side effects of treatment. Therefore sometimes doing sports that are not true, instead makes them more risky and results in injury.
Here are some things to look out for and be aware of by former cancer sufferers if they do sports:
- Former cancer sufferers who suffer from anemia, may not exercise and have heavy physical activity until their condition is restored
- Former cancer sufferers who have a low immune system, are advised not to exercise by using public facilities, such as the gym and swimming in public pools, until the number of white blood cells returns to normal and the body's immune system becomes strong. A former cancer patient who has a spinal cord transplant, must avoid the exercise for at least one year after a transplant.
- Former cancer sufferers who experience a decrease in physical abilities due to treatment, it is recommended to exercise lightly for 10 minutes every day.
- Former cancer sufferers who experience ataxia - a disease caused by damage to nerve cells in the cerebellum - due to treatment, it is not permitted to cycle, run, walk far, and treadmill. People who suffer from ataxia do not have good balance so they fall easily and are weak.
