Why Should You Exercise Even With Cancer Treatment?

Medical Video: Cancer Exercise

Does someone with cancer have to reduce their activities? Many people think that cancer patients, especially those who are undergoing treatment, should rest more. Activity restrictions may indeed be recommended for cancer patients, but resting too often and in bed can also have an adverse effect on patients. In fact, a recently published study states that physical activity such as exercise is not only useful for preventing cancer in healthy people, but can also help treat and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. By doing exercise it can actually help treat and maintain the stamina of patients who are undergoing treatment.

Why do you have to exercise even though you are undergoing cancer treatment?

You do not have to do strenuous exercise such as lifting weights, running a marathon, etc. Enough to get used to moving atif every day. Various studies have stated that exercise has various benefits for cancer patients who are undergoing treatment.

For example, in a study conducted on a group of women who had breast cancer and were undergoing chemotherapy. This group of women is advised to exercise for half an hour with a frequency of 4 times a week. The results obtained were stress and depression levels in the group of women decreased, and even they felt better feelings astray after exercise. Please note that 4 out of 10 women who have breast cancer are known to experience depression, and exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels.

Benefits of exercise in cancer patients

Other studies also prove the benefits of exercise in cancer patients who are undergoing cancer treatment. This study involved 38 breast cancer patients and prostate cancer patients who were undergoing radiotherapy. The patients are asked to exercise regularly for 4 weeks. Then the results of these studies prove that exercise can reduce the level of fatigue that can arise due to treatment that cancer patients undergo. In addition, the following are other benefits that if cancer patients do regular exercise when treatment:

Prevents loss of muscle mass
Reducing the risk of osteoporosis
Improve the body's immune system
Reducing various side effects due to treatment, such as nausea, vomiting
Maintain normal weight
Maintain balance and function of the body

What kind of exercise is safe for patients who are undergoing cancer treatment?

Too much rest can actually cause a loss of various body functions, muscle weakness, and reduce movement space. The faster you exercise, the more you will make your patient feel better and to relieve the symptoms of side effects arising from treatment. But what still needs to be considered is the type of exercise that is what can be done, this is adjusted to:

The type and stage of cancer experienced by patients
Stamina and strength of patients
Types and side effects of treatment obtained

This is what needs to be considered when wanting to exercise while undergoing cancer treatment. When patients are feeling very tired, do not be forced to do heavy sports. The main goal of doing exercise for cancer patients is to keep active and fit. Here are suggestions for cancer patients who want to be active by doing sports:

Discuss first with your doctor about the exercise you want to do.
Start slowly. It doesn't matter if you can only do activities for a few minutes a day, it will still be beneficial for your health.
You can also try to practice lifting light weights first, and repeat them several times a day.
Make these sports activities fun, such as sports while listening to music or doing it with a partner or friend.
Wear clothes that you think are comfortable and drink lots of mineral water to keep your body well hydrated.
You can also choose sports that don't require much movement and high-impactYou can do yoga or tai chi instead of aerobics.
Always warm up before doing sports. It's best to warm up 2 to 3 minutes by moving your shoulders, neck, arms, waist and legs.
Close your exercise by cooling for 15 or 30 minutes, moving casually while you breathe again.
Don't force yourself if you are in a very weak state or have a fever.
If you are doing radiotherapy, avoid swimming, because this will cause the body to be easily exposed to bacteria and the skin can become irritated due to the chlorine content in the pool water.
If necessary, ask for help from the medical team to help you exercise.