Exercise During Cancer Treatment

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How exercise can help during cancer treatment

• Improved quality of life
• Lowered risk of being anxious or depressed
• Improved physical function
• Improved sleep
• Improved cancer-related fatigue
• Improved bone health

Types of exercise

• Aerobic exercise, such a walking or jogging, increases your heart rate.
• Strength training will help build muscle.
• Stretching reduces muscle tightness and increases flexibility.

Physical activity guidelines

• 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three days a week
• Strength training at least two times a week

How to exercise safely during your treatment

• It is important to speak to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
• Progress slowly with each exercise. If you wonder whether it is OK to exercise on a given day during your treatment, try exercising for 10 minutes. If you feel worse, stop and try again the next day.
• Listen to your body. If your fatigue worsens during exercise, take a break or rest.
• Drink at least eight cups of water a day. If you are exercising outside in the heat, drink more water.
• Exercise in a safe environment. Exercise on a surface with flat ground to reduce the risk of falling.
• If you feel walking for 30 minutes at one time is too much, try taking three 10-minute walks.
• Exercise is safe for women with or at risk for breast-cancer-related lymphedema.

Adding physical activity to your daily routine

• Walk around your house for 10 minutes every day.
• Clean your house while listening to music – dance while you vacuum.
• Walk your pet every morning for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Use the stairs instead of an elevator.
• Take an exercise class with a friend once a week.
• Ride a bike at low to moderate intensity.
• Park your car farther away and walk to the building.

How hard should I work out?

• You can use a scale of 0 to 10 to gauge how hard you are working.
• On a scale of 0 to 10, a rating of zero means you are resting. An intensity rating of 10 means you are working out your body as much as you can.
• Start with working at a slower intensity of 1 to 3.
• After you feel comfortable at a 3, work up to an intensity of 4 to 6. This range is considered “moderate intensity.” At this level, you should be able to speak in sentences without being out of breath.
• If you start to feel the exercise is getting difficult, stop the exercise and decrease the intensity.
• A rating of 9 or 10 means you cannot catch your breath. This is excessive.

Intensity scale at a glance

• 10 – Maximal effort – as hard as you have ever worked
• 9
• 8 – Very hard
• 7 – Moderately hard
• 6
• 5 – Hard
• 4 – Somewhat hard (starting to breathe harder)
• 3 – Moderate
• 2 – Somewhat easy – like walking around your home
• 1 – Very easy
• 0 – At rest

Things to consider

• Before starting any exercise program, consult with your doctor.
• Exercise at your own pace. Increase your intensity when your body feels ready for it.
• Avoid being physically inactive, which will lead ot a decrease in strength and muscle.
• Don’t overwork yourself – you should work at an intensity that doesn’t worsen your symptoms.

Where can I find more information about aerobic and strength-training exercises?

If you are interested in starting aerobic and/or strength-training exercises, The ONE Group (Oncology – Nutrition – Exercise) provides videos demonstrating proper form for more than 50 exercises.

See the videos here

References

• American Cancer Society
• American College of Sports Medicine Moving Through Cancer initiative
• Cancer.net
• National Cancer Institute