Exercise and Cancer. Patient Information Leaflet. Physiotherapy Department

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 5 Exercise and Cancer Patient Information Leaflet Physiotherapy Department Exercise and Cancer In the past people being treated for cancer were often told to rest and avoid too much physical activity. Many people with cancer were unsure if it was safe to exercise or not. There is growing evidence to suggest that taking part in moderate levels of exercise plays an important role in living through a cancer diagnosis and its treatments. Why is it important for somebody with cancer to exercise? Research has shown that regular moderate levels of exercise can help with the following Maintain energy levels and lessen the symptom of fatigue Maintain general function and muscle strength Keep the bones strong, reduce the risk of osteoporosis Improve balance and reduce the risk of falls and broken bones Improve weight control Improve circulation to the legs and therefore reduce the risk of blood clots Exercise has also been shown to reduce levels of anxiety and depression through cancer treatment There is also some emerging research suggesting the importance of exercise in improving long term survival rates after having treatment for cancer. Important to know about planning an exercise programme Your exercise programme should include activities that you enjoy. If you have previously been prescribed exercises by your doctor or physiotherapist, these exercises should be included in your exercise programme Find somebody to exercise with. This will make the sessions more enjoyable. Set yourself some goals for each week. An exercise programme should include a warm up period, fitness training, some strengthening exercises and stretches. What is a warm up? Always start with warm-up exercises for about 2 to 3 minutes. Examples of warm-up exercises can be shoulder shrugs, lifting arms overhead, toe tapping, marching, and knee lifts.

2 Page 2 of 5 Alternatively a short walk at a light to moderate tempo may suit better. You will notice your breathing becoming slightly deeper and muscles becoming warm. Fitness training: Examples of fitness training include walking, cycling or jogging. To improve your fitness you should aim of an activity that makes you feel moderately short of breath. You may find that 10 minutes is enough at the start and increase this very slowly as you get stronger. Guidelines suggest you should aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity per day. You should be able to maintain a conversation with a training partner at all times while exercising. Strength training It is important to maintain the strength in your big muscle groups through cancer treatment. This can be done through specific resistance exercises. In order to prevent injury it is important to start with a very light weight and build up slowly. You should feel a slight ache in the muscle while exercising but the muscle should not feel so tired that it begins to shake. Examples of strength training include weight training for the arms, sit ups for the tummy and squats or lunges for the legs. You should speak with a chartered physiotherapist who will advise you on an exercise programme specific to your needs. Stretches To maintain or increase flexibility, stretching exercises are recommended. Your chartered physiotherapist may have already recommended specific stretching exercises. How do I know if I am doing too much or too little? The level of exercise you will manage will vary from day to day depending on your treatment. The trick is getting the balance right between exercise and rest. The easiest way to know if you are exercising to the right level is to monitor the effect the activity is having on your breathing. Too little: If you feel no effect on your breathing at all you are able to sing. Too much: If you are unable to catch your breath you are unable to hold a conversation with your training partner Just right: You feel slightly to moderately breathless while exercising but are able to maintain a conversation with your training partner. Some people find the Borg Scale as useful tool to check if they are exercising to the right level.

3 Page 3 of 5 Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale. 0 Nothing at all, Very, very slight, just about noticeable 1. Very slight 2. Slight 3. Moderate 4. Somewhat severe 5. Severe Very severe Very, very severe 10. Maximal

4 Page 4 of 5 When not to exercise Depending on your medical treatment there may be periods when you should not exercise. This may occur if: You have an infection Your blood count is low You have nausea or vomiting You experience new symptoms such as pain, extreme fatigue, temperature, pins and needles,chest discomfort. You should contact your oncology unit to discuss these symptoms Always discuss any worries you may have about exercising with your oncologist and chartered physiotherapist. How to get started Step 1: Choose an activity or exercise that you enjoy Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Set a goal of what you want to achieve from your exercise programme Check with your doctor / nurse that it is ok for you to exercise. Ask for an appointment with your chartered physiotherapist if you need assistance to choose an exercise programme. Remember You are more likely to keep up an exercise programme / activity that is simple and you enjoy. Using an exercise diary can also help. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further with your chartered physiotherapist please contact Beacon Physiotherapy Department at

5 Page 5 of 5 Weekly Activity Plan: Goal: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Reminder Reminder References Adamsen et al. (2009).Effect of a multimodal high intensity exercise intervention in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal Donnelly et al (2009). Physiotherapy management of cancer related fatigue: a survey of UK current practice. Support Care Cancer. 5. McNeely et at (2006) Cancer Rehabilitation: Recommendations for Integrating Exercise Programming in the Clinical Practice Setting. Current Cancer Therapy Reviews. This Patient Education leaflet was developed by the Chartered Physiotherapists in Beacon Hospital. Beacon Hospital.