Surviving breast cancer is about more than medical intervention — there is a role you can play, too. Study after study suggests exercise, even if moderate, can ease the challenges of fighting cancer and improve quality of life for survivors.
If you’re one of the nearly 250,000 Americans diagnosed with the disease this year, or one of the more than 3 million survivors, take time to consider the impact of staying active.
[See: The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life.]
Keep Moving Forward
With so many patients detecting breast cancer in early stages and treatments advancing at a rapid pace, those diagnosed with the illness now have a nearly 90 percent chance of surviving at least five years.
While promising odds are encouraging, chemotherapy — one of the most powerful tools to fight the disease — can have debilitating effects during and after treatment. When destroying tumor cells, chemo can also damage peripheral nerves and alter blood counts, leading to loss of sensation in the hands and feet, and can also cause debilitating fatigue.
Starting a moderate exercise program before or during treatment is one of the best ways to combat those effects. For example, recent research out of the Netherlands Cancer Institute showed that exercise during chemo diminishes some of its worst side effects, such as nausea, weakness, pain, loss of muscle strength and overall decline in physical fitness.
That same study also revealed that exercise can help patients better tolerate higher chemotherapy doses, making it less necessary to adjust dosages down and diminish the treatment’s beneficial effects. Participants did not have to become athletes to see such benefits — even moderate intensity provided pronounced benefit. The key is to stay active.
[See: 13 Fun Sports That Burn Calories.]
Three Exercises for Fighting Back Against Cancer
In my work at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, my goal is to get breast cancer patients back to the activities they love as quickly as possible following treatment. I’ve seen first-hand how regular exercise during and after chemo can help you recover energy, strength and flexibility — and there is growing evidence it can further extend your survival.
The impacts of the disease can be a surprise to some. After breast cancer treatment, even something as “easy” as lifting your arms above your head can cause a lot of strain. However, I’ve found these following three exercises particularly powerful — and a great way to get you on your way to the benefits of a full exercise routine.
1. Vertical hand slides
Stand with your arm at a 90-degree angle to your body and the side of your hand placed against a wall. Slowly slide your hand up and down the wall, feeling the stretch in the area around the breast.
2. Counter balance stance
Standing on a soft surface, such as a folded towel, face your kitchen counter with your arms extended straight out to your sides. From that position, slowly lift your left leg behind you (holding it in place for a slightly longer count each day). Repeat with the right leg. This is a great exercise to practice your balance.
[See: Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps a Day.]
3. Exercise ball arm raises
Sit on an inflatable exercise ball with a small dumbbell in each hand. Place your left hand near your right thigh, your arm crossing your body and then extend your arm diagonally upwards to fully extend it well above your head. Then repeat the exercise with your right hand. This will help stretch the area around the breast and strengthen your arms.
Once you are comfortable with a regular exercise routine, you can expand to a wide range of activities. From tango lessons to art classes, the opportunities to remain active are extensive, and if they’re part of your treatment process, they may even help you more quickly return to work and your regular routines. Soon, you will find your condition evolves so that you can achieve a full life living with cancer.
Karen Hock is a physical therapist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC — James).
More from U.S. News
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Exercising After You’ve Gone Under (the Knife, That Is)
The Importance of Exercise During Breast Cancer Treatment and Recovery originally appeared on usnews.com
