In a recent post, “Getting Active: Exercise as a means to what end?” we got some really fantastic comments. One in particular struck me. Sherri said, “I am active two or so hours a day–heart rate up and exercising–but with chemo induced neuropathy and fatique I sometimes wonder if it will ever get better. I am happier when I am active; I just have so much discomfort and that slows me down.” Getting active can be a challenge in and of itself, but adding in the challenge of enduring cancer treatment can make it not only difficult, but also painful. Colleen Doyle, M.S., R.D., Director of Nutrition and Physical Activity for the American Cancer Society, has some advice for our friends undergoing cancer treatment who want to remain active. Please also make sure to read our outline of exercise safety and precautions for cancer survivors and talk to your doctor before adopting any exercise regimen.My dad is a runner. And a cancer survivor. But for a while, during and shortly after treatment, he stopped running. And missed it, a lot. He wasn’t told to not exercise, but he wasn’t encouraged to, and he just wasn’t sure if he should.
That was about 15 years ago, and in that amount of time, we’ve learned so much about the benefits of being active – for all of us, but particularly, for cancer survivors. All the current research about exercise and cancer survivors points to the ‘bottom line’ of a report for survivors released last year by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): avoid inactivity. Words for all of us to live by.
We now know that it’s safe and feasible for people to be active during cancer treatment, while recovering from treatment and beyond. We know that being active can help reduce fatigue (sounds counter-intuitive, but true!), improve strength and cardiovascular fitness, and can help reduce anxiety and depression. And we know that research is accumulating that demonstrates that physical activity after a cancer diagnosis reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and improves overall mortality among some survivor groups, like breast and colorectal cancer survivors. Pretty. Powerful. Stuff.
Data from almost 3,000 breast cancer survivors in the Nurses’ Health Study showed that higher levels of physical activity after treatment were associated with a 26% to 40% reduction in the risk of breast cancer recurrence, breast cancer-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality. This risk reduction was seen with as lit¬tle as 1 to 3 hours per week of moderate inten¬sity activity (like walking a 15 minute mile ), with greater reductions for those women doing even more – 3 to 5 hours per week. And we’re starting to see similar, very positive associations in colorectal cancer survivors. Although we need more research in this area, living a physically active lifestyle is a message I tell every cancer survivor I know.
Now of course, there are some precautions that need to be considered and some adjustments that may need to be made to your activity routine. If you were already active before your diagnosis, you may need to temporarily exercise at a lower intensity and progress at a slower pace than you usually might. If you really haven’t been active, it’s a good idea to ‘simply’ start with low-intensity activities – like stretching and slow, short walks – and slowly build up to more activity. If you have bone disease, and/or your treatment has resulted in loss of sensation in your arms or legs, it’s important to keep balance and safety in mind. You may want to consider, for example, riding a stationary bike as opposed to walking. For additional precautions and other information, read Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient.
If you are looking for an exercise professional who is specifically trained to work with cancer survivors, visit the American College of Sports Medicine’s website. Given the growing importance of encouraging and supporting physically active lifestyles among cancer survivors, the American Cancer Society teamed up with ACSM to create a specialty certification for health and fitness professionals working with cancer survivors. You may be able to find a specially-trained fitness professional close by.
I have not been treated for cancer, so I have not experienced what a lot of you have. I do recall during my first pregnancy, though, that there were days I was so exhausted and uncomfortable that I could barely walk down the street; a time I actually had to sit and rest on a barrel of detergent at a warehouse store; and times when walking on a treadmill at even 1.5 mph seemed like quite a task. I admit that on some days, I forced myself to ‘get out there’. On other days, though, I just said – forget it. It’s not happening today. It’s important that you give yourself that permission – that permission to say today, I am going to be a couch potato. Tomorrow is another day.
But that bottom line – avoid inactivity – is an important message to keep in mind for the long haul.
And as for my father? In a few short weeks, he will be joining my sons and I for his tenth running of the Peachtree Road Race, the country’s largest 10K. And a few short months after that, he will celebrate his 80th birthday.
For all of us, I have to believe that being physically active is the closest thing to the fountain of youth that we’ve got.
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