Whether you have cancer, or you want to prevent it – exercising is key!

Yes, that’s it. Get moving.

Research into well-studied cancers like breast, colon and lung cancer show that people who engage in regular, moderate-intensity exercise, have a significantly reduced chance of getting these diseases (and this holds true for a number of other cancers, too). And we really mean ‘significant’ as risk is reduced by between 20 and 40%.

What is moderate intensity?

Moderate intensity activity includes things like walking briskly; dancing; cycling on fairly level terrain; gardening (raking and digging, not delicate pruning); scrubbing floors and other housework activities like that; and playing with children.

How many times per week should I exercise?

The experts vary on what ‘regular’ means though. Some say around three or four times a week, others say most days of the week. Aiming for five times a week seems reasonable. The duration should be between 20 and 40 minutes at a stretch with the ideal goal to hit 150 minutes or more a week, which would mean 30 minutes, five times a week.

Surviving and thriving

So that’s prevention, but what happens if you’ve already been diagnosed? If you can manage it, exercise while undergoing treatment. In fact, your physiotherapist might advise it. It will improve your strength, reduce the fatigue often associated with oncology treatments, and greatly improve your quality of life.

“This is not surprising,” says South African Society of Physiotherapy President, Dr. Ina Diener. “Exercise has a myriad beneficial effects on the body, from improving blood flow to the brain, to improving heart function. It therefore stands to reason that the body will benefit from exercise when it’s facing the challenge of cancer therapy, too.”

It also helps cancer survivors to get back to health after treatment and improves quality of life.

“If you’re at all concerned about what kind of exercise you should be doing and if it’s right for you, you should consult your physiotherapist,” says Dr. Diener. “Physiotherapists are medically trained experts in creating tailor-made exercise programmes to suit each individual’s needs and specific circumstances. We’ve also got a lot of research that shows people who do regular exercise have a much better survival rate and a reduced chance of recurrence.”