Is it safe to exercise during cancer treatment?

Yes, exercise is safe during cancer treatment. There is so much research to support the benefits of exercise that all patients should receive information about exercise or referral to oncology rehabilitation. This is important because there is strong evidence that exercise improves:

• Fatigue 

• Quality of life

• Physical function (fitness and muscle strength) 

• Anxiet

• Depression

• Sleep

• Lymphedema

• Bone strength

Many patients do not receive exercise information from their oncology team but that doesn’t mean you should avoid exercise. Your medical team is focused on your treatment and you should ask them about exercise or for a referral to an exercise oncology program.

When you are receiving cancer treatment try to build up to at least 30 minutes, 3 days a week of aerobic exercise like walking, riding a bicycle, dancing, or other sustained activity that increases your breathing and makes your heart beat faster.  Two days a week you should do exercises to strengthen your muscles with weights or bands or even your body weight.

How much exercise is safe during cancer treatment? The American College of Sports Medicine 2019 Cancer Exercise Guidelines recommend exercise during treatment. The guidelines urge patients to avoid inactivity. That means get up and move! Don’t sit all day or stay in bed.

Exercise Prescription During Treatment

• 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 days a week 

• plus 2 days of resistance exercise doing 2 sets of 8-15 repetitions. 

• As you get fitter it is safe to do more aerobic exercise

The Cancer Exercise app can help you to exercise safely and make exercise a habit.