Should I exercise if I’m undergoing treatment for cancer?

If you are undergoing surgery

Gentle exercise is an excellent way to assist your recovery.1 Take it easy in the weeks after the operation to give your body the chance to recover. Gentle exercise, like taking walks every day, is a good way to rebuild strength while avoiding complications from being inactive, such as blood clots. To start with, try taking several 5–10 minute walks throughout the day, and gradually increase your daily activity level. It’s best to avoid impact sports, strenuous exercise, and heavy lifting for 6 weeks. We advise talking to your physician for detailed and personalised recommendations to guide your recovery.

If you are undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy

Physical activity can have multiple benefits – particularly the reduction of fatigue. By moving your body frequently, you can maintain your fitness and shape better, and this can help to keep fatigue at bay. It’s highly recommended to break up periods of inactivity with regular movement, and to exercise more vigorously if you feel up to it.² Depending on how you feel, that might just mean getting up to wander around the house. But if you feel up to it, there’s nothing to stop you doing more energetic aerobic or resistance training!

If you have bone metastases

Balancing exercise recommendations against the increased risk of bone fractures can be a delicate task – however, this shouldn’t prevent exercise entirely. The risk of complications is highly personal and is affected by the characteristics of your bone metastases, your treatment journey and other personal factors. For many people with bone metastases, low-impact exercise can still be beneficial despite the increased risk of fractures, and can reduce treatment side effects, maintain fitness, and improve quality of life.³ We strongly recommend consulting with your care provider and a qualified exercise professional to assess your risk of skeletal complications, and to understand what kind of exercise is safe for you.

Sources:

1. Dimeo, F. C., Thomas, F., Raabe-Menssen, C., Pröpper, F. & Mathias, M. Effect of aerobic exercise and relaxation training on fatigue and physical performance of cancer patients after surgery. A randomised controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer 12, 774–779 (2004).
2. Neuzillet, C. Nutrition et activité physique en cancérologie (recommandations Françaises). FMC HGE https://www.fmcgastro.org/texte-postu/postu-2023/nutrition-et-activite-physique-en-cancerologie-recommandations-francaises/.
3. Campbell, K. L. et al. Exercise Recommendation for People With Bone Metastases: Expert Consensus for Health Care Providers and Exercise Professionals. JCO Oncol. Pract. 18, e697–e709 (2022).