Exercise and Breast Cancer - What's the connection?

When undergoing treatment for breast cancer, exercise may be the last thing on your mind due to all the other things going on. However, exercise is crucial during and after treatment for breast cancer survivors. Research shows that exercise can assist in improving the persons quality of life and function, reduce treatment side-effects and boost your mood.

Whether someone is currently undergoing treatment or have previously had treatment for breast cancer, breast cancer survivors should always consider their exercise routine as it can help them to feel better, physically and mentally. Positive effects can be seen after only one session of exercise!

The Benefits of Exercise

Reducing Cancer-related Fatigue
Although exercise may seem like the last thing your body feels like doing when experiencing cancer-related fatigue, it has shown to boost energy levels in breast cancer survivors during and after treatment.

Many different types of exercise has shown to reduce this fatigue including aerobic training (ie. walking/running), resistance training and even stretching.

The level of exercise that may be most beneficial to fatigue varies for every individual. This is due to a variety of factors including varied treatments and the persons previous exercise participation. However, the more active an individual is, the less fatigue they may experience.

Reducing Chemotherapy side-effects
Common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, weight gain, pain and stress. Exercise has shown to reduce all of these side-effects in breast cancer survivors!

Chemotherapy can also increase an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease, however ensuring you get in your 150 mins of moderate exercise each week can reduce this risk!

Improving Mood

It is well-known that exercise makes you feel happier and can boost your mood. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which are chemicals that make your body and mind feel good.

This can assist in reducing low mood levels which are commonly seen during treatment for breast cancer survivors. 

As we mentioned in the blog, yes exercise is great, but it also has to be under the supervision of the appropriately accredited professional. Our team at PACE Health Management have the training to help guide you through your movement journey. Talk to our experience team today to get started!