Improve Your Well Being with Exercise
Exercise is an area of your life where you can act to promote your health. Regular exercise will help you feel better-- and help you reclaim your body -- during or after treatment.
Choose a workout or exercise program that is compatible with your interests and lifestyle. Stretching for a few minutes in the morning is free and takes little time. It can help you feel more flexible and invigorated and can make a difference in the way you start your day. Riding a bicycle, swimming, dancing, yoga, aerobics or studying a martial art can tap inner resources of strength and energy, calm the spirit as well as the body and generate excitement for life.
"Exercising has been an important part of making friends with my changed body. It has helped me to feel assured that I can still do all the things I did before my illness."
Exercise is meant to feel good and be enjoyed. If your workout bores you, or feels more like a punishment than pleasure, find a new routine. If you have a hard time going it alone, a class or a walking buddy may be what you need. It helps to work out with people you enjoy. If you want to work out at a health club, find one with an atmosphere that feels comfortable.
Exercise and Lymphedema
Exercises or activities that put weight or pressure on your arms, while they are in a downward position, can cause lymphedema. You may want to refrain from doing push-ups or lifting weights or other heavy objects. Doing pull-ups or working with weights with your arms in an upright position is safer.
If you develop lymphedema, there are many options for you to explore. Exercise, manual lymph drainage (gentle massage that stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid), compression bandaging, customized compression sleeves and pneumatic compression sleeves are some of the options. You should consult a health care professional who is familiar with the different methods of treatment in order to find out what will work best for you.
More Information on Exercise and the Breast Cancer Experience
Clinical trials show that exercise helps recovery from chemotherapy: “Clinical Trials” section of the fall 2005 issue of Lifeline
Managing weight gain: “On the Side” topic in the spring 2005 issue of Lifeline
Clinical trials show that regular exercise yields important benefits for breast cancer patients: “Clinical Trials” section of summer 2003 issue of Lifeline
The benefits of exercising during treatment from a doctor’s perspective: “Ask the Doctor” topic in the summer 2003 issue of Lifeline
