Types of Exercises for Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is a life-changing diagnosis that can take a significant toll on a person's physical and emotional health. While undergoing treatment, it's important for breast cancer patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, improve cardiovascular health, increase energy levels, and reduce anxiety and depression.

Finding the right workout routine can be challenging for breast cancer patients. Some may experience physical limitations due to treatment side effects, while others may have limited time and energy to devote to exercise. But once you find the right exercise routine for you it can help improve your quality of life.

Although exercise can be pushed down to the bottom of your to-do list after being diagnosed with breast cancer, it is actually one of the most crucial things you can do to maintain good health. This is because exercise has been shown to enhance overall health and wellness, improve mood, reduce fatigue, and increase stamina. 

While exercise offers many benefits for individuals with breast cancer, it is most important to exercise safely. Make sure that you are listening to your body and allowing your body to rest when you need to. When you are going through treatment for breast cancer it can make you feel very tired or unwell. If this is how you’re feeling at the moment, don’t worry about how much exercise you do because even a small amount of activity will have benefits.

The best types of exercise to do are aerobic and resistance. Aerobic exercise helps strengthen the heart and lungs, while resistance training strengthens the muscles. When combined, these exercises can effectively help individuals diagnosed with cancer to maintain their overall health and well-being..

Examples of aerobic exercise:

• Walking

• Jogging or running

• Bicycling

• Swimming

• Using a treadmill

Examples of resistance training:

• Sit ups 

• Squats 

• Push ups 

• Leg raises 

• Planks

When starting an exercise program, it's important for breast cancer patients to work with a healthcare provider or a certified fitness professional to ensure that the exercise program is safe and appropriate for their individual needs and abilities. It's also important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of exercise as tolerated.

Even getting ten minutes of exercise a day can help your body. If it may seem like the last thing you want to do, prioritizing your body and exercise can help you in many ways. Exercise can be a valuable tool for breast cancer patients during and after treatment. By incorporating a variety of exercises into their workout routine, breast cancer patients can improve their physical and emotional health and enhance their overall quality of life.