BC Cancer - Fall 2017 - 5

Sarah Weller leads
a class at Treloar
Physiotherapy Clinic.

Top Five Reasons to
Exercise If You Have Cancer

xercise is a powerful medicine and has been shown to be safe and effective before, during
and after cancer treatments. It is also the most effective non-pharmaceutical intervention
to support treatment and recovery. Sarah Weller, certified exercise physiologist and cancer
recovery exercise program director at Treloar Physiotherapy Clinic in Vancouver, shares with
DISCOVERY her top five reasons to exercise while facing cancer:

BOOST ENERGY. Research strongly supports

exercise as a first-line treatment for cancer-related
fatigue. The key is ensuring that you try to do
something daily, even if it is only for 10 minutes. Start
with a gentle walk and build up to more moderateintensity exercise.

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function and general physical conditioning can
be reduced by cancer treatments. To maintain our
independence, walk safely and perform basic activities
of daily living, we need our muscles and our aerobic
fitness (heart and lungs) to be strong. Regular exercise can
improve your overall functioning and is recommended for
best health.

active regularly. There may be
exercises that are specific to the
side effect or treatment that you have had; a cancer
exercise professional (such as an exercise physiologist or
physiotherapist) can help you identify these.

ENHANCE FUNCTION. Strength, fitness, heart

IMPROVE RECOVERY. Regular exercise has
been shown to help improve recovery from most
surgeries and to reduce and manage the side effects
that are commonly experienced during chemotherapy.
The key is to start moving and to ensure that you are

Sarah Weller, cancer
exercise specialist
and certiﬁed exercise
physiologist

FEEL BETTER. It is normal to not feel your best

during and after cancer treatments. But regular
exercise has been consistently shown to improve
quality of life, overall health and mental health both
during and after treatments. In addition, it has also been
shown to reduce the risk of other chronic conditions
such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity. A
combination of resistance training and aerobic training is
recommended for best results.

INCREASE SURVIVAL. Research shows that

being physically active after a cancer diagnosis is
linked to improved outcomes, including survival.
It is estimated that a 30 to 60 per cent improvement in
survival is possible by meeting exercise guidelines.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BC Cancer - Fall 2017