When someone is diagnosed with cancer, exercise is often the last thing on their mind. However, staying active can play an important role in healing. Alanna Williams, a clinical exercise physiologist at the Woman’s Center for Wellness, explains how movement can support your physical and emotional recovery during and after cancer treatment.
How physical activity supports recovery
Moving and strengthening your body is one of the best things you can do during and after cancer treatment. As Alanna notes, “As humans, we have to use our bodies; they’re meant to move. We heal our bodies through movement.” Some benefits of exercise include:
- Reducing cancer-related fatigue – The best way to beat fatigue is to get up and move around. Walking, biking, dancing, swimming, and other cardiovascular exercises can help improve your energy levels and sleep quality.
- Improving strength, stamina, mobility, and balance – Movement and strength exercises help your body stay strong, steady, and flexible so everyday activities feel easier and safer.
- Boosting your mood – Exercise can help lower stress, reduce anxiety and depression, increase confidence, and help you feel more like yourself again.
Finding what works best for you
Many people think exercise has to mean intense workouts, but that’s not always realistic with a cancer diagnosis. Plus, exercise looks different for everyone. Some women are eager to return to high-intensity workouts, while others feel weak or overwhelmed. The key for both groups is finding the right balance.
If you were highly active before treatment, you may need to scale back intensity for a little while. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery all require recovery time, and some treatments can even affect heart health. That’s why it’s important to give your body time to heal. This might mean slowing your pace, adding more breaks, or choosing longer, gentler workouts instead of pushing for peak performance.
On the other hand, if you are new to exercise or feel deconditioned, the goal may simply be to sit less and move more. Walking around the neighborhood, gardening, practicing yoga, stretching, or doing housework are all meaningful ways to stay active. Remember, the best type of exercise is the one that you have access to and want to do.
Exercises to avoid during treatment and recovery
Exercises you should avoid will depend upon your surgery and treatment plan. For example, women who have gotten breast implants or spacers should limit chest exercises, especially in the early stages of recovery. Movements such as modified planks may be introduced over time, but high-load chest exercises such as full push-ups are generally discouraged.
Instead, focus on gentle upper-body strengthening, posture, and mobility. Exercises such as rows or lat pulldowns can help support posture and shoulder function, while stretching can ease tightness in the chest and shoulders after surgery or radiation.
No matter your fitness level, learning to listen to your body is essential. Some days may require more movement, while others may require more rest. Recovery is not about perfection or pushing harder — it’s about consistency and supporting your body through healing.
Always talk with your care team about which exercises are appropriate for you and when it’s safe to increase your activity level.
Exercise is Medicine Program
The Woman’s Center for Wellness offers Exercise is Medicine, an evidence-based exercise program designed to help you manage chronic illness, reduce symptoms, and improve overall health and well-being. Because every recovery journey is different, each exercise plan is tailored to your unique needs, fitness level, and what stage of treatment or recovery you’re in. Anyone can sign up for the program, but you must get physician clearance before getting started.
During the program, you’ll meet with an instructor twice a week for eight weeks in a small-group setting that encourages accountability and connection with others who are navigating similar experiences. Sessions focus on improving cardiovascular health, body strength, balance, bone health, and core stability. Membership access is also included, allowing you to attend classes or use gym equipment outside of sessions.
Many women who complete the program experience significant improvements in strength (25% increase) and balance (50% to 100% increase). They also report having better mobility, sleep, and energy levels while feeling more like themselves again.
Moving Forward:
Recovery looks different for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to exercise. The most important thing is finding safe, realistic ways to keep your body moving while honoring its need for rest and recovery. With guidance from your care team and support from programs like Exercise is Medicine, movement can become a powerful tool to help you feel stronger, healthier, and more like yourself again.