An important block of research from the American College of Sports Medicine and other 16 organizations, amongst which the American Cancer Society, has been extracted and summarized into guidelines for people living with cancer. 20 Here is a summary of those guidelines:
- Always refer to your doctor to make sure the exercises are appropriate for your specific condition.
- Being physically active both before and after periods of therapy is advisable and safe.
- Avoid inactivity or sedentary periods.
- After treatment, resume normal activities as soon as possible.
- Gradually reach the recommended level of physical activity. Try to be consistently physically active over time.
- The minimum level recommended is 90 minutes a week of aerobic activity of moderate intensity (walking, running, cycling, dancing, etc.). Alternatively, 45 minutes a week of high intensity aerobic activity can be done, or even a combination of moderate and vigorous activity (for example, 60 minutes of moderate activity and 15 minutes of vigorous activity).
- Additional activities or exercises targeting muscle strength and flexibility at least 2 times a week are recommended.
- Consult with professionals on the type of physical activity best suited to you, particularly in cases of impediment caused by therapy or in the presence of a catheter or colostomy (a deviation of the large intestine through surgical intervention linked to an opening in the abdominal wall).
Source:
Campbell KL, Winters-Stone KM, Wiskemann J, May AM, Schwartz AL,Courneya KS, Zucker DS, Matthews CE, Ligibel JA, Gerber LH, Morris GS, Patel AV, Hue TF, Perna FM, Schmitz KH. “Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multi-disciplinary Roundtable.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2019 Nov;51(11):2375-2390. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002116. PMID: 31626055.
