I recently helped a lovely lady in the final stages of her breast cancer treatment: her mastectomy and reconstruction surgery had left her with very limited movement in her arm and shoulder joint. Together we found that some very simple Pilates exercises helped her to regain mobility which in turn helped her through her radiotherapy (where she had to lie with her arm up overhead).
Exercise can help you not only through your treatment, but according to David Haas, it can also help you to prevent any recurrence. David has kindly written a guest blog which you can read below. For more thoughts from David, go to http://haasblaag.blogspot.com/
Getting Fit After Cancer by David Haas
WebMD states that a dedication to fitness is a way to prolong your lifespan and to prevent the recurrence of cancer. So what are you waiting for? If you have recently completed your treatment, there is a chance that you are feeling a little bit at a loss. At a time when many people feel as though they should be jubilant, they instead feel frustrated and even weaker than they might have before. This is where fitness comes in.
Doctors recommend that people stay positive and active after their treatment for cancer, but the truth is that there are no exercise programs that are right for everyone. Simply recommending that someone run or get more exercise is not helpful, especially if the patient has never exercised before in their lives! The truth of the matter is that there is a type of exercise out there that is right for everyone. You should take a moment to find the kind that is right for you, especially when you are considering the aftermath of cancer treatment.
In the first place, think about what kind of environments you might enjoy working out in. For example, if you are someone who loves the great outdoors, consider hiking or simply walking around the park near your home. If you are someone who needs something challenging or if you love working out in groups, head to the gym. If you are shyer, look into exercise that you can do at home It is all about finding the fitness regimen that works for you.
Some people are not interested in exercise because it feels as though they are wasting their time. For some people, they need to be doing something productive, and for one reason or another, being fit does not really cover it for them. If that is the way that you feel, why not look into some sort of physically demanding volunteer work, like working at a local botanical greenhouse? Similarly, if you need more direction, why not consider a martial art or a dance workshop? This is something that makes a huge difference to the way that you might view exercise.
Finishing up a cancer treatment, whether it is a small surgery, chemotherapy for breast cancer, or a rare and painful treatment program like mesothelioma treatment, is certainly something that you can be proud of, but remember that now is not the time to rest on your laurels. Life is something that requires constant stimulation, so consider how fitness works into all of it. For example, think about working out with people that you have lost touch with, or simply doing it as a way to reconnect with your body and what you want.
Fitness should be one of your top priorities when you are recovering from cancer; see what even a small amount of exercise can do for you!
(http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog)
