When you’re fighting cancer-related pain the last thing you probably want to think about is exercising. But recent findings suggest physical activity can actually help reduce pain, ease fatigue and improve your overall quality of life.
A 2012 review of 56 research studies investigated the effect of exercise on 4,826 cancer survivors undergoing treatment. It found those who took part in physical activity — walking, strength training, resistance training, cycling, qigong, tai chi or yoga — reported less pain at an average 12-week followup than those who didn’t.
The review, published online Aug. 15, 2012 by the Cochrane Collaboration, pointed to exercise having multiple benefits for pain management.
Exercise helped improved body image, self-esteem, emotional well-being, sexuality and social function, according to the study.
It also helped to reduce stress, sleep disturbance and anxiety. It boosted immune systems, improved joint flexibility and enhanced energy and mood.
Exercise helps to focus your attention on external activities and away from your pain. It gets you out of the house and structures your time around a healthy activity — a bona fide win-win.
Most cancer-related pain is the result of a tumor pressing on bone, nerves or organs, according to MD Anderson Center. “For example, a small tumor located near a nerve or the spinal cord may be very painful, while a larger tumor elsewhere may not cause discomfort,” its website reported.
In contrast, people with early stage cancer can experience more musculoskeletal pain, typically the result of compensating for pain following surgery or radiation in the way they perform daily tasks, such as walking.
People with metastatic cancer often experience bone pain caused by metastases, Andrea L. Cheville, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who conducts research on cancer pain tells Cancer Today.
Whatever is causing the pain, a typical response is to try and deal with it by moving less and that has the potential to make it worse, Cheville said in the article. “As a result, when [you] do move, it may cause more discomfort.”
She recommended that cancer patients get at least some daily physical activity. Those taking pain medication should plan their exercise around their medication schedule so they are able to move while the pain medication is giving the greatest relief.
However she cautioned patients experiencing pain to always talk to their oncologist before starting any new exercise or activity to avoid unnecessary injury.
She said that some people will need a physical therapist to help explain how to exercise safely to avoid further aggravating nerve injuries or other existing medical conditions.
Another precaution concerns the practice of strength training. Typically it’s okay for cancer patients, but if you’ve had lymph nodes removed, undergone radiation or have a bone metastases, always talk with your doctor first about the best way to train.
The American Cancer Society recommended that cancer survivors engage in 30 minutes of physical activity daily. But if that sounds daunting, don’t let it discourage you from taking the plunge.
You don’t have to start with the full 30 minutes. Rather, start by doing what you can and work up to it at your own pace.
Keep in mind too, exercise doesn’t have to be complicated to be beneficial. Simply taking a walk around the neighborhood can do the trick, or pull out the yoga mat and do some stretches. The goal is to get your body up and moving.
The key is to do what’s fun for you, which increases the odds you’ll make it part of your lifestyle.
And who knows? You may even entice a family member to be your exercise partner.
Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in publications around the world.
Sources:
Can exercise interventions enhance health-related quality of life among people with cancer undergoing treatment? Mishra SI, Scherer RW, Snyder C, Geigle PM, Berlanstein DR, Topaloglu O. Cochrane Summeries. Published Online:
August 15, 2012
http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD008465/can-exercise-interventions-enhance-health-related-quality-of-life-among-people-with-cancer-undergoing-active-treatment
The effect of exercise on fatigue associated with cancer. Cramp F, Byron-Daniel J. Published online November 14, 2012 at:
http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD006145/the-effect-of-exercise-on-fatigue-associated-with-cancer
MDAnderson, Pain Management. Online at:
http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-topics/dealing-with-cancer-treatment/pain-management/index.html
Walk the Walk—exercise can reduce Cancer-related pain. Alanna Kennedy-Gorman. Cancer Today. winter 2012-2013, Vol 2. Issue 4.
http://www.cancertodaymag.org/Winter2012/Pages/exercise-may-reduce-cancer-pain.aspx
Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient. American Cancer Society.
http://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorshipduringandaftertreatment/stayingactive/physical-activity-and-the-cancer-patient
Reviewed April 2, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith