Physical exercises should be part of the cancer treatments because it helps counteract the side effects of the cancer therapies as well as the symptoms of the disease itself, according to a research conducted by the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia.
“Clinical research has established that physical activity is safe and effective in the intervention to prevent damage to the body and psychological level,” the institution said in a statement.
The announcement, the first in the world to advocate for the benefits of physical exercises in cancer treatment, is backed up by about 25 Australian health and oncology organizations, including the Cancer Council Australia.
Physical exercises during cancer treatments may save lives
According to the document, people who are constantly on the move have a lower risk of developing new cancers or even dying from the disease.
“We’re really at a stage where science tells us that withholding patients from exercise can be harmful,” admitted Prue Cormie from the Australian Catholic University.
“Exercises are the best medicine a person can take in addition to their standard treatments. This is because we know that people who exercise regularly experience minor or less severe side effects of their treatments, such as fatigue associated with the condition, mental stress or quality of life,” added Cormie.
The statement came out with a report in which experts recommend patients avoid a sedentary lifestyle during cancer treatments while recommending them to return to they day-by-day activities as soon as possible.
These new approaches suggest that patients should progressively introduce at least 2 and a half hours of moderate-intensity physical exercise or at least 1 hour of intense aerobic exercises per week. These routines, however, need to be specifically designed by experts in accordance with the patients’ abilities.
In conclusion, the beneficial outcomes of physical exercises in cancer treatments have been officially recognized in Australia and, even more, such routines could even save patients’ lives.
