The importance of resuming exercise after breast cancer: What exercises are most recommended?

Breast cancer is one of the diseases that mostly affects women, and thanks to technological advances and early detection promoted by various campaigns, it has become possible to stop the number of people who do not survive this disease. According to Spanish Cancer Society“In Spain they were diagnosed About 35,312 new cancer cases of the breast in 2023, according to estimates from the Cancer Observatory of the Spanish Society Against Cancer, representing approximately 30% of cancer cases diagnosed in women. It is important to return to Exercise after breast cancer.

After breast cancer, one of the most common questions among patients is how and when they can resume the activities they used to do. There are as many answers as there are people, as it depends on each case, how the body reacts, what the response is to the type of treatment, among other things. However, on the long road to recovery, physical exercises are a great ally to make the process less complicated. Although it is necessary to adapt practices to each patient, and work on self-care awareness, the most important thing is that exercise is essential for overall well-being. Find out what exercises are recommended to do after breast cancer and when is the best time to start.

Exercises that are recommended to be practiced after breast cancer

Although it is important to keep in mind that physical exercise is synonymous with well-being, when breast cancer treatment is coming to an end, it is necessary to do so with the help of a health professional, who can see the progress, and make adjustments according to each condition.

In this regard, a study was called Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors: a consensus statement from an international multidisciplinary roundtable It found that “physical training and testing were generally safe for cancer survivors and that all survivors should ‘avoid inactivity’.”

In this sense, they highlight that “specific doses of aerobic training, aerobic training plus resistance training and/or resistance training can improve common cancer-related health outcomes, including anxiety, Symptoms of depression, fatigue, Physical performance and health-related quality of life.

To all these benefits, we must add that there is evidence indicating that exercising helps reduce the risk of cancer, so exercising helps not only during, but also after.

Exercises after breast cancer

Although each health professional will determine how to continue care after beating breast cancer, depending on how things go in each individual case, there are some basic exercises any patient can do to stay active.

One of them extends: A chest and shoulders routine, Like mobility exercises, they can help relieve the stiffness that many women feel after treatment.

These are small movements that do not require effort, and involve carefully listening to what is happening to the body to avoid injuries or complications.

Another exercise that can be done after breast cancer treatment is Pilates and yoga. Although it is always necessary to consult your doctor, this type of exercise can help increase strength in the middle area of ​​the body (core), improve flexibility and help restore balance.

Moreover, thanks to the breathing techniques that are performed, and the practice of active listening, it is very useful in being able to register and manage emotions better, especially in this type of therapy.

You can also add daily walks, Gentle swimmingor riding a bicycle, whether stationary or outdoors, as long as a health professional advises this. These types of activities usually have a positive impact on health, and can be easier to incorporate into your daily routine, in company or alone.

It should be noted that in addition to the physical exercises recommended for initiation of activity after breast cancer, it is necessary to add adequate nutrition and proper hydration.

This not only contributes to keeping the body active and active Essential nutrients to maintain a strong immune systembut also to make recovery faster and more effective.

As we see, we need the care of a doctor, a nutritionist, and also a personal trainer to know the best exercises to do after contracting this disease. Psychological help is also important.