The Advantages of Continuing to Exercise

You've been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. You may be wondering how it may affect your daily activities. You have an excellent outlook with treatment, and your doctor will talk to you about treating your condition. But there's one thing you can do for yourself that can offer exercise.

Research indicates the possibility of significant benefits for women with breast cancer who exercise, including fewer side effects from treatment and an improved sense of well-being. It may even improve survival rates for women who exercised regularly before and after diagnosis, and could help prevent a reoccurrence. No matter what, exercise improves your overall health and builds stamina and energy.

It's not one size fits all, though the exercise that works well for you, as someone with early-stage breast cancer, can be different from someone else with the same diagnosis. Treatment may leave you feeling tired or edgy, so allow yourself to rest. Experts recommend building up to at least 2 and 1/2 hours of moderate exercise a week, or a little over an hour of vigorous exercise. You can also break it up into smaller segments of about 10 minutes a day.

Try for resistance training, where you work against a weight or force at least two days a week. Stretching at least twice a week is also very beneficial. If you have surgery or radiation, do upper body or arm exercises only according to your doctor's advice.

Done as recommended, exercise after treatment can help loosen tight arm and shoulder muscles, rebuild strength, and improve range of motion. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, and a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer doesn't have to keep you from being active and reaping the benefits.