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NEW HORIZONS PHYSICAL THERAPY
11622 El Camino Real, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92130
Phone | 858.764.2409
Fax | 858.764.2410
Email | info@newhorizonspt.com

Cancer Rehabilitation
Joe Mondry, DPT, MSRS, CSCS, CLT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Master of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist
Certified Lymphedema Therapist
Phone | 858.764.2409 ext. 1054
Email | joe@newhorizonspt.com


Exercise of the Day

There are 11 Million Cancer Survivors in the Unites States. The most common type of cancer is Breast Cancer, which accounts for about 2.4 Million women, or about 22% of total cancer survivors. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women, trailing only heart disease. There are 189,000 new cases of Breast Cancer being diagnosed every year in the United States.

Cancer treatment negatively affects many of the body's physiological systems. Cancer treatment has been proven to negatively impact the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the pulmonary system, the gastrointestinal system, the musculoskeletal system, the neuroendocrine system, and the dermatological system. The most significant physiological impact for Cancer patients is a loss of muscle strength and endurance, as well as altered cardiac, pulmonary and motor function.

Exercise has been proven to reverse all of the effects of cancer treatment noted above. More specifically, exercise has been proven to:

• Improve metabolic efficiency and elevate oxygen consumption at rest
• Increase pulmonary ventilation
• Improve flexibility and range of motion
• Increase muscle strength and endurance
• Improve cardiac function and efficiency
• Decrease resting heart rate and blood pressure
• Improve bone density and strength
• Increase appetite and improve quality of sleep

Research has also proven that exercise also increases the duration of cancer survival and reduces the risk of cancer recurrence.

Many cancer survivors feel that they are just too tired to exercise. They think that exercise offers no benefit to them, and it's not at all important.

The natural course of aging causes many of the body's physiological processes to change. Our heart function diminishes, so does our ability to breathe and process oxygen. Our muscle strength and endurance decreases as we age, and we lose our flexibility, our balance and coordination decreases, and our bodies change shape and composition. All of these things are accelerated by cancer and cancer treatment.

Reasearch continues to prove that exercise is not only beneficial for all individuals, but even more so for cancer survivors. Exercise not only addresses, but can slow and even reverse, the effects of aging and cancer treatment if performed consistently at the appropriate intensity.

Fatigue is driven by many factors; some related to cardiac function, some related to pulmonary function, and some even related to the metabolic process (how your body locates and utilizes energy). As a complex, biologic organism, the human body never improves or heals with inactivity. In fact, inactivity is the leading cause of physical dysfunction and disability. Our bodies are designed to move; to exercise.

When you exercise at the appropriate level and intensity, the biologic systems of the body actually enhance their function; they get better! With exercise, your heart functions better, pumping more blood with less of a contraction; your breathing becomes easier, and you have the ability to sustain activity for a longer duration. With increased endurance, fatigue actually lessens and function improves.

Yes! Research studies have shown a positive link between exercise and the development of Cancer. Those who exercise consistently have been shown to not only have a lower incidence of Cancer, but exercise also reduces the risk of Cancer recurrence. Another study demonstrated that the higher the level of cardiorespiratory fitness, measured in METs or Metabolic Equivalents, can reduce breast cancer recurrence. Breast cancer survivors were shown to be able to reduce the risk of death due to breast cancer recurrence by 55% if they achieved a cardiorespiratory fitness level of 10 or greater METs.

In addition, exercise has been shown to reduce physiological and psychological distress of cancer treatment and actually improve perceived quality of life. Being physically active and participating in a regularly performed exercise program helps to reduce excess body fat and obesity, both of which increase the risk of developing cancer.

As tempting as it is to "just do it" and start exercising on your own, it is also very risky. Without the proper assessment by a professional trained in evaluating fitness levels, the level of appropriate exercise intensity is unknown. In such cases, an exercise program can be initiated at an intensity that is inappropriate, thereby increasing the risk for injury or harm. Because of the specificity of training required to achieve optimal results, it is best to seek a formal evaluation of your fitness level and to participate in a structured, prescriptive exercise program that is supervised directly by a Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist.

In addition, because most cancer survivors have compromised immune systems as a result of cancer treatment, they are at greater risk for illness. Because there are many patrons who frequent fitness centers, the risk of exposure to viruses and infections increases exponentially for cancer survivors. Despite attempts to "clean" equipment and reduce the spread of illness, the fitness center environment should be avoided for those who have severely compromised immune systems.

For this reason, it is beneficial for cancer survivors to exercise in a sterile, safe and intimate environment without exposure to others. At New Horizons Physical Therapy, we directly supervise all clients during the performance of their prescriptive exercise program in an environment that is routinely sterilized and limited to only one client at a time. This provides the opportunity to reduce the risk of acquired illness and ensure that exercise participation can continue without interruption.