Exercising After Breast Cancer: Benefits & What to Consider

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives (1). Men can develop breast cancer, too, accounting for roughly 1% of all annual diagnoses. To make matters worse, breast cancer rates have been rising by around 0.5% per year. While this may feel alarming, there is some positive news. 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that breast cancer deaths are falling 1.3% annually (2). This means that today, you have a better chance of surviving a breast cancer diagnosis than ever before. This is due, in part, to earlier detection and improved treatment options. However, some researchers suggest that exercise plays a vital role as well. 

Here we talk about some of the benefits of exercise for people with breast cancer or a breast cancer survivor. Then we provide a few factors to consider before starting an exercise program. This is followed by physical activity options good for people who have or are recovering from cancer in the breast.

Benefits of Exercising After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Being told that you have breast cancer can make your head swim. You may feel your anxiety rise as you question what lies ahead. What type of treatment will you face? Chemotherapy, surgery, hormonal therapy, or something else? How will this affect your life? You might also experience feelings of sadness and depression. 

One study reports that these types of emotions are common (3). In fact, the risk of both anxiety and depression is higher in breast cancer survivors than in those without cancer. What helps with anxiety and depression? Exercise.

Exercise can help reduce these negative emotions. That makes it an important part of cancer care. It can also help you clear your head. Your mind can feel like a speeding freight train after a breast cancer diagnosis. Engaging in physical activity helps slow your brain down. It forces your mind to focus on something else, even if for a short time. This gives it a much-needed break. It also provides a clearer head for moving forward with cancer treatment.

Reasons to Exercise During and After Breast Cancer Treatment

Engaging in cancer treatment can lead to fatigue, reduced fitness levels, weight gain, and more. According to one review of the research, exercise helps combat these effects (4). It points to aerobic exercise and strength training for improving strength and endurance. This review adds that exercise also reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence. 

Another review connects exercise with improved cancer treatment outcomes (5). This includes not only a lower risk of recurrence but also a lower mortality rate. It also notes that engaging in exercise also appears to reduce treatment-related fatigue.

5 Factors to Consider Before Engaging in Exercise with Breast Cancer

Even with these benefits, exercise isn’t right for every cancer patient. Several factors should be considered before starting or following a regular exercise program. Here are five to think about.

#1. Whether Regular Exercise is Safe

As with any medical condition, a person should seek approval from their healthcare provider before starting exercise. Even regular exercisers should still make sure physical activity is safe when dealing with breast cancer. Asking for approval also allows the provider to share any advice for working out during or after treatment. 

#2. If the Exercise Program is Suitable for a Breast Cancer Patient or Survivor

In addition to making sure exercise is safe, it’s also beneficial to make sure the healthcare provider okays the type of workout being performed. High-intensity exercise may not be advised—even if you did it before—due to lower energy levels. 

They might also ask you to keep your workouts at home or outdoors. Some breast cancer treatments reduce immunity. By avoiding the gym, you also avoid being exposed to the latest germs and viruses.

#3. The Type of Breast Cancer Treatment Being Received

Another factor to consider is treatment type. Someone who has undergone breast surgery will likely have more restrictions than someone who hasn’t. If they’ve had breast reconstruction, for instance, their upper body movement may be restricted.

A patient who has had radiation therapy might need physical therapy first. If a port is implanted for chemotherapy, there may be certain restrictions. This might involve avoiding strength training or high-intensity cardio. In some cases, no exercise may be recommended.

Again, this is where the healthcare provider can help. They can explain the limitations based on treatment type. They can also guide the exercise intervention.

#4. The Person’s Fitness Level Following Treatment

It’s not uncommon to have a lower level of fitness after cancer treatment. One explanation is that treatment can take a lot out of a person. It can create fatigue and general feelings of being unwell. Taking time off to process the fact that you have cancer or to engage in treatment can also reduce your fitness level. 

Cancer survivors may need to start at a slower pace and with lower intensity. This may require taking a step back from their previous structured exercise plan.

#5. The Person’s Level of Energy

It’s also important to consider the person’s energy level. If they have high levels of fatigue, they might not have enough energy to work out. This can occur with advanced breast cancer. It might also be a result of the treatment. 

Either way, their energy should be first used to handle the tasks they must. If there’s enough left over, they can use it to exercise. While it’s true that exercise helps increase energy levels, if there isn’t enough energy there to begin with, that’s okay. They can work on increasing their exercise once their energy starts to restore.

Physical Activity Options Good for Breast Cancer Survivors

Studies show that both aerobic exercise and strength training can help relieve the effects of breast cancer treatment (6). Cardio exercises to consider include walking, cycling, or swimming. Any moderate-intensity movement that gets the heart rate up can help. Do 10 to 15-minute sessions at first. Once this feels okay, you can increase the length. Aim for 150 minutes total per week, or more if you can.

When strength training, start with lighter weights. Treatment can cause the muscles to weaken. If you try to lift too heavy too quickly, you could wind up doing some damage. Instead, go low and slow. You can always work up to more reps or heavier sets once your strength improves. Aim for two strength training sessions per week.

Treatment can also affect balance. So, adding balance exercises may help reduce this effect. Some to consider include the forearm plank, the superman, and the bird dog.

Stretching exercises can also be helpful, especially with radiation treatment. Radiation therapy can cause muscles to stiffen and reduce range of motion (ROM). Stretch the muscles impacted most. 

For instance, if you have stiff shoulders, your program could include an upper limb exercise to improve shoulder ROM. Walking your fingers up a wall (while facing it) improves shoulder flexion ROM. A crossover arm stretch can help as well.

The One Thing to Remember When Exercising After Breast Cancer

No two people with breast cancer are the same. While some cancer survivors feel ready to jump into exercise, others may need more time. That’s okay. People need to listen to their bodies and do what’s right for them.

If that means just doing usual care for now, that’s okay. If they have the energy to exercise, that’s okay too. There is no right or wrong here. Yes, exercise has benefits both during and after treatment. And it can reduce cancer recurrence while lowering breast cancer risk. But it also may not be possible to commit to a structured exercise program right away. 

Cancer survivors need to feel comfortable to permit themselves to take a break if that’s what they need. When they’re ready, they can exercise then. Their breast health is their top priority. If treatment reduces the ability to work out in the meantime, so be it. 

If you are interested in helping people with all types of cancer achieve optimal wellness, you can do this as a Certified Health Coach. In this ISSA course, you will learn how to help people overcome both physical and mental health barriers. With your help, your clients can live their best life possible—even after a cancer diagnosis.

References

1. Breast Cancer Statistics | How Common Is Breast Cancer? Cancer.org. (2022). Retrieved 27 September 2022, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html.

2. Cancer of the Breast (Female) - Cancer Stat Facts. SEER. (2022). Retrieved 27 September 2022, from https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html.

3. Carreira, H., Williams, R., Müller, M., Harewood, R., Stanway, S., & Bhaskaran, K. (2018). Associations Between Breast Cancer Survivorship and Adverse Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review. JNCI: Journal Of The National Cancer Institute, 110(12), 1311-1327. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djy177

4. Dieli-Conwright, C. M., & Orozco, B. Z. (2015). Exercise after breast cancer treatment: current perspectives. Breast cancer (Dove Medical Press), 7, 353–362. https://doi.org/10.2147/BCTT.S82039

5. Furmaniak, A., Menig, M., & Markes, M. (2016). Exercise for women receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Cochrane Database Of Systematic Reviews, 2016(9). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd005001.pub3

6. Dieli-Conwright, C.M., Lee, K. & Kiwata, J.L. Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence: an Evaluation of the Effects and Mechanisms of Diet and Exercise. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 8, 139–150 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-016-0218-3