What should I know and do about exercise?

ACS Answer

It is important for a person with cancer to remain as physically active as possible. Exercising as much as your condition allows will help you keep your muscles functioning as well as possible. Physical activity also helps prevent problems associated with long-term bed rest, such as stiff joints, breathing problems, constipation, skin sores, poor appetite, and mental changes.

What to do

• Do as much daily self-care as possible
• Take a walk every day
• Try to do active or passive range-of-motion exercises as instructed by your nurse, doctor, or physical therapist (active range-of-motion is the movement of a joint without any help from others; passive range-of-motion is the movement of a patient's joint by someone else)

Do not

• Stay in bed with little movement
• Let others do for you what you can do for yourself
• Try to perform any range-of-motion exercises without first consulting the nurse, doctor, or physical therapist
• Move any joint if it is painful

Call the doctor about any of the following symptoms

• Progressive weakness
• Increased pain
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Numbness
• Tingling

Related Resources

Get more information about exercise and the cancer patient.

Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.

Recommended Consultation

You should consider discussing this topic with your doctor or health care team.

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