Research Proves that Exercise After Breast Cancer Surgery Improves Your Recovery
Exercise is emerging as an important complementary treatment for breast cancer patients and survivors. With exercise, Dr. Adam Brufsky states, “You can get back to being you!”
How do we know that exercise is beneficial to breast cancer survivors? There is mounting medical research that regular exercise during and after breast cancer treatment improves a woman’s health and well being.
Below is a short summary of just a few of the findings printed in medical journals regarding the many ways in which regular stretching, aerobic and weight training exercises help breast cancer survivors feel better about their bodies and reduce their risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Proven Benefits of Aerobic Exercise After Breast Cancer Surgery
- Four observational studies have now reported decreased total mortality among physically active women with breast cancer. Changes in the estrogen and insulin pathways are potential mechanisms by which physical activity could affect survival. (Breast Cancer Research, 2009)
- A study of nearly 3,000 women with Stage I to Stage III breast cancer reported that regular physical activity after diagnosis reduced the risk of recurrence of breast cancer. Women who walked a modest pace 1-3 hours per week reduced their risk by 20%; 3-5 hours per week by 50%. (Journal of American Medical Association, 2005)
Proven Benefits of Upper Body Exercises After Breast Cancer Surgery
- A review of 24 studies involving 2132 participants showed exercise can result in a significant improvement in shoulder range of motion in women with breast cancer. Ten studies looked at the effect of early versus delayed implementation of post-operative exercise. Implementing early exercise was more effective. (Cochrane Database Rev. June 2010.)
- In breast cancer survivors with lymphedema, slowly progressive weight lifting had no significant effect on limb swelling and resulted in a decreased incidence of exacerbations with lymphedema, reduced symptoms and increased strength. (New England Journal of Medicine, 2009)
- Data from a study of women treated for Stage I – Stage III breast cancer suggests that weight bearing aerobic exercise can decrease bone loss, which can occur with breast cancer treatment. Aerobic and resistance exercise will improve cardiopulmonary capacity and muscle strength when most women generally feel less able to perform their daily activities. (Oncology Nursing Forum, 2007)
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