Exercise with Blood Cancer
Why you should exercise with Blood Cancer.
Exercise provides many important benefits for those with blood cancer, including:
Improving cancer-related fatigue (fact: exercise is the best intervention for managing cancer-related fatigue).
Improving bone health, even for those with cancer in the bones.*
Improving mental health and stress levels – essential for those in ‘watch and wait’.
Improving immune function to improve ability to fight infections.
Improving your ability to cope with cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and stem cell treatments.
*If you have bone lesions, please see an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with further training in oncology (all of us at Moving Beyond Cancer) for exercise prescription that is appropriate for you.
Recommendations for adjusting exercise for blood levels
Low platelets - Avoid impact exercises and very heavy weight training.
Low red blood cells - Stick to low intensity exercise and rest more often.
Low white blood cells - Avoid high intensity exercise and exercising in public gyms or pools.
How you can get started:
Target - aim to accumulate 150-300 minutes of aerobic exercise per week at a moderate (can talk but not sing) intensity.
Example start - 5 minutes of walking around the house each day.
Example progression - Duration: build up time by 10% each week until 150-minute target is achieved, then:
Example progression – Intensity: gradually build up your walking speed until the intensity is at a ‘moderate’ (talk but not sing) level.
Target - complete two or three strength exercise sessions per week targeting the major muscle groups.
Example start - Four strength exercises done at home for one set of 10-15 repetitions, two or three times per week.
Example progression - Duration/Volume: add 1-2 exercises per week until completing 8-10 in total, then:
Gradually increase to two or three sets of each exercise, then:
Example progression – Intensity: gradually increase the difficulty of the exercises. You can do this by:
Increasing the weight
Using a stronger band
Going more slowly
Holding half-way down in the exercise for a second or two
Starting off strength exercise at home doesn’t need a whole lot of equipment. Examples of simple include:
Sit to stand from a chair/Squats to a chair
Wall/benchtop push ups
Heel raises/single leg heel raises
Marching on the spot
Seated knee extensions
Bicep curls with cans/milk bottles
Please note
The information provided above is general in nature and does not take into account your individual circumstances.
Many factors need to be considered when prescribing a tailored exercise program.
Consult your exercise physiologist for an exercise plan that is specific to you.