Why Exercise and Recreation Therapy?

The acute and chronic side effects usually associated with the diagnosis and the administration of cancer treatments has increasingly gained attention in the oncology arena. The medical community has started to recognize the importance of complementary forms of therapy on alleviating some of the side-effects produced by cancer treatments. A debilitative state of fatigue is among the most common side-effects experienced by upwards of 72% of all cancer patients undergoing some form of cancer treatment. Other prevalent side-effects include pain, cachexia, loss of strength, depression, nausea, and dyspnea which alone or in combination decrease the functionality of patients, thus diminishing their quality of life and in some cases even survivorship.

While the trend in oncology is to address some of these symptoms with the administration of pharmacological treatments some of these strategies provide only temporary relief.

Complementary alternative therapies such as exercise and recreation therapy has received more attention for their ability to complement the symptom management strategies currently used by oncology physicians, thus increasing the chances for a more successful cancer treatment.

Research has shown that when administered prior, during, and post cancer treatment, exercise and some forms of recreational therapy have assisted patients significantly by decreasing fatigue, improving strength and endurance, conserving muscle mass, improving metabolism, improving stress management and coping skills, all promoting an overall positive effect.

What are you waiting for? Be active in your fight against cancer. Talk to your physician first and then contact us!