Can you exercise during cancer treatment? Where to start and why you should do it

When done correctly and tailored to your condition, exercise can support muscle strength, reduce fatigue, and help regulate inflammation. So, while exercising throughout cancer treatment may seem daunting, a task more for marvel characters over those in the thick of it, when done correctly (no ‘powering through’ or ignoring symptoms) the promising outcomes may very well help you feel like a superhero.

Cancer treatment places heavy stress on the body, affecting muscles, immunity and energy levels not to mention the drain on mental health too. The promising news is, the right exercise may help counter all of this by sending signals that protect muscle, regulate inflammation and support recovery.²

Enter exercise physiologists: prescribers of exercise

Hannah is an exercise physiologist at HBF Physio, passionate about improving quality of life and future outcomes for people looking to exercise during cancer treatment. As an accredited exercise physiologist (AEP) she prescribes exercise depending on the type of cancer, where someone is at with treatment (chemo, radiation, surgery, hormone therapy), how energy levels are day to day, what side effects are being experienced, exercise history, and what her client’s lifestyle looks like. From there, she builds something that is tailored to them.

Related: What is an exercise physiologist?

Exercise and cancer treatment isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing; the program is always tailored to the person.

“From Professor Rob Newton's research in exercise oncology, we know exercise can help with things like maintaining muscle, managing fatigue, and even influencing what’s going on inside the body, but how that exercise plan looks will be different for everyone” says Hannah.

Exercise during cancer treatment is not about:

• Training through exhaustion
• Ignoring symptoms
• ‘Powering through’²

It’s about:

• Light to moderate aerobic exercise (e.g. walking, cycling)
• Strength training to maintain muscles
• Gentle movement on low-energy days
• Adjusting intensity based on how you feel

Getting an exercise physiologist involved early in your diagnosis means you can better prepare the body for treatment by helping maintain strength, energy, manage side effects, and get through it all a bit more smoothly. “However, people can start exercising during chemotherapy or other cancer treatments, after, or even years later and still see real benefits” says Hannah.

Is it safe to exercise during cancer treatment?

For most people, yes exercise is safe during cancer treatment.¹ Especially when it is tailored to your individual condition and guided by a healthcare professional such as an accredited exercise physiologist. The key is adjusting intensity, timing and type of exercise based on treatment, side effects and energy levels.

Think of exercise as your body’s support system

Research from Edith Cowan University shows that exercise isn’t just about staying active, it actually triggers changes inside the body that can help support treatment and recovery.

Every time you move:

• Your muscles release helpful chemical signals into your bloodstream
• Your immune system becomes more alert
• Your body is better able to manage stress and inflammation²

Together, these changes help your body cope with treatment more effectively.