Physical Activity Advice

The current guidance of physical activity levels for all adults is 150 minutes a week. It is advised this is achieved by doing 30 minutes of activity a day for 5 days a week. The activity is to be of moderate pace such as walking. The guidance now includes also doing balance and strengthening activity at least twice a week. This level of activity is helpful for people even during cancer treatment. However everyone is different and exercise needs to be tailored to you, taking into account your overall fitness, diagnosis, and other factors that could affect safety.

Being active before, during and after treatment for cancer is safe and is beneficial by helping with the following:

• Reducing fatigue

• Managing side effects of treatment

• Healthy heart function

• Reducing anxiety and depression

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Strengthening muscles & improving bone health

• Improving flexibility & balance

• Increasing confidence and self esteem

• Reducing the risk of cancer reoccurrence

• Improving overall quality of life 

The type of activity or ‘exercise’ you do may depend on what stage you are at with cancer treatment. It may also depend on what type of activity you enjoy doing. Support is available to adapt and modify activity before, during and after cancer treatment and will be personalised and meaningful to you. We are seeing the benefits of physical activity in cancer patients in their ability to withstand treatment and its side effects, recover easier after treatment and surgery.

These are some of the everyday activities that can be done as part of an active lifestyle:

• Housework (vacuuming)
• Gardening
• Walking to the shops
• Walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift
• Carrying shopping bags

Energetic activities such as Dancing, Running, Cycling and Digging the garden.

Staying active at home is easily achieved; download our booklet here with easy to understand guidance.