A number of breast cancer patients may not be inclined to do much of walking, particularly while having chemotherapy, but research has shown that mild exercise can help women feel better while undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. This finding comes from Australian researchers.

In a study of Queensland and Victorian women scientists found that a 20 minute walk two or three times a week was well worth the effort. Patsy Yates, Queensland University of Technology nursing researcher Patsy said that a number of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer reported they felt so tired they did not want to get out of bed or even to concentrate on the usual day to day activities.

"One woman told me what a process it was to make sandwiches for her children to go to school because of her fatigue," Prof Yates said.

But contrary to traditional medical advice and the women's intuitive desire to rest, some regular light exercise actually improved their sense of wellbeing and gave them more energy for the things they enjoyed, she said.

"There's some good research which tells us that probably over the years we may have been giving women the wrong advice about resting and that sort of thing," Prof Yates said.

"We are not sure why exercise works but it could be because it keeps your body conditioned so the effort to do other things is less".

Women in the study found walking for 20 to 30 minutes at least twice a week made them fell better - but only if they had exercised regularly before their therapy.

It was important to take medical advice about starting an exercise program following chemotherapy if they had not been on one before.

Prof Yates also said recovering breast cancer patients often suffered fatigue for a number of years after their therapy.

The next phase of her research was aimed at looking at ways of helping those women maintain their energy levels and wellbeing for the rest of their lives.



Posted by: Betsy    Source

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