Cancer Recovery And Exercise Equipment

Cancer recovery involves emotional and physical strength from a cancer diagnosis and treatments. Cancer treatments can leave you feeling exhausted, making exercise the last thing you want to do. However, exercise can improve your experience, energy and health as you recover from cancer. Use exercise equipment for your cancer recovery process to give you more control over the duration and intensity of your workout.

Benefits of Exercise

As you recover from cancer, exercise can improve your mood, decrease symptoms of depression, increase your self-esteem, reduce anxiety levels, limit muscle wasting from inactivity, decrease nausea, reduce fatigue and improve your quality of life. Although you will want to introduce an exercise regimen slowly, your body will feel the positive results from a consistent and balanced workout program.

Exercise Guidelines

Cancer may prevent you from exercising on a regular basis, making it important to take it slow when you start to exercise during your recovery. Eyad S. Al Hattab, oncologist at the Cancer Treatment Center of Bradford Regional Medical Center, says, "Patients should exercise as a low to moderate intensity at least twice a week, in most cases." Gauge your intensity based on how you feel. If the intensity seems to hard, slow down. If you feel overly tired or fatigued, stop. The simple act of trying to exercise can provide you benefit. However, for the most benefits Al Hattab states you may need to exercise four to five times a week for 30 to 40 minutes. Consult your doctor to determine an exercise plan safe for you.

Cardiovascular Exercise Equipment

Cardiovascular exercise equipment allows you to work out while you listen to music, watch television or read a book. Even 10 minutes on a treadmill, elliptical, stair climber or stationary bike can improve your cancer recovery. Try to find exercise machines that allow you to get a full body workout that you enjoy. These machines provide workouts that help build more muscle mass and improve you cardiovascular function faster than those that focus on one area. If you go to a gym, ask if you can place a chair next to your machine to allow you to take breaks when you need them. The more you enjoy the cardiovascular exercise equipment you use, the better your chances of exercising even after you fully recover.

Strength-Training Exercise Equipment

Strength training helps combat muscle wasting and the development of excess fat stores. Strength training exercise machines provide a safe way to start a resistance program to develop muscular strength and lean muscle mass. These machines decrease your chances of poor body alignment during the exercise by holding the body in the correct position. Start your resistance training workout with the smallest weight each machine allows. If your cancer treatment causes you to feel extremely weak, go through the motions using zero resistance. Once you can perform eight to 12 repetitions without feeling tired, increase the weight you lift by 10 percent, advises Al Hattab.