Physical activity is any activity that gets your body moving and speeds up breathing and heart rate. It includes structured exercise sessions as well as incidental everyday activities like housework. Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity that has structure, is repetitive, is purposeful, and done with a plan. The goal of exercise is to improve or maintain fitness and has many health benefits including:
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Improving muscle and bone strength
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Improving circulation
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Improving energy levels
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Improving mobility and balance
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Improving self-esteem
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Help with stress, anxiety, and depression
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Help you keep/achieve healthy weight
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Supply new opportunities to meet people and socialise
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Reducing the risk of or help manage other health conditions
Getting started exercising
Talk with your oncologist or general practitioner (GP) before starting any program. They will tell you about any precautions you should take. This could be a program either during or soon after your treatment.
If it has been a while since you have been active or your fitness level are low, start slow and build up bit by bit.
An Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist is the best person to guide you. Medicare or your private health fund may supply limited cover for these visits.
Let's Talk Exercise
You can attend our sessions online.
When: Last Thursday of every month
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Where: Online via Zoom
For more information, please visit the Let’s Talk Exercise page.
Safety tips for exercising with or after cancer
- Keep others aware of your plans/take a phone
- Start any new program slowly
- Be aware of muscle soreness afterwards
- Be cautious of the following symptoms and get urgent medical help
- Pain or pressure in your chest or pain down your arms
- Severe shortness of breath
- Dizziness or fainting
- Irregular or unusually rapid heartbeat
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Extreme weakness or extreme fatigue
What sort of exercise can I do at home?
Aerobic home program
Upper limb home program
Lower limb home program
Community exercise oncology programs
Several community and hospital-based cancer-specific rehabilitation programs are available across Australia. Find your closest centre.
Cancer Council Victoria delivers oncology rehabilitation programs. It also delivers Cancer Wellness Programs. These programs support people living with and after cancer.