The Benefits of Exercise for Cancer Recovery and Long-Term Health
Staying active is one of the best things you can do for your recovery from cancer and for your long-term health and wellbeing. Research shows that regular, tailored exercise can help you feel better physically and emotionally — and even improve outcomes during and after treatment.
Here are just some of the powerful benefits of keeping active:
More energy: Regular exercise helps fight fatigue and can boost daily energy levels.
Less joint pain: Targeted movement and strengthening can ease aches, stiffness and discomfort.
Better balance: Especially helpful if you have peripheral neuropathy or feel unsteady on your feet.
Stronger bones: Resistance exercises help protect against osteoporosis and fractures.
Mental & emotional wellbeing: Moving your body is a proven mood booster and stress reliever.
Lymphatic health: Staying active helps maintain a healthy weight and supports lymphatic flow for anyone living with or at risk of lymphoedema.
Better survivorship: Research links regular exercise to improved tolerance to treatments and long term is linked to lower risk of cancer recurrence and general health benefits.
How Much Exercise Should You Be Doing?
For general health and recovery, aim for:
✔️ At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week
✔️ 2 resistance training sessions per week
✔️ At least 1 balance or flexibility session per week
Take a moment to check in with yourself: are you hitting these targets? If yes — fantastic! There are even greater benefits if you can gradually build on this. If you’re not quite there yet, that’s okay too — building up safely takes time, especially during or after cancer treatment. The most important thing is to keep moving — every bit counts.
How I Can Help
I know it’s not always easy to get started, it’s not easy to manage injuries, aches pains, post op recovery and other cancer treatment side effects — or to know what’s safe for you to do — and I’m here to support you every step of the way. I also make it a priority to support you to find what movement is enjoyable for you!
I’m a registered physiotherapist with over 10 years of experience, specialising in cancer rehabilitation, lymphoedema therapy, Pilates, and exercise. I also offer professional life coaching, because true recovery and wellbeing often needs more than just physical rehab — it needs mindset, clarity and support too.
Here’s how we can work together:
✔️ Physiotherapy & Lymphoedema Therapy — If you need help with cancer rehab, lymphoedema management, or tailored Pilates and exercise prescription, I offer in-person sessions or online sessions through Peak Pilates Physiotherapy clinic.
✔️ Online Life Coaching — If you’d like extra support to debrief and figure out your new normal my one-on-one life coaching sessions are available online — so you can access them from anywhere, at any stage of your journey.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’d like help with physiotherapy, lymphoedema support, or life coaching — I’d love to help you feel stronger, more confident and more supported.
👉 Book a physiotherapy session or get in touch to learn more
👉 Want to learn about my life coaching? Find out how it works and book your first online session here
📸 Follow my Instagram for tips & inspiration: @cancerrehab.rach