MOVE

Prehabilitation

The period of time between diagnosis and first treatment is crucial to determining how well you will withstand the remainder of your cancer journey.  Getting moving is essential to improving the function of your heart, your lungs, your muscles, bones, and immune system. 

This is one of 2 pages at this website that describe the exercise program we recommend for you to do as you train before treatment.   This page focuses on AEROBIC EXERCISE. 

The recommended dose is as follows:

Frequency:  Daily

Intensity: moderate to vigorous.  Use the ‘talk but not sing’ rule to gauge your intensity.  If you can sing, you are not working hard enough.  If you can speak a few words without gasping for air, you are working too hard.  We use this rather than heart rate response because many people take medicines that alter their heart rate or heart rate response to exercise. 

Time: at least 30 minutes a day

Type:  Walk, run, cycle, swim or dance around

 If you are not already an exerciser, build up to this dose of exercise.  If you don’t do 150 minutes a week already, build up to it over time.  Perhaps 20 minutes per day this week, 25 minutes per day next week. Below is a plan for someone who is starting as a complete ‘couch potato’.   We assume here that you have 3 weeks before treatment starts.