Can I exercise if I have colon cancer?

Patients with colon cancer usually have undergone major surgery, including laparotomy and sometimes artificial anus placement. These so-called bowel hole care will of course restrict physical exercise to a certain extent. In principle, it should be noted that: do not lift heavy objects and give up high-intensity physical loads. So can you exercise if you have colon cancer?

After the surgical wound has healed internally, physical exercise will be unimpeded, especially if no defecation holes are placed. Now you can start slowly and continuously increase the load.

Moderate endurance sports, such as cycling, swimming, hiking, and Nordic walking, are very suitable for patients with colon cancer. Tennis, golf, and other ball games are not recommended because they require strong rotation of the body and are not coordinated braking exercises. On the cross arm machine, the cardiovascular system and overall muscle tissue can be strengthened well without loading the spine or joints. Another advantage of this machine is that you can train at home or in a fitness center, and you can go to the toilet at any time. This is also very important for outdoor sports, because many patients have symptoms of diarrhea or frequent bowel movements, so pay attention to the fact that there must be a toilet nearby.

In addition, drinking plenty of water evenly distributed throughout the day is extremely important for all colon cancer patients. As a supplement to endurance training, it is also necessary to carefully strengthen the abdominal musculature and combine this training with back exercises. Before starting to exercise, always see a sports medicine physician, physical therapist or a qualified fitness center for a strength test to determine what and how much you can do. Based on this highly personalized test, a training plan is developed that is suitable for the individual. Then, you can start very slowly and carefully stretch the healing tissue. Avoid all sudden, pulling movements to ensure that the wound is not burdened. Slowly increase the level of training and weight, and control your breathing: exhale when you are tense and inhale when you relax.