How to exercise in the early stages of esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is a common digestive tract tumor. Although surgery is currently the preferred method for treating esophageal cancer, postoperative exercise is also essential.

How to exercise after esophageal cancer surgery?

Esophageal cancer is a common digestive tract tumor. Its typical symptom is progressive dysphagia, which first makes it difficult to swallow dry food, then semi-fluid food, and finally even water and saliva. The Anti-Cancer Health Network points out that although surgery is currently the preferred method for treating esophageal cancer, postoperative exercise is also essential.

1. Respiratory function exercises

For older patients with esophageal cancer, open-chest surgery can seriously impair their respiratory function. Strengthening respiratory function training while taking medication after surgery can help restore the patient's lung function.

Method: Take a deep breath with balanced and continuous force, and when you reach the maximum inhaled volume, exhale slowly and evenly. Repeat this 4 times, and then repeat it again after an hour. The purpose is to allow the lung lobes to fully expand, increase the alveolar surface tension, increase vital capacity, and improve lung function.

2. Cough training

Helping patients master the correct coughing method can effectively prevent lung infections and aid recovery.

Method: Take a deep breath, hold your breath, tighten your abdomen, and cough hard. Don't be afraid of pain during cough training. When you first start practicing, you can cough slowly, and then gradually increase the force. In order to reduce the pain caused by coughing after surgery, you can use both hands to gently press the sides of the chest to fix it when the patient coughs.

3. Small-scale exercise

Early postoperative activities can promote blood circulation in patients, facilitate wound healing, prevent deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities, and effectively prevent constipation and bedsores. Early activities can be divided into early bed rest activities and early getting up activities.

Method: In the early stage, the family members of the patients help the patients to turn over and pat their backs, and take the patients to a semi-recumbent position after the blood pressure stabilizes. When the condition is relatively stable, the patients can move their upper limbs, hands and feet slightly in bed, do flexion and extension exercises, and gradually stand by the bed, walk slowly in the room, and then go out for a walk as appropriate.