By Anshi Shah – Placement Student
Feeling exhausted, weaker or unsure what movement is safe during breast cancer treatment? It can be difficult to know where to begin, especially when your energy and symptoms change from one day to the next.
Appropriately adapted exercise can help support strength, physical function and quality of life during and after treatment. An Accredited Exercise Physiologist (EP) can help you find a manageable starting point and adjust your plan alongside advice from your treating team. Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors
You do not need to feel fit or strong before asking for support.
Key takeaways
- Exercise can complement breast cancer care before, during and after treatment.
- Your starting point should reflect your symptoms, treatment and everyday goals.
- A shorter or lighter session can be a useful adjustment when energy is low.
- After surgery, or with swelling or bone-health concerns, seek individual guidance before progressing.
How can exercise help during and after breast cancer treatment?
Breast cancer treatment may affect your energy, strength, mobility and confidence. The changes you experience will depend on your treatment and circumstances.
An exercise plan can focus on practical goals such as walking more comfortably, managing stairs, carrying groceries or returning to activities you enjoy. Potential benefits include:
- Strength for daily life: resistance exercise can support muscle strength and physical function.
- Fitness and fatigue management: aerobic activity can help maintain or rebuild fitness and may reduce cancer-related fatigue.
- Mobility: appropriate exercises can help address shoulder and arm stiffness, while respecting post-surgery advice.
- Wellbeing: regular, suitable activity can support mood and quality of life. Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors
How much exercise should you do?
The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) recommends working towards at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, plus two to three strength sessions, adapted to your health and treatment. Read the COSA exercise in cancer care position statement.
These targets are something to work towards where appropriate. You do not have to achieve them immediately for movement to be worthwhile.
Your starting plan might involve a few minutes of comfortable walking, a small amount of supported strength exercise or movements recommended by your hospital physiotherapist. The right amount can change across your treatment cycle.
Read Cancer Council’s exercise and cancer guidance for more information.
What might an adapted exercise plan look like?
The following examples illustrate how a plan might be adjusted after assessment. They are not an individual exercise prescription.
On a lower-energy day
A planned walk might become a shorter outing with a rest, or a clinician-agreed seated activity at home. The aim is to find something manageable, rather than make up for a missed session.
When rebuilding everyday strength
If getting out of a chair or carrying shopping has become harder, your EP may choose exercises that support those tasks. Progress could involve changing the support, repetitions or resistance as your capacity improves.
When returning to movement after surgery
Your plan should follow the movement and lifting advice provided by your surgical team and physiotherapist. An EP can help you build on that rehabilitation as healing, comfort and function allow.
When does exercise need extra care?
Let your exercise professional know about:
- Recent surgery: wound healing, drains and movement or lifting restrictions.
- Lymphoedema or new swelling: changes in arm or breast swelling, heaviness or tightness.
- Bone-health concerns: osteoporosis, fractures or cancer affecting the bones.
- Altered sensation or balance: numbness, tingling, unsteadiness or recent falls.
These factors may change the activities, loads or supervision you need. New or worsening swelling should be assessed by your treating team. Cancer Council’s lymphoedema information explains assessment and management options. Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors
Pause exercise and seek prompt advice from your treating team if you have a fever, infection or a significant change in treatment-related symptoms. If you have low blood counts, ask your treating team what activities, intensity and settings are appropriate before exercising. Chest pain, fainting or severe breathing difficulty need urgent medical attention.
What happens at your first Exercise Physiology appointment?
The first appointment helps establish where you are starting and what you want support with. It may include:
- A conversation: your treatment, symptoms, medical advice, activity experience and concerns.
- Suitable movement assessments: selected checks of strength, mobility, balance or exercise tolerance.
- Meaningful goals: the everyday tasks or activities you want to maintain or return to.
- A personalised plan: activities suited to your current capacity, with guidance on adjustments and review.
With your consent, your EP can communicate with your treating team where appropriate. Bring any relevant rehabilitation instructions or restrictions so your plan can reflect them.
Learn more about our Exercise Physiology services.
Making exercise fit around treatment and everyday life
Appointments, commuting, work and caring responsibilities can leave little time or energy. In Western Sydney, travel distances and hot weather can also affect when and where activity feels manageable.
A useful plan considers those realities. It might involve shorter sessions, an accessible location or suitable activities between appointments. Your plan can change when your circumstances change.
Try to avoid measuring progress only against what you could do before treatment. Maintaining a routine, managing an everyday task with more confidence or finding a suitable starting point can also be meaningful progress.
Common questions
Can I exercise during breast cancer treatment?
Many people can remain active during breast cancer treatment when exercise is adapted to their health, symptoms and treatment plan. The appropriate type and amount vary. Your treating team and an Accredited Exercise Physiologist can help identify a suitable starting point and when activity needs to be modified or paused.
What if I feel too tired to exercise?
Tell your treating team about fatigue, especially if it is new, worsening or affecting daily life. Appropriate activity can help manage cancer-related fatigue, but the amount may need adjusting. A shorter session, more rest or a different activity may suit better. Cancer Council has more information about fatigue.
Can I do strength training if I have lymphoedema?
Having lymphoedema does not automatically rule out strength exercise. Research supports the safety of carefully progressed, supervised resistance training for people with breast cancer-related lymphoedema. Your starting load and progression should be individualised, with guidance from an appropriately qualified exercise professional and your lymphoedema practitioner where needed. Report changes in swelling or discomfort. Exercise guidelines for cancer survivors
Find your starting point with Move 2 Thrive
At Move 2 Thrive Clinic, we help people build strength, confidence, function and independence through Exercise Physiology-led care.
We offer in-gym Exercise Physiology in St Marys and mobile services across Western Sydney, subject to suitability and availability.
If you are unsure where to begin, request a Free Health Assessment Call. We will listen to what you need and explain whether our service may suit. It is a short suitability call; the clinical assessment and exercise planning take place at the paid Initial Assessment + Personalised Plan.
This article provides general education. Follow the advice of your treating cancer team about your individual care.
