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Writer's pictureJacqueline Sinke

EXERCISE ONCOLOGY DELIVERED VIRTUALLY

Focusing on Virtual Assessments and Virtual Oncology Exercise Training


Exercise is safe and offers benefits for cancer survivors including improvements in physical function, fitness, strength, fatigue, quality of life, assist in recovery from treatment reduces cancer recurrence, improves survival rates. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) published guidelines in 1922 to advance exercise training during active cancer treatment and that aerobic and resistance training exercise should be recommended by oncology health care teams during active treatment with curative intent.


Combatting side effects

Each cancer treatment type often has long-lasting effects, altering the quality of life and physical function for up to years after the treatment finishes. Movement however is critical to improve the lives of those affected by cancer because they often reduce physical activity following diagnosis and prolonged sitting which leads to a decline in function and may infect accelerate the aging process.


Exercise can reduce the burden or the intensity of side effects. The best way to help combat fatigue, improve immune function, and avoid systemic toxicities is with an appropriate load and intensity of targeted exercises. A properly trained and qualified health fitness professional can provide the right exercise program to combat side effects such as fatigue, increased body fat, peripheral neuropathy, changes in balance and coordination, reduce strength, etc.


Chemo-brain

Chemo brain or brain fog is often reported following chemotherapy treatments which may cause mental cloudiness, forgetfulness, slower reaction times, or difficulty with multi tasking. Your health fitness professional can incorporate body and brain exercises that provide a cognitive challenge. The ACSM recommends Cognifit and BrainHQ that you can do using a tablet while using a recumbent cycle or stepper.


Pre-exercise screening, assessments and exercise training

Health fitness professionals have traditionally been doing in person assessments and training, Covid however changed all this. Many of health fitness professional incorporated virtual assessment and training using Zoom or other platforms and continue doing so long after the end of the pandemic. Several of Fitness & Function’s clients have continued with Zoom virtual training and live in the state of Oregon, Washington, east coast, and others reside in Europe and Mexico.

Virtual assessment to determine baseline functioning and virtual exercise training provides access to clients going through cancer treatment and beyond as long as an online or wifi connection is present.


There are differences between in person and virtual assessments and safety of the participant is most important. Pre-Exercise Screening, Consent for Testing and Exercise Taining, as well as an Emergency Plan and Protocol are part of the process. In both in-person and virtual assessments, the client can stop the assessment at any time when not feeling safe or not well.


Reach out to us when you like to learn more about Virtual Oncology Exercise Training, Jacqueline holds certifications such as Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM EP-C), Cancer Exercise Trainer certified through ACSM and the American Cancer Society (ACSM/ACS CET), ACE Medical Exercise Specialist (ACS MES) and has been providing virtual assessments and personal training online since the Covid pandemic, providing increased access to high quality exercise training to clients in locations where qualified health fitness professionals are not available. Jacqueline has over 32 years continuous experience in the health fitness field.


References

Conducting Online inters Assessment in Exercise Oncology ACSM Health & Fitness Journal Volume 28, Number 4, July/August 2024

The evolution of Exercise Oncology ACSM Health & Fitness Journal Volume 28, Number 3, May/June 2024

Moving through cancer Exercise is Medicine a guide to getting and staying active during cancer treatment.

ACSM’s guide to exercise and cancer survivorship manual

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