Alps less than two years after Nigel
had oncological surgery to remove
his bowel.
Then, last autumn, I received a press
release from the American College
of Sports Medicine relating to a 2018
Roundtable they had convened
for 17 partner organisations. The
purpose of this meeting was to review
the scientific evidence and offer
recommendations to both medical and
exercise professionals on the benefits
of exercise for cancer prevention,
treatment, recovery and improved
survival.
The ACSM subsequently published
new FITT guidelines in late 2019
relating to these findings, as well as
outlining key recommendations in
three academic papers and in two
scientific journals – ACSM’s Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise ® and
CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians,
a flagship journal of the American
Cancer Society.
“
Nigel Kohler (left) rides alongside his brother Graeme.
Exercising
during and after
cancer treatment
reduces
fatigue, anxiety,
depression,
and improves
physical
function.”
Following this Roundtable, it has
been confirmed that exercise is
important for all adults in relation to
cancer prevention. The experts also
concluded that cancer survivors
should incorporate exercise to help
improve survival after a diagnosis of
breast, colon and prostate cancer.
They also tell us that exercising during
and after cancer treatment reduces
fatigue, anxiety, depression, and
improves physical function, quality of
life and does not cause or exacerbate
lymphedema (where excess fluid
collects in tissues causing swelling).
With cancer on the increase, these
recent guidelines are hoped to
empower more people to be proactive
in their journey towards recovery.
I recently had the privilege of
interviewing Professor Anna
Campbell MBE, a panel member of
the aforementioned Roundtable and
Director of REPs-accredited
training provider CanRehab
(www.canrehab.co.uk), a company
that trains exercise professionals
throughout the UK and now in Europe
22
FM
www.exerciseregister.org