Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. The incidence of the disease is expected to grow rapidly due to increasing risk factors associated with lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, poor diet, and physical inactivity.
Clinical treatment of breast cancer such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or mastectomy leads to a negative impact on women’s physical and mental health because of the serious adverse effects which compromise their functional capacity. A healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition and regular physical activity is essential to control and reduce the physical and psychological effects of treatment.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend at least 150 min of moderate physical activity per week for breast cancer survivors. Resistance and strength training twice per week are also recommended as well to improve general physical health.
Pilates is considered a gentle and moderate form of exercise. It is a mind-body exercise technique that can help develop muscle flexibility and strength, promote respiratory and circulatory function, as well as improve balance and coordination.
How can Pilates benefit the recovery?
Pilates exercises use principles such as breathing, fluidity of movement, body alignment, control, endurance, and concentration. These principles will help you to live in the moment by keeping you focused on proper movement with control. They include resistance training and stretching exercises synchronized with breathing, which can promote physical benefits for patients concerning functional capacity and muscle endurance.
Pilates can be considered a complementary intervention, in addition to clinical treatment. It aims to aid in symptom relief by helping patients regain functionality, improve performance in daily life activities, help reduce fatigue, and improve quality of life.
After breast cancer surgery, the deep breathing pattern practiced during Pilates can encourage lymphatic drainage, help ease tension, and stretch tight areas affected by scars. In addition, resistance exercises will increase core muscle strength which improves your ability to perform daily activities and allows you to move much easier from one position to another.
At The Hundred Wellness Centre, we provide pilates classes with our experienced instructors as well as ladies-only pilates classes. Pilates will take the focus off the weakened areas of your body and what you cannot do and reinforce what you can do. You will be surprised by your body’s capacity to heal and will appreciate all the movement your body is capable of.
