Cancer is one of the most feared of all diseases. Women with breast cancer have a huge battle to overcome. Whenever a disease this hard hits, the last thing that most people think about is exercise. Their only concern is recovery.
However, exercise is still important because the body needs to move to stay healthy. Depending on the type of treatment, there can be a lot of fatigue involved. There is also the issue of fear, depression and many other issues to deal with.
Most cancer patients just don’t have the energy or desired to engage in cardio or resistance training exercises.
Women with breast cancer may go for a mastectomy and this is not only a huge blow to their self-esteem, but post-operation, there can be pain, swelling and even impaired movements.
Will Pilates help in a situation like this?
You bet it will!
Don’t forget… this is a program that was created to rehabilitate injuries. While breast cancer is not an injury, it is still a health problem. A mastectomy is still an operation and there will be a period of rehabilitation… and that’s where Pilates comes in.
Just by doing 7 to 10 sessions of Pilates, a woman will find that her range of motion improves and she feels stronger. Most people struggle with their first Pilates workout. It is not a pleasant experience because the body is not used to it.
However, the more you do it, the better you get. Women often feel very insecure and helpless after a mastectomy. This is a body image issue and a lack of confidence. As she does Pilates and gets better and better at it, there will be a certain sense of satisfaction that comes from excelling at it.
This is great for her confidence. The Pilates will also start toning her body and she’ll notice improved muscle tone. She’ll look better and feel better. This is priceless.
While no conclusive evidence has shown that Pilates actually helps with breast cancer recovery, it cannot be denied that when it comes to strengthening the body, accelerating weight loss and speeding up recovery, Pilates is as effective as they come.
It would be a good idea for the woman to join a Pilates class and speak to a qualified female instructor to see what Pilates exercises she can do and what is best kept for later. You could get a DVD and do it in the comfort of your home… but if you’re using Pilates for rehabilitation, initially it would be a good idea to be guided by a pro.
The famous Pilates expert, Mari Winsor, even created a Pilates for Pink workout DVD especially to raise funds for breast cancer research. She believes that Pilates is so versatile and flexible that it can be modified to suit almost any injury or health condition.
Pilates will improve blood circulation, increase muscle strength, boost your stamina, increase your energy, burn up excess fat and most importantly, it will be a form of exercise that you can do daily.
You can start off with short 5 minute sessions daily and progress from there. This is an exercise that is so low impact that you can do it daily without fear of taxing your central nervous system.
Speak with your doctor and see if you can make Pilates a part of your daily regimen. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from it.
