Exercise is the performance of physical activity that requires you to use energy. It is important to exercise as much as your condition allows to keep your muscles functioning as well as possible. Exercise helps prevent problems that are associated with immobility, such as stiff joints, breathing problems, constipation, skin sores, poor appetite and mental changes.

It is not unusual to lose strength and become deconditioned as a result of treatment for Lung Cancer, regardless of your previous level of fitness. Fatigue, pain and the emotional adjustment that may accompany major changes in your body, such as being too weak to perform activities of daily living without assistance, may also take a toll. Many people have found that participating in some form of exercise helps them gradually increase their endurance and ability to function more independently. This can have emotional benefits as well.

It is helpful to do as much self-care as is comfortable every day. Take a walk every day and do active or passive range-of-motion exercises as instructed by a nurse, doctor, or physical therapist. It is not in your best interest to stay in bed with little movement or to let others do for you what you can manage yourself.

You should contact your physician if you become progressively weaker, if pain increases or if you have headaches, blurred vision, numbness, or tingling. Talk to your doctor if fatigue is so great that you are not able to do the things you need or want to do.

Some people may benefit from physical rehabilitation services that are designed to help you function as normally as possible. These services are provided by physical and occupational therapists and rehabilitation counselors under the direction of a physician either in the hospital, an outpatient setting or your own home. Physical therapy can help you to regain strength following surgery. Occupational therapy can help increase the strength and coordination of your body or reevaluate your ability to return to your daily activities. Rehabilitation counseling can help you deal with the emotional impact of your disability.

In addition to physical benefits, participation in low-impact activities such as Yoga and T’ai Chi can help to focus the mind, alleviate tension and anxiety, reduce stress and provide you with a renewed sense of wholeness and well-being. In doing physical exercise, remember not to confuse “active” with “overactive.” You need rest and relaxation during and after cancer treatments. Exhaustion can weaken physical and emotional defenses, and fatigue can make you feel depressed and discouraged.