FITNESS
NEENA DHILLON » JOURNALIST » SPA BUSINESS
MOVE MORE
As new evidence emerges underlining the benefi ts of exercise for cancer suff erers and survivors, we take a look at the role fi tness can play
W
ith the wellness move- ment growing stronger, the need for spa oper- ators to ensure they’re capable of serving cus-
tomers who are suff ering or recovering from illnesses such as cancer is increasing. In the last two issues of Spa Business, we’ve high- lighted examples of best practice including the Inspiritas cancer care spa in Texas, US (see sb11/2 p46) and looked at issues such the lack of oncology massage training in most therapist courses (see sb11/3 p12). Now research that’s just come to light sug-
gests that exercise has benefi ts that shouldn’t be ignored. So, could spas also look at their fi tness off ering – or think about partnering with fi tness clubs – to add to their cancer treatment programmes?
EXERCISE IS MEDICINE
Hitting national headlines in the UK this August, the launch of the Move More campaign by Macmillan Cancer Support – one of the country’s biggest charities
– revolved around a report that highlighted physical activity as a hidden ‘wonder drug’ for people living with cancer. Moving one step beyond accepted scien-
tifi c wisdom that has already shown how adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risks of developing cancer, the new report suggests that not only can regular exercise – around 150 minutes a week – prove bene- fi cial for people during treatment, but that it can also help to reduce recurrence. Professor Robert T omas – author of
Lifestyle Aſt er Cancer and chair of Mac- millan Cancer Support’s Physical Activity Expert Advisory Group – collaborated on the report, having conducted a compre- hensive evidence review of world studies. He explains that thousands of existing controlled trials underline how exercise can improve wellbeing among suff er- ers, reducing associated problems such as fatigue, obesity, anxiety, constipation, osteoporosis and blood clots. Supported mainly by cohort studies, evi- dence is also emerging that physical activity
Regular exercise – about 150 minutes a week – helps to reduce cancer recurrence it’s been found
can have an anti-can- cer effect, improving long-term outcomes and preventing relapse. Figures quoted in Mac- millan’s report suggest that breast and pros- trate cancer patients can reduce their risk of dying by 30 to 40 per cent if they achieve recommended levels of activity, compared to those doing less than one hour a week, while bowel cancer suff er- ers achieving six hours a week could reduce their risk of dying by up to 50 per cent. Meanwhile, a US study involving 816
colon cancer patients whose disease had been removed but showed indications of spreading to the local lymph nodes, noted that increased physical activity during and aſt er additional chemotherapy was associated with a lower chance of the disease returning. In practical terms, this equated to a 35 per cent diff erence in relapse rate for individu- als in the highest quintile of regular exercise compared with the lowest. “T is improve- ment in survival is likely to be a result of a combination of weight control, reduction in insulin-like growth factors and improved psychological outlook,” adds T omas.
ACTIVITY PRESCRIPTION Could and should spas add exercise as part of cancer treatment programmes? 62 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
Other professionals agree with points made in the Macmillan report. Last year, the Amer- ican College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) stated that exercise is safe during and aſt er most types of treatment and that survivors should avoid inactivity – a recommendation
SPA BUSINESS 4 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
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