Should I Exercise After Ovarian Cancer Surgery?
- Exercise (think, moderate physical activity, not a full-on gym program) can offer major benefits after ovarian cancer surgery
- Movement and deep breathing can help to improve circulation and soften scar tissue
- Walking around can also help to prevent dangerous blood clots during the recovery phase
According to Dr. Wicker-Ramos, exercise after ovarian cancer surgery can:
- Improve your circulation, which improves your wound healing and the fluid movement through your body
- Help soften any scar tissue that may be in the area (especially exercises that involve deep breathing or extending your chest and arms)
- Improve your endurance after surgery
In the very beginning after surgery, Dr. Wicker-Ramos prefers to recommend “physical activity and movement” as opposed to “exercise,” so as to reassure women that she isn’t saying they have to get right back into a full-on gym program right after surgery. “But starting to move more — starting a moderate walking program [or] a deep breathing program… all of those things can help with posture, can help with endurance, can help with your strength, and just get you back to where you were before,” says Dr. Wicker-Ramos. Importantly, even if you find yourself feeling in tip-top shape as soon as a few weeks after surgery, it’s usually recommended that you avoid heavy lifting or exercises that strenuously engage your core muscles for about 6-8 weeks, so as allow your “fascia” — that is, the tissue beneath your skin that holds your bowels in place — to adequately heal.
Of course, no two recovery experiences are the same, so it is always best to follow the guidance of your own team of doctors, and to listen to your body if something doesn’t feel right.
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