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Cancer patients to benefit from UQ exercise program

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A free six-week exercise program for people recently diagnosed with cancer or undergoing treatment will begin at The University of Queensland next month.

The School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences Exercise Clinic for People with Cancer will encourage physical activity and helps incorporate exercise in long-term treatment plans.

Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health exercise physiologist Dr Tina Skinner said exercise was both safe and possible during cancer treatment.

“Exercise can improve how well cancer patients function physically and mentally, improving their overall quality of life,” she said.

“What we also know is that exercise can help counteract other chronic illnesses that can affect adults with cancer such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which further compromise their health and quality of life.”

Dr Skinner said she was hoping the clinic would be as successful as the Exercise Clinic for Prostate Cancer Survivors established at UQ four years ago.

“After only four exercise sessions, participants in the prostate cancer clinic experienced positive benefits to their health including significant improvements in functional capacity, muscle strength, cardiovascular health, flexibility and balance,” she said.


“Participants also showed psychosocial improvements, including increased vitality, social functioning, wellbeing and reductions in stress.”

The new six-week program will start on April 22 with weekly one-hour exercise sessions combined with information on the benefits of exercise and tips on integrating physical activity into every-day life.

Participants will be given a personalised home exercise program to help them maintain and advance their fitness levels after the program. 

Exercise sessions are held in a private fully equipped gym at UQ’s St Lucia Campus.

The program will be led by exercise physiologists Dr Skinner, Kirsten Adlard and James Devin.

(Source: The University of Queensland)


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Posted On: 21 April, 2015
Modified On: 30 April, 2015

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