Choosing exercises for men with bone metastases

[Paul Edwards]

Exercise is good.  But what exercises are suitable?  The table contained in this post may help you when discussing exercise with your doctor.

 

 

In recent clinical trials by Edith Cowan University exercise therapy has been shown to be beneficial for men with advanced prostate cancer and bone metastases.  In particular, aerobic and resistance exercise is safe and effective for men with bone metastases when supervised and individually tailored to avoid direct loading of bones with secondary tumours.

 

It is essential that you consult with an accredited exercise physiologist who specialises in cancer management so that a special program can be developed for your unique condition and personal circumstances.

 

The researchers at Edith Cowan University have prepared a table to show the way in which exercises need to be modified depending on the location and severity of bone lesions.

 

 

This table may be useful when discussing exercise with your doctor.

To view the table, click on this link.

 

 

To help you understand the table, as an example, if you have a lesion in your Pelvis (which is very common in men with advanced prostate cancer which has metastasised); you are able to perform any resistance exercises involving the upper-body and trunk, with modified resistance exercises involving the lower-body to only allow knee movements while avoiding hip movements.  Similarly, you would not perform weight-bearing aerobic exercise, but could perform any non-weight-bearing aerobic exercise and any flexibility exercises.   To read the table, you find the location of the lesion (in this case Pelvis), and trace along the row to determine what is permissible and what is to be avoided.

 

 

Before beginning an exercise program, you should discuss it first with your doctor and your accredited exercise physiologist to determine whether it is suitable for you based on the location and severity of  your bone lesions.  Your exercise program may need to be modified if there are changes in your condition. You should review your exercises on an ongoing basis with your doctor and your accredited exercise physiologist.

 

 

This Community does not give medical advice. You should not rely on anything in this post without first getting advice from your doctor.