Forum Discussion

paulina_gtzr's avatar
5 days ago

Rock climbing, strength training and running after lumpectomy

Hi everyone. I'm an active 41 yo (My favourite activities are climbing, sailing and running). I had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago. The size of the tissue removed was 6x4 cm. I'm feeling great with the recovery, and I will most likely start radiotherapy soon. I was wondering how was your experience with recovery and getting back to exercise. I'm like rock climbing, and I am thinking to take another 3 weeks off training, but I also have been reading that I could exercise the lower part of my body. I have been walking almost daily. 

How has everyones experience has been with lumpectomy and returning to fitness?

3 Replies

  • One last thing, I lost a little bit of weight during my 14 months of chemotherapy but unfortunately it included muscle mass, so it felt just  great to be able to rebuild strength and muscle mass through exercise afterwards. 

    • arpie's avatar
      arpie
      Member

      Hi paulina_gtzr​ 

      Making haste 'slowly' is the way to go .. you will know if you are going 'too fast' ... 
      My husband was a triathlete who had major abdominal cancer surgery - and as soon as he was able, he was walking around the ward (with drains attached.)  He made a good recovery at the time and was back competing again within 6 months of completing chemo.   But - MAKE HASTE SLOWLY xx 
      Definitely take at least 3 weeks off your rock climbing (I've tried it & altho you are supposed to use your legs more than your arms) ..... I still relied on my upper body strength too much .... Plus, Everyone heals at a different rate - and have had different levels of surgery .. just don't push yourself too hard, too soon.  
      Walking is an EXCELLENT way of maintaining your fitness until you are able to push a bit harder, when able to.  Listen to your body.  If it is taking you longer to recover from (previously) easy exercises .... back off!    Recover.   Try again - at a lower regime!
      Take care & all the best.

  • Hipaulina_gtzr​ fantastic to have passed that surgical milestone - woot! 

     I had a straightforward lumpectomy, no complications after surgery and no nodes removed. I  checked up on exercise with my surgeon - she was happy for me to continue lower body exercise and walking as long as I avoided arms and upper body for at least 4 weeks so the wound could heal.

    I am not sure what other treatments beyond radiation you’re likely to have that might need to be considered? In my case I still had another 6 months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy to complete after the lumpectomy and radiation, I was exercising under an oncology physio rehabilitation program (highly recommended!), so for the four weeks immediately after my lumpectomy I continued my lower body exercise (stationary bike, balance, steps, foot press weights and squats) under that program. I had a moment of blood pressure plummeting during that 4 weeks, so it was an assurance knowing I wasn’t exercising alone. 

    6 months after my lumpectomy, when I completed my final chemotherapy infusion, I started additional exercise like yoga and lap swimming. I noticed soreness and aching under my armpit and through the breast, especially in some of the weight bearing and reaching yoga poses. A physiotherapist specialising in breast cancer identified mild “cording” and scarring. Happily it was resolved by a couple of laser therapy treatments and a course of focused flexing and stretching exercises. 

    I really appreciated how structured exercise helped me but I realise how variable everyone’s overall treatment regimes can be and how underlying health, age and other medical conditions can make a difference. In my case I think the side effects from treatment drugs were more impactful on me compared to the lumpectomy. Anyway I hope that gives you an insight into one example and for peace of mind it would helpful to run your thinking by your surgeon or oncologist.