A diagnosis of cancer is devastating – leaving many people feeling helpless and confused. After going through the cancer journey with both my sister and my dad, I understand how important maintaining quality of life is for patients. You’re not just a cancer patient – you’re a person – and living as well as you can every single day counts.
This is why I believe physiotherapy in cancer and palliative care is so important. It enables people living with cancer to be more active, do the things they enjoy and feel empowered to make positive changes for their health and wellbeing. It can also help not only manage symptoms of cancer, but alleviate the side effects of any treatment you may be undergoing, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Physiotherapy for cancer
Physiotherapy for cancer is specialised, and focuses on every aspect of your health and wellbeing following a diagnosis. As specialist cancer physiotherapists, it’s our job not only to help increase your movement and flexibility, but to help you stay active during and after treatment, help you to manage symptoms of both the cancer and the treatment, restore or maintain independence and provide personalised holistic advice wherever needed. There are so many ways in which cancer (and treatment for cancer) can impact on our quality of life. Physiotherapy is incredible, because it can help with many of these things – from specialist massage to relieve tightness and scarring post-surgery, to helping you cope with anxiety and panic attacks.
Holistic therapies for cancer
Holistic therapies can be incredibly beneficial for cancer patients, as they’re deeply relaxing and have multiple advantages with no side-effects. I often recommend reflexology, reiki and massage for cancer patients, who find that these therapies help relieve pain, support better emotional wellbeing and reduce anxiety through promoting a feeling of relaxation.
Find out more about the physiotherapy in cancer and palliative care we offer here.
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