Engaging in regular physical activity, such as walking or jogging, can significantly alleviate persistent pain in individuals who have undergone tumor treatments or are cancer survivors, as indicated by a recent study.
The research, spearheaded by experts from the University of Melbourne in Australia, scrutinized the exercise routines and pain thresholds of over 10,000 cancer survivors alongside more than 51,000 individuals with no prior history of tumors. Among these participants, approximately half engaged in physical activities equivalent to or exceeding the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise outlined in U.S. exercise guidelines.
Published on February 12 in the journal Cancer, the study revealed that cancer survivors who adhered to this exercise regimen were 16 percent less likely to endure severe pain compared to those who were less active.
Moreover, the study underscored that individuals didn’t need to engage in strenuous workouts to experience a positive impact on their pain levels. The majority of participants, both with and without a history of cancer, identified walking as their primary form of exercise. This finding highlights the accessibility and effectiveness of incorporating moderate physical activity into one’s routine for pain management, irrespective of cancer history.
Pain from Cancer Causes
“Pain in cancer survivors is common,” said Dawn Hershman, MD. She is a professor and the deputy director at Columbia University Medical Center’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City.
“It can come from ongoing treatment, such as hormonal therapies that can cause joint pain and stiffness; it can come from prior treatments that affect the nerves and muscle; it can come from radiation and surgery that can affect the nerves; and for some it can come from cancer that has spread to other parts of the body,” Dr. Hershman added. She wasn’t part of the new study conducted.
Exercise Also Helps Reduce Pain for Those Who Never Had Cancer
The research discovered that the extent of pain alleviation linked to exercise was comparable for both cancer survivors and individuals with no prior history of cancer. This suggests that engaging in physical activity can provide similar benefits in reducing pain regardless of whether someone has experienced cancer or not. This finding underscores the potential universal efficacy of exercise as a means to manage pain, highlighting its importance in promoting overall well-being for individuals, irrespective of their medical history.
“In general, people who are more active do have less pain,” said the lead study author, Christopher Swain, PhD. He is a physiology researcher at the University of Melbourne in Australia. “This may be related to some of the specific benefits of exercise — such as the biochemical, neuromuscular, or psychological effects.”
Hershman stated that exercise may have similar effects on pain reduction in the body, regardless of whether individuals have a history of cancer or not. Hence, she believes that engaging in an active lifestyle is always beneficial.
“Physical activity may have central effects on pain pathways and may also have biological effects that improve the amount of oxygen tissues get,” she said. “It may reduce weight that can increase pain, and it can also have psychological effects in improving mood and decreasing fatigue, improving sleep, and reducing anxiety.”
Choose Your Exercise, Enjoy It, and Do It Regularly
A constraint of the research lies in its lack of focus on demonstrating the direct correlation between particular types or quantities of physical activity and the alleviation of pain. Additionally, it remains plausible that some of the observed relationship between activity levels and pain levels could be attributed to the fact that healthier individuals tend to experience fewer sources of pain and find it easier to engage in exercise.
Nevertheless, the findings emphasize Dr. Swain’s suggestion that pain reduction could be among the numerous advantages associated with maintaining physical activity to the best of one’s ability.
“I would suggest performing activities that you enjoy and are able to do on a regular basis, more so than targeting a specific type or quantity,” Swain also suggested. “This could include walking around your neighborhood with a friend or family member, or, if you feel up to it, going for a jog around a park — whatever gives you enjoyment.”
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