- Researchers say people with cancer who exercised regularly reported lower levels of pain.
- The findings are similar to research showing an association between exercise and pain mitigation among non cancer patients.
- Experts say that exercise should be used alongside medication to treat pain.
Engaging in intense exercise might not be the first thing that people fighting cancer think to do, but a new
“It may feel counterintuitive to some, but physical activity is an effective, non-pharmacologic option for reducing many types of pain,” said
In the study published in the journal Cancer, Rees-Punia and Dr. Christopher T.V. Swain, first study author and a fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia, looked at 10,651 adults with a past cancer diagnosis and 51,439 adults without a history of cancer.
Participants were asked to rate their average pain level from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable. They also were queried about their engagement in exercise.
The researchers reported that more physical activity was associated with lower pain intensity, whether or not individuals had a history of cancer.
Among those with a past cancer diagnosis, those exceeding the
Less pain also was reported by…
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