Moving forward: Strategies for general practitioners to encourage physical activity in people living with and beyond cancer

• Published in: Australian family physician Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 189 - 192
• Main Authors: Mizrahi, David, Singleton, Anna C, Thornton-Benko, Elysia, Ee, Carolyn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sydney Copyright Agency Limited (Distributor) 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Cancer; Cellular telephones; Chronic illnesses; Councils; Exercise; Family physicians; Fatigue; Joint ventures; Medical personnel; Medical referrals; Medicine; Mortality; Oncology; Physical fitness; Physical therapy; Primary care; Professionals; United States > US; Australia
• ISSN: 2208-7958

Given the significant barriers that GPs face with time and competing priorities within consultations, we recommend evidencebased interventions, including brief advice or counselling on the benefits of PA, with supporting written or video material (eg from the Cancer Council), a PA prescription, differentiation between different PA intensities and/or referral to an exercise professional or program (Box 1).10,12-18 Simple recommendations include starting a comfortably paced walking program, progressing to brisk walking. [...]exercise professionals are qualified to safely prescribe PA to clinical populations, with examples of exercise programs commonly prescribed in cancer care focusing on managing treatment side effects, such as debilitating cancer-related fatigue,20 or improving balance and stability deficits caused by chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.21 Services might be offered in person or through telehealth, which can be beneficial for some regional communities and immunocompromised patients, while those with poor internet access or no access to physical programs can utilise the Get Healthy NSW Cancer Support Program with free health coaching over the telephone (Table 2). [...]for patients without private health insurance, affording exercise professionals might be more onerous. Importantly, there are numerous free and subsidised community PA programs for people living with or beyond cancer that can be accessed through GP referral or self-referral (Table 2). [...]one recommendation is to concurrently encourage self-directed PA and offer referral into a community program (eg Cancer Council and parkrun).