Pilates can be beneficial for individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and can be a valuable part of a comprehensive wellness plan to help improve physical and emotional well-being.
Here are some potential benefits of Pilates for individuals with breast cancer:
Improved Strength: Focuses on core strength, which can help improve overall muscle strength and endurance, including the muscles around the chest and back. This can be especially beneficial for those who have undergone breast surgery or radiation therapy, which can affect upper body strength.
Flexibility: Incorporates stretching and flexibility exercises that can help improve your range of motion, which can be particularly useful if you have experienced stiffness or discomfort in the chest and shoulder area due to breast cancer treatments.
Posture and Body Awareness: Emphasizes proper alignment and body awareness. This can be helpful for those who have experienced changes in posture or body image due to breast cancer and its treatments.
Stress Reduction: Engaging in regular Pilates sessions can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. This can be beneficial for managing the emotional and psychological aspects of dealing with breast cancer.
Lymphatic Flow: Certain Pilates movements, such as deep breathing exercises and gentle stretching, can promote lymphatic flow. This may be helpful in managing lymphedema, a potential side effect of breast cancer treatment.
Social Support: Participating in group Pilates classes or sessions can provide a supportive and social environment, which can be beneficial for emotional well-being.
When engaging in Pilates during or after breast cancer treatment, it’s important to choose an instructor who is experienced in working with individuals who have health challenges and who can modify exercises to suit your needs. Always inform your healthcare provider about your exercise plans, and pay close attention to your body’s signals, adjusting the intensity and type of exercise as needed.
Arti, (pictured above) a dedicated client for the past 9-years! Tells her story about her battle with Breast Cancer and how Pilates helped her recovery. We love for Arti and her dedcation to her practice and for sharing her story to help other women.
You hear about it all the time. You know someone who has been through it. You just never think it will happen to you ….. my world fell apart. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. It was aggressive and had spread to my lymph nodes. Treatment was quite intense starting with Chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. After 18 months of treatment and as much as I knew I wanted to get back to some sort of normality and more importantly exercise to build back my strength, it was the most daunting thought to face the world again furthermore, I didn’t know how my body would react to any sort of exercising. The one thing I definitely knew was if and when I was ready, I was going back to Power Pilates UK. After a lot of procrastination, I contacted Korin, and she immediately suggested I try a few beginner classes to see how I felt and then decide accordingly. I booked my first beginners class and I could not believe how well I did the trainer was so understanding and helped me adapt to certain exercises. I thoroughly enjoyed my first class then I booked a few more beginner classes and in no time I was onto intermediate/advanced. What is amazing about PPUK all trainers are absolutely amazing and so hands-on and willing to help and suggest alternate options for certain exercises which I was unable to do due to surgery. A year on, I don’t look back and it’s so part of my routine. It really helped me a lot with my mental health, confidence and just feeling normal again.
I am so grateful to Korin and her team at PPUK.
Ladies …. Please please check your breasts regularly. And if you see or feel anything unusual please see your GP. If you catch it early it’s curable !!!!!
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