Physical activity

In addition to improving general fitness, being more physically active can help you to prepare for your surgery or treatment by:

Improving physical resilience so that your body is better able to cope with the physiological stress of surgery or treatment
Reducing the impact of treatment side effects such as fatigue, pain, poor sleep and low mood
Reducing the likelihood of surgical and treatment complications

Exercise has been proven to improve mental health. It can reduce anxiety and improve our mood.

We know it is not always easy to start exercising when you feel down, or are feeling unwell, but if you start gently, you should notice an immediate benefit to your mental health. Start by trying an outdoors walk to boost your mood.

Exercise and cancer – the benefits video

What is physical activity?

Physical activity is any movement that uses energy. It’s often things we do all the time without even realising they count as forms of physical activity, such as:

Walking
Climbing the stairs
Gardening
Cleaning the house

These activities can improve your fitness, strength and balance.

What is exercise?

Exercise is a planned, structured, and repetitive activity to improve or maintain physical fitness.

It’s a type of physical activity, but not every physical activity is exercise. There are different types of exercise, for example, running, cycling, seated exercise classes, swimming, pilates or yoga.

Improving fitness prior to treatment video

How much physical activity should I be aiming for?

The recommendations are to do

150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic physical activity. This is any activity that makes you feel your heart beat a bit faster, you feel slightly out of breath, you can still speak in sentences but not sing a song. Alternatively you can do more vigorous aerobic activity for 75 minutes a week.
Strengthening activities to work all the major muscle groups on at least two days a week
Balance- if you are over 65 years old or have issues affecting you balance, you should aim to do balance exercises twice a week.

Physical activity – guidelines video

The video below explains more regarding physical activity recommendations, with examples of both moderate and vigorous exercises.

Exercise cautions video

The video below discusses some cautions and recommendations to support people with cancer to be more physically active.

More information can be found on this Macmillan webpage, which gives tips and advice for exercising safely, if you are having treatment and if you are having side effects or have other medical conditions.

OPTIMISE Cancer Prehabilitation Home Exercise Plan

The OPTIMISE Cancer Prehabilitation exercise programme contains sets of exercises to target different muscle groups. Some exercises are harder than others and you are not expected to complete all the exercises in this booklet.

OPTIMISE Cancer Prehabilitation Home Exercise Programme

Other options for exercising at home

Being active when you’re living with cancer is a resource with recorded exercise videos to follow along with, and will help you understand:

How physical activity can help you
How to be physically active before, during and after your treatment
The support you can get for your concerns and to help get started.

Other resources that you can use at home:

Local free or low cost exercise/physical activity sessions

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Libraries offer lots of free and low cost classes to help you get moving, including Tai Chi, Yoga, Seated Exercise,Walking Football, Active for Life, Chair Yoga and bowls
The Livewell Centre in Middlesbrough is hosting wellbeing sessions in Centre Square for outdoor exercise – from energising workouts to mindful movement. Sessions include boxercise, Pilates, get fit classes and Tai Chi. Email [email protected] for more information
Age UK Middlesbrough offer Walk and Talks, gentle exercise classes and indoor bowls. They also offer mindfulness and wellbeing activities to support your mental health
Parkrun – Parkrun is a free 5k community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. It takes place every Saturday morning and is positive, welcoming and inclusive, with no time limit. Local Parkruns include Stewart Park, Albert Park and Flatts Lane

Redcar and Cleveland

Redcar and Cleveland libraries offer two free seated exercise classes per week: Monday 10.30am to 11.30am at Ormesby Library. Tuesday 12pm to 1pm at Southbank Library.
To book a space, email: [email protected]
Redcar and East Cleveland have lots of different activities to choose from – details within timetable
Follow ‘Redcar and Cleveland Wellbeing Walks‘ on Facebook for details of free wellbeing walks
Tees Valley Women’s Centre offer floor and chair based yoga classes in South Bank
Age UK Redcar and Cleveland offer Walk and Talks, gentle exercise classes and indoor bowls. They also offer mindfulness and wellbeing activities to support your mental health
Parkrun – Parkrun is a free 5k community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. It takes place every Saturday morning and is positive, welcoming and inclusive, with no time limit. Local Parkruns include Redcar and Marshall Drive, Brotton

Hambleton

Hambleton Strollers – Hambleton Strollers’ walks are open to everyone but are especially aimed at those who are less active or have health challenges. They have organised weekly hour-long walks in Great Ayton, Northallerton and Easingwold, Stokesley and Thirsk, and Bedale. Join for free – check out webpage for days and times.
North Yorkshire Walkers walk each Sunday throughout the year. For more information check out their website.
Age UK North Yorkshire and Darlington offer Walk and Talks, gentle exercise classes and indoor bowls. They also offer mindfulness and wellbeing activities to support your mental health
Lifestyle and wellbeing sessions in the Hambleton area | North Yorkshire Council – Active North Yorkshire offer Strong and Steady sessions at Northallerton, Stokesley and Thirsk Leisure Centres.
Richmond Library are offering chair based exercise starting in September 2025 – contact for details
Northallerton Library offer Prime Time (chair based light exercises / games) each Friday
Parkrun – Parkrun is a free 5k community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. It takes place every Saturday morning and is positive, welcoming and inclusive, with no time limit. Local Parkruns include Northallerton & Throp Perrow
Something to look forward to are a charity that offer free gifts and experiences for people financially affected by cancer. Currently PureGym are offering a free annual membership at a PureGym of your choice. Local PureGym venues include Northallerton.

Practical ways to be more active

The Living An Active Life guide from the World Cancer Research Fund is for anyone wanting to get more active in their daily lives. This guide is packed full of practical tips and advice to help you move more and fit more activity into your day. Examples include:

Break up long periods of sitting down – move during TV advert breaks, stand up or move around during phonecalls and try move every hour if working at a desk

Make activity part of your day – take the stairs instead of the lift, park further away at the supermarket, walk to a further bus stop or try walking short distances instead of driving

Make exercise part of your day – choose a familiar exercise, start slowly with an amount that is achievable and build up over time (for example, try a 10 minute walk at an easy pace and then increase over time, for example to 15 minutes at an easy pace or 10 minutes brisk pace)

Useful links