Staying active during prostate cancer treatment can significantly improve strength, energy, and overall well-being. This guide explains the benefits of exercise, including aerobic and strength training, and how a personalised fitness plan can support recovery and long-term health.
Staying physically active during prostate cancer treatment is one of the most powerful tools patients have to support their health, both during therapy and in the months that follow. Research and clinical experience show that exercise can boost strength and energy, improve mood, and enhance overall quality of life for men going through treatment.
Regular physical activity also helps lower the risk of other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, which can be made worse by certain prostate cancer treatments like hormone therapy. By moving more, patients are not only supporting their cancer care but protecting their long-term health as well.
The Benefits You Can Expect
Exercise works on many levels for men with prostate cancer.
- Increases muscle strength and endurance, making daily tasks easier.
- Boosts energy levels and helps combat treatment-related fatigue.
- Improves mood and reduces anxiety, stress, and low mood.
- Supports heart and lung health, which is essential during and after treatment.
- Helps maintain a healthy weight and body composition.
- Reduces the risk of treatment-related side effects such as loss of muscle mass, reduced bone density, and brittle bones.
Treatments like hormone therapy can accelerate muscle loss and weaken bones. A structured, safe exercise plan is one of the most effective ways to counteract these effects.
Aerobic Exercise: Supporting Heart, Lungs and Energy
Aerobic, or “cardio”, exercise is particularly important for maintaining heart and lung health, controlling weight, and managing fatigue. It also plays a key role in improving sleep and overall stamina, which many patients find declines during radiotherapy or hormone therapy.
Good aerobic options include:
- Walking
- Gentle jogging or running
- Swimming
- Cycling
A realistic starting point for many men is 20–30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity most days of the week. This can be broken into shorter sessions if needed; the priority is consistency rather than perfection.
Strength Training: Protecting Muscle and Bone
Alongside aerobic activity, strength (or resistance) training is essential during prostate cancer treatment. It helps to preserve muscle mass, maintain bone density, and support balance and stability.
Examples of suitable strength exercises include:
- Lightweight training with dumbbells or machines
- Bodyweight exercises such as squats, wall push-ups or step-ups
- Resistance band exercises for arms, legs and core
These exercises help reduce the risk of muscle wasting and fragile bones, which can be side effects of hormone therapy and other treatments. Working on strength two to three times per week, with rest days in between, is often an effective approach.
How Much Exercise Is Enough?
There is no single “perfect” exercise dose that fits every patient, and recommendations will vary depending on age, baseline fitness, treatment plan and other medical conditions. What matters most is regular, moderate activity that is sustained over time.
A helpful way to think about it is:
- Aim to move in some way every day.
- Build up to weekly moderate activity, combining aerobic and strength exercises.
- Maintain your plan consistently during and after radiotherapy to support recovery and long-term health.
For many of Dr Carla Perna’s patients starting radiotherapy and, when needed, hormone therapy, exercise is prescribed for at least 12 weeks, covering both the treatment period and the recovery phase that follows.
Getting Personalised Support
Not every patient feels confident starting an exercise routine, especially if they have never trained before or are coping with fatigue and side effects. In these cases, professional guidance is invaluable.
Patients can benefit from:
- Specialist exercise medicine professionals with oncology experience
- Qualified personal trainers familiar with cancer treatment
- Bespoke, medically supervised exercise prescriptions tailored to individual needs
A personalised plan takes into account current fitness, treatment type, other medical conditions and personal preferences, ensuring that exercise is both safe and effective.
Starting Your Exercise Journey
For men living with prostate cancer, any safe and achievable increase in physical activity is a positive step. Walking a little further each day, adding gentle strength exercises at home, or cycling a few times a week can all make a meaningful difference.
Dr Carla Perna and her team use exercise as a core part of prostate cancer care and provide patients with practical guidance and tools to begin and maintain this journey. If you are about to start radiotherapy or hormone therapy – or are already in treatment – talk to your clinical team about how a tailored exercise plan could support your recovery and long-term well-being.
