Research has shown that exercise has numerous health benefits for almost everyone. They include promoting heart health, muscle and bone strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of conditions such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure and hip fractures and also support for our mental health. There is also evidence that too much time spent sitting or lying down rather than moving around can be harmful. You can read more about the physical and mental health benefits of exercise at Benefits of exercise - NHS and 'About physical activity', Mind charity. The current general recommendation is for adults to do 150 minutes of exercise a week, made up of different activities.

Exercise can also be beneficial to people diagnosed with ovarian cancer, although you will need to make sure that it is safe and suitable for you. For example, after surgery it is usually helpful to do breathing and leg exercises to reduce the risk of chest infections and blood clots and you will be encouraged to get up as soon as it’s safe for you to do so to maintain your muscle strength.

However, it’s important to be gentle with yourself while you’re healing and recovering. Your physiotherapist or Clinical Nurse Specialist will advise you on which exercises are safe and beneficial for you to do as your recovery progresses. You can find more information on surgery for ovarian cancer here on our website and at christie.nhs.uk.

You can watch a presentation and interview given by cancer exercise specialist Lizzy Davis at an Ovacome event in 2019:

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Lizzy has also recorded videos of wall-based strength exercises and exercise for people with a stoma.

Exercise can also help to support your health during chemotherapy and alleviate some of the side effects. In particular, gentle exercise such as short walks, yoga and tai chi can help to maintain your energy levels if you’re experiencing fatigue. If you’re experiencing peripheral neuropathy which is affecting your balance, you can adapt your approach to exercise, for example by exercising in a chair or using a stationary bike. Your team will be able to advise you about the types of exercise that you can try safely and help you to find a way to exercise that suits you.

Ovacome offers weekly gentle exercise classes with clinical exercise specialist Sarah Russell, which you can register for here. We also offer yoga course programmes, so keep an eye on our events page for upcoming courses.

Your team may know of local gentle exercise classes run by cancer support centres, gyms or community groups, although at the moment it is likely that most classes will be either suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions or taking place virtually. If you would like us to research available activities in your local area, please get in touch with us on 0800 008 7054 or at [email protected] .

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Disclaimer: You should consult your medical team for individual specialist advice. Links to commercial and third-party websites are for general interest. Ovacome does not endorse any commercial product or accept any liability for loss or damage resulting from this information or that contained within third-party websites.

Ovacome provides information and support. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information at the time of publishing. The information we give is not a substitute for professional medical care. Ovacome cannot accept liability for any inaccuracy in linked sources. Rights reserved.

V.1.5. Date last updated September 2021, due for review September 2023