An exercise program can be of great benefit to those suffering from the side effects of cancer treatments and surgery.  Recovery Fitness is offering a customized exercise class where female cancer patients can work out in a small group setting, with fun and support.

In a press release, Recovery Fitness supplied the following details:

Recovery Fitness, a fun and supportive exercise class offered at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC) on Mondays and Wednesdays at the new Beth Fitness Center, helps female cancer patients to have fun, get strong and reduce stress in a welcoming, warm environment. It is one of only a few such programs in the state to specifically offer exercise classes tailored to the needs of female cancer patients. Recovery Fitness is made possible by a grant from Newark Beth Israel/Children’s Hospital of New Jersey Foundation.

“I like everything about it,” says Newark resident Violet Williams, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. “Just being there and mingling with the other cancer patients is helpful, especially for the newly diagnosed women who can get a bit of hope from the ones who have been through it already.”

Mrs. Williams, who also suffers from Lymphedema, a condition of fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system, says that she has seen improvement in her arms with much better range of motion and less joint pain.

Instructor Carol Michaels, Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist, ACE, ACSM, NETA, meets with each participant individually to learn about problem areas and to find ways to benefit each person. Goals of the class include increasing muscle mass, decreasing body fat, increasing flexibility, strength, posture and balance, strengthening the heart and bones, reducing stress and increasing self-confidence.

Many cancer patients experience secondary complications as a result of their cancer, such as frozen shoulder after a mastectomy and stiffness and discomfort as a result of lymph node dissection. Recovery Fitness addresses all of these issues.

“It is sad that they have the extra aggravation of certain conditions and through this program it is great to see them showing improvement and feeling strong again,” says Ms. Michaels, who has been a fitness professional for 15 years andis certified by The Cancer Exercise Training Institute.

Studies have shown that exercise can aid in the recovery process during cancer treatment as well as to decrease the likelihood of cancer recurrence, reports Ms. Michaels.

Most importantly, Recovery Fitness offers a warm environment for patients who are at all different levels of recovery.

“This isn’t boot camp,” says Ms. Michaels. “The exercises are safe and gentle and we have an appreciation for every fitness level. Someone might be able to work out with weights while another person sits in a chair to lift hers. It is very individualized.”

Ms. Michaels says that the group becomes, in effect, a support group with each person learning from one other and offering words of encouragement.

“Many people do not feel comfortable returning to their gyms right after surgery or treatment,” she says. “Gym classes can be large and impersonal. At our class, the participants can even remove wigs and head wraps without feeling self-conscious. Gaining confidence through support is part of the whole recovery process.”

For more information about Recovery Fitness, please call 973-926-7155.