CrossFit Helped Restore strength and Hope After breast Cancer Surgery
A woman’s journey back to physical strength thru CrossFit following a mastectomy highlights the growing recognition of exercise, particularly strength training, as a vital component of cancer recovery.
Facing a future complicated by a genetic predisposition to cancer, one woman found solace and renewed vitality in the unexpected discipline of CrossFit. Eighteen months after undergoing a mastectomy, she experienced a small but notable victory – a successful push-up – a moment celebrated by her gym community. This experience underscores a broader trend: the increasing emphasis on physical fitness, and specifically strength training, in supporting patients through and beyond cancer treatment.
The author initially sought out CrossFit knowing it offered a non-judgmental environment, a space where struggling with a basic exercise like a push-up wouldn’t invite criticism. ”I onyl went as I knew what it was like there. I knew that no one would judge me while I flailed on the floor in an unsuccessful push-up. I kept going because I knew that I would be celebrated when the push-ups got a little bit better,” she wrote. This sense of community proved crucial, fostering friendships and a supportive atmosphere where individuals of all ages and fitness levels competed only against themselves.
This approach aligns with medical recommendations. Dr. Peled notes, “There are some good studies that show that strength training decreases the chance of getting lymphedema and can help with treatment,” and recommends strength training or physical therapy consultation for patients who have undergone lymph node surgery or radiation.
The author’s story takes on added weight given her diagnosis of Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition significantly increasing her lifetime risk of cancer. While she acknowledges the inevitability of future health challenges, she reframes her fitness regimen not as a pursuit of peak performance, but as planning for what lies ahead. “I cannot control when and if I will get cancer again. But I can play an active role in how fit I will be if it happens. That’s the event I’m training for,” she explains. Each workout becomes a reaffirmation of life itself: “Each time I lift a barbell or swing a kettlebell, I think, ‘Well, hear I am at CrossFit. I’m still alive.’ And then I keep moving.”
