Exercise During Chemo: How to Train Safely (with EP & PhD Candidate Brent Cunningham)

Описание: Can you exercise during chemotherapy? The answer is yes—when it’s done safely and tailored to you.

In this episode of the Back 2 Your Best Rehab Podcast, I sit down with Brent Cunningham, Exercise Physiologist and PhD candidate in Exercise Oncology, to unpack the latest research and real-world strategies for training before, during, and after cancer treatment.

Brent shares:

Why exercise matters for prevention, treatment, and survivorship

How aerobic and strength training support fitness, muscle, and function

The role of auto-regulation—adjusting training based on how you feel day to day

Safety considerations: fatigue, bone health, neuropathy, radiation, and more

Practical advice for patients, coaches, and clinicians

Whether you’re going through treatment, supporting a loved one, or working with cancer patients in a professional setting, this conversation is packed with evidence-based takeaways you can apply right away.

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
1:00 – Brent’s story & research background
5:20 – Exercise & cancer: prevention, treatment, survivorship
9:30 – Aerobic vs resistance training
11:40 – Why intensity matters
12:15 – Auto-regulation explained
15:20 – Access to exercise programs in Australia
17:10 – What a session during chemo looks like
20:20 – Recovery and cancer-related fatigue
22:20 – Training around infusion days
25:00 – Tumour microenvironment research
26:30 – Psychological benefits of exercise
28:10 – Do oncologists recommend exercise?
33:00 – The CHALLENGE trial findings
36:20 – Advice for practitioners
44:50 – Advice for patients going through chemo
47:00 – Resources & where to learn more

Resources Mentioned:

Exercise & Sport Science Australia (ESSA) position statement

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) infographics

University of British Columbia Bone Metastases Exercise Hub

Cancer Council Australia

Myeloma Australia

Connect with Brent:

LinkedIn: Brent Cunningham

ResearchGate: Brent Cunningham

Tomorrow Lab Training (TMRW): [Insert Link]

Connect with Scope Sports Injury & Exercise Clinic (Ipswich):

Website: https://scopechiropractic.com.au

Instagram: @scope_sports_injury

Learn more about our Back 2 Your Best Rehab Program