Exercise: Complementary therapy for breast cancer rehabilitation.

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Diane L. Gill, Professor (Creator)
Jeffrey Katula (Contributor)
Karen Mustian (Contributor)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Our feminist perspective is one of empowerment for breast cancer survivors, and we believe that physical activity and exercise have the potential to shift the battle away from fear of living to living fully. In light of the psychosocial and cultural factors that influence the interpretation of the breast cancer experience, rehabilitation efforts have shifted from curing the disease to living with the disease, or survival. This shift is reflected in the selection of quality of life as the primary indicant of treatment efficacy. Interpreted from a feminist, empowerment perspective, evidence is presented demonstrating the positive influence of physical activity and exercise on quality of life in breast cancer survivors. We propose that physical activity has the potential to enhance perceptions of capabilities and control, thus empowering the individual to create her own reality. We conclude that physical exercise can be a safe and effective complementary and alternative method of therapy for breast cancer survivors.

Additional Information

Publication
Women & Therapy (The Haworth Press) Vol. 25, No. 2, 2002, pp. 105-118; and Exercise and Sport in Feminist Therapy: Constructing Modalities and Assessing Outcomes (R. L. Hall & C. A. Oglesby, Eds.) The Haworth Press, Inc., 2002, pp. 105-118
Language: English
Date: 2002
Keywords
Breast cancer, Women, Exercise, Rehabilitation, Feminist, Alternative treatments

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