A new cancer exercise and education program is available at TIRR Memorial Hermann Outpatient Rehabilitation-Memorial City. This program is part of TIRR Memorial Hermann’s Strength Unlimited, a community-based wellness and recovery program for children and adults that provides an enriched environment for people of all levels of ability to optimize their recovery and create a path for lifelong health and well being.
“We developed the cancer exercise program after patients undergoing outpatient therapy for issues related to cancer told us there was a piece missing between formal rehabilitation and their return to the community,” says Jessica De La Rosa, PT, DPT, NCS, director of outpatient rehabilitation for TIRR Memorial Hermann Outpatient Rehabilitation. “We also found that enrollment in an evidence-based exercise program prior to surgery improved post-surgical outcomes. Research shows that cardiovascular exercise and strength training before surgery and high-risk treatment leads to better functional outcomes after treatment for cancer. Because it’s important for survivors to exercise through all stages of treatment and recovery, we created an accessible environment in which they could exercise, meet others and learn through education classes, which have been shown to help empower survivors.”
Participation in the program allows individuals access to Strength Unlimited’s open gym program and quarterly workshops on a variety of educational topics such as lymphedema, nutrition, strength training and meditation.
The cancer exercise program is offered three afternoons a week at TIRR Memorial Hermann Outpatient Rehabilitation-Memorial City. For more information, call (800) 44-REHAB (73422).