Cancer and Exercise in Grand Rapids, MI: How Staying Active Can Help You Cope

Living with cancer in Grand Rapids, Michigan can be physically and emotionally challenging, especially with long winters, icy sidewalks, and fluctuating energy levels. Research shows that safe, regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage many of the side effects of cancer and its treatments — and it can be adapted to our West Michigan climate and local resources.

Whether you receive care at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or another local clinic, integrating exercise into your cancer care plan can support your overall health and quality of life.

Why Exercise Matters During Cancer Treatment

Studies consistently show that people with cancer who participate in well-designed exercise programs experience:

  • Less fatigue
  • Lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression
  • Better physical functioning
  • Improved overall quality of life

Emerging research (especially in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers) also suggests that being physically active after a cancer diagnosis may:

  • Lower the relative risk of cancer recurrence
  • Extend survival for some cancer types

More research is still needed to fully understand how exercise affects cancer progression and long-term survival, but the evidence so far strongly supports staying as active as possible.

How Exercise Helps People with Cancer

Appropriately prescribed exercise can help manage many common cancer-related symptoms and treatment side effects, including:

  • Muscle and fat balance – helps maintain healthy muscle mass and reduce excess body fat
  • Bone health – helps preserve bone density, which is especially important in Michigan’s older population and for those on hormone therapies
  • Pain – can help decrease certain types of pain
  • Peripheral neuropathy – may help counteract numbness and tingling in hands and feet
  • Lymphedema – can support safe movement and fluid drainage when supervised properly
  • Sleep quality – often improves with regular activity
  • Mood and mental health – reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, and improves sense of control

Regular physical activity may also lower the risk of developing other chronic diseases that are common in Michigan, such as:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Osteoporosis

Who Can Exercise with Cancer?

Most people with cancer in Grand Rapids are encouraged to avoid inactivity and participate in regular, safe exercise. When exercise is properly prescribed and monitored, it is generally safe during and after treatment.

However, precautions are important, especially if you have complex or unstable medical conditions.

You may need a modified exercise program if you have:

  • Primary or metastatic bone cancer
  • Significant bone fragility or risk of fracture
  • Moderate to severe pain
  • Lymphedema
  • Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)
  • Low platelet counts
  • Radiation therapy burns
  • Compromised immune function

You will likely need to delay starting an exercise program if you have:

  • Severe anemia
  • Fever or active infection
  • Severe, unexplained weight loss
  • Significant shortness of breath at rest

If you receive care from Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or a local oncology clinic, your cancer care team can help you decide when and how to start exercising safely.

Avoiding Inactivity: Even a Little Movement Helps

Some days in Grand Rapids — especially in the dark, cold winter months — will feel harder than others. Fatigue from chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or targeted therapies can make exercise feel overwhelming.

However, even a few minutes of light movement is better than no activity at all.

Research suggests that:

  • People who exercise regularly during and after treatment experience fewer and less severe side effects
  • Being more physically active after a cancer diagnosis may be linked with lower risk of recurrence and lower cancer-related mortality

Benefits of Exercise for People with Cancer

Regular, appropriate exercise can lead to:

  • Increased sense of control over your life and recovery
  • Reduced fatigue
  • Less anxiety and depression
  • Improved muscle strength and endurance
  • Better heart function and lower risk of heart disease
  • Improved bone density and lower risk of osteoporosis
  • Better joint flexibility and range of motion
  • Improved lung function and less shortness of breath
  • Better balance and lower risk of falls (especially important in icy Michigan winters)
  • Decreased nausea and vomiting for some people on chemotherapy
  • Improved appetite
  • Deeper, more refreshing sleep
  • Improved digestion and reduced constipation

Paired with good nutrition, exercise can help you return to daily life, work, and social activities with your colleagues, friends, and family here in Grand Rapids.

Talking to Your Healthcare Team Before You Start

Before beginning any exercise program — whether during active treatment or after — it’s important to talk with a qualified health professional about any precautions you may need.

In Grand Rapids, you can discuss exercise with:

  • Your oncologist
  • Your primary care provider (GP)
  • An exercise physiologist experienced in oncology
  • A physiotherapist/physical therapist who works with cancer patients

They can help you:

  • Understand what types of exercise are safe for your specific cancer and treatment
  • Identify any movement restrictions (for example, after surgery or with bone metastases)
  • Set realistic goals based on your current energy level and health status

If it has been a while since you were active, or your fitness level is low, start slowly and increase gradually.

Listening to Your Body

Exercise should involve some effort, but you should not push to the point of pain, dizziness, or extreme discomfort.

Pay attention to:

  • Excessive fatigue that does not improve with rest
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Unusual shortness of breath
  • Dizziness or feeling faint
  • New or worsening pain, especially in bones
  • Swelling, redness, or warmth in a limb

If you notice these symptoms, stop exercising and contact your healthcare provider or oncology team in Grand Rapids.

Getting Started: Exercise Options in Grand Rapids, MI

Starting an exercise program during or after cancer treatment can feel overwhelming. Because cancer and its treatments affect everyone differently, professional guidance is very helpful.

Why Work with an Exercise Physiologist or Physical Therapist?

University-trained exercise physiologists and oncology-focused physical therapists can:

  • Assess your current fitness, mobility, and medical status
  • Design an individualized exercise program tailored to your abilities, treatment stage, and side effects
  • Teach you how to exercise safely if you have lymphedema, neuropathy, bone metastases, or low blood counts
  • Adjust your plan as your treatment or health status changes

Medicare and many private insurance plans may provide limited coverage for visits with an accredited exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. Ask your Grand Rapids GP or oncologist for a referral.

Local and Indoor Options for Year-Round Activity

West Michigan weather can make outdoor exercise difficult, especially in winter. Consider:

  • Indoor walking at local malls or hospital corridors (where permitted)
  • Treadmills, stationary bikes, or gentle indoor cycling classes
  • Community centers and YMCA/YWCA programs offering low-impact classes
  • Gentle yoga, tai chi, or stretching classes designed for people with health conditions
  • Home-based exercise programs with resistance bands, light weights, or bodyweight exercises

Ask your care team if your hospital or cancer center offers cancer-specific exercise or rehabilitation programs.

Local Cancer & Exercise Resources in Grand Rapids

While program availability changes over time, you can start by contacting:

  • Spectrum Health / Corewell Health – oncology rehabilitation and physical therapy services
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids – cancer rehabilitation and survivorship programs
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health – rehab and physical therapy services
  • Mercy Health – supportive cancer care and rehab options
  • Kent County Health Department – community health programs and chronic disease resources
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and local YMCAs – wellness, fitness, and chronic disease management programs

Ask specifically about cancer rehabilitation, oncology physical therapy, or exercise programs for cancer survivors.

Before You Start: Safety Checklist

Before beginning or changing an exercise routine, especially during treatment, make sure you:

  • Talk with your oncologist or GP about any restrictions
  • Ask if you have:
    • Low red blood cells (anemia)
    • Low platelets
    • Bone metastases or fragile bones
    • Recent surgery or radiation
    • Active infections or fever
  • Get a referral to an exercise physiologist or physical therapist familiar with cancer care
  • Start slowly and build up time and intensity gradually
  • Choose activities you enjoy and can safely do year-round in Grand Rapids

Key Points for People with Cancer in Grand Rapids, MI

  • Exercise is one of the most beneficial things many people with cancer can do alongside their standard treatments.
  • Regular, safe physical activity can reduce and even prevent many common side effects of cancer and its treatments.
  • People with complex or uncontrolled medical conditions may need special precautions or modified exercise programs.
  • You may need a modified or delayed exercise plan if you have primary or metastatic bone cancer, severe anemia, fever, or severe weight loss.
  • It is important to avoid complete physical inactivity — even light movement can help.

By working with your Grand Rapids cancer care team and local exercise professionals, you can create a safe, personalized exercise plan that supports your treatment, your recovery, and your quality of life in West Michigan.