Yoga, swimming or boxing: which sports are good for your breasts and which can harm them?

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise reduces the risk of many diseases, including cancer. However, it is necessary to choose exercises carefully: there are those that can harm.

doctor-surgeon, oncologist-mammologist in clinics “Yusupovskaya Hospital”, Everon.ru

“Let’s sort out whether there are sports that are dangerous for the breast and can provoke the appearance of tumors”.

How are breast cancer and physical activity connected?

Exercise is good for your health, including your breasts. Studies show that women who make regular time for physical activity are 10-20% less likely to experience breast cancer. This is true for all ages, but is especially noticeable in individuals who have entered postmenopause.

Postmenopause is the last physiologic stage of reproductive system decline, beginning one year after the last menstruation.

It is known that excess weight is one of the risk factors for breast cancer. Exercise helps to remove excess pounds, at the same time reducing the chances of facing cancer.

In addition, regular physical activity can reduce the level of estrogen in the blood. Observations show that the lower the level of this hormone, the lower the chances of tumor formation.

What is the right equipment?

It is important to choose the right underwear for sports. It should be comfortable, do not squeeze the mammary glands and do not rub the skin. It is best to buy underwear with a fitting to understand whether it will be comfortable to train in it.

Choose models without boning with wide straps – in such sports tops discomfort will be minimal.

Although there is no link between the type of underwear and the risk of breast cancer, an improperly fitted bra can cause some health problems. For example, excessive squeezing can provoke diffuse mastitis, and straps that are too tight will not support large mammary glands properly, causing severe back pain.

What sport to choose and how much to train?

We are not talking about intensive loads, for example, lifting heavy weights or running ultra-long distances. Experts advise spending about 150-300 minutes a week on sports – it can be walking, dancing, swimming, yoga.

As a physical activity is suitable and that is not considered a sport in the classical sense, for example, a walk in the park, walking the dog, working in the garden and even active cleaning of the house.

It is not necessary to “spend” on training the entire limit at once, you can do a little every day. This, by the way, will help reduce the likelihood of developing cancer in general.

From the point of view of breast health, sports that do not involve shocks (for example, boxing) and strong squeezing of the glands are suitable. Despite the fact that shocks do not provoke the appearance of malignant tumors in the breast tissue, such injuries can lead to the development of long-lasting seals, often painful.

In the event that they are bothersome, you need to see a mammologist to understand what exactly happened.

It is better to give preference to Pilates, stretching, yoga. Aerobic and strength exercises are also suitable, for the selection of which it is better to consult with a trainer or sports doctor. They will help to determine the appropriate load.

Can I exercise for breast cancer?

Studies show that sports are also useful for those who have been diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis for female patients facing cancer is more favorable: the risk of death was 40% lower in those who took time to exercise regularly.

Moderate exercise helps patients tolerate treatment more easily – they are less likely to experience serious effects, sleep better, have less anxiety, and are less likely to experience signs of depression. In addition, exercise prevents them from losing muscle mass, which often happens during cancer treatment.