A new made-in-London program is helping breast cancer survivors, who are often intimidated by traditional methods, get their exercise.
There's a growing body of research suggesting that exercise is important for breast cancer survivors, but not every woman feels comfortable going to places like the park for a walk, a bike ride or a jog.
So London psychologist Dr. Henry Svec developed exerciseMD, and it gives a whole new meaning to house calls.
Svec says "The idea is ‘How can you get personal training into the home via Skype and other ways and also give a prescriptive exercise that helps them fight disease based on where they're at and adjusts over time.’"
The program brings together personal trainers, therapists and doctors who custom design an exercise program for breast cancer survivors and women at risk of breast cancer.
"We'd set up a Skype visit with our kinesiologist who needs to get their resting heart rate and a host of health-related questions,” Svec says. “Once that information is collected seven days later there's a re-contact and that information is loaded in the software so the person has a session with the kinesiologist and they get started."
Progress is then recorded on the computer program and reviewed through office visits and virtually.
The online component allows both the exercise and the assessment to be carried out in the patient’s own home.
"Every day of the five that you work out you get a text message or email that gives you your program for example it might say 30 minutes, heart rate 120. When you finish you click completed on the email and it communicates the software to your personal trainer that you've done the workout," Svec adds.
In the past breast cancer patients have often avoided exercise, but the assumption that bed rest is best has been increasingly challenged.
Svec believes "this is an opportunity to take control over this illness."
There is a fee for the service. More information is available at: exerciseMD.ca
