A young cancer patient exercises with a physical therapist, symbolizing hope and healing.

Empowering Young Cancer Patients: How Exercise Can Transform Inpatient Care

Nico Varela in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 5 min read.

"Discover the evidence-based strategies that are revolutionizing pediatric cancer treatment, enhancing both physical and emotional well-being through exercise."

In the landscape of pediatric oncology, remarkable strides have elevated survival rates, with over 80% of children in high-income nations now expected to become long-term survivors. Yet, this triumph is shadowed by the significant side effects endured during therapy and the long-term health challenges that persist for many survivors, impacting both their physical and psychosocial well-being, and diminishing their overall quality of life (QoL).

Responding to these challenges, a growing emphasis has been placed on supportive care strategies, with exercise interventions emerging as a potent tool. Research indicates that exercise can play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of cancer treatment, bolstering physical capabilities, enhancing psychosocial health, and improving QoL for young patients. Recognizing the vital role of physical activity (PA) in healthy childhood development further underscores the importance of exercise during cancer treatment.

Studies reveal that young cancer patients are markedly less active than their healthy peers, particularly during hospitalization. Factors such as weakened immune systems, post-surgical recovery, and treatment-induced fatigue contribute to this inactivity. Given the well-documented health benefits of PA, this inactivity compounds the burden of cancer therapy. As such, integrating exercise interventions into inpatient acute cancer care is of special importance, aiming to counteract inactivity and enhance overall well-being.

The Power of Movement: How Exercise Changes the Game

A young cancer patient exercises with a physical therapist, symbolizing hope and healing.

A systematic review was conducted, analyzing data from multiple databases following the PRISMA guidelines, to evaluate the current state of exercise interventions for pediatric cancer patients during inpatient acute care. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing a total of 204 patients. The findings consistently highlighted good adherence to exercise programs, positive trends in various health indicators, and the absence of adverse events. Common strategies included individualized, supervised, and combination training approaches, carefully adapted to accommodate the fluctuating abilities of patients.

The studies provided valuable insights into how exercise can be safely and effectively integrated into pediatric oncology care. The key findings from these studies include:

Feasibility and Safety: Exercise interventions were consistently shown to be feasible and safe for pediatric cancer patients during inpatient care. No adverse events were reported across the studies, indicating that structured physical activity can be safely implemented in this vulnerable population.
Improved Physical Functioning: Several studies reported significant improvements in physical functioning among patients who participated in exercise programs. This included enhanced self-perceived physical abilities and overall mobility, which are crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life during and after cancer treatment.
Enhanced Psychosocial Well-being: Exercise interventions also demonstrated positive effects on psychosocial outcomes, such as improved self-esteem, mental health, and social role functioning. These improvements highlight the holistic benefits of exercise, addressing not only the physical but also the emotional and social challenges faced by young cancer patients.
Reduced Impact on Bone Health: While bone mineral composition and density tended to decrease over time in both control and intervention groups, the decrease was less pronounced in the intervention group. This suggests that exercise may help mitigate the negative effects of cancer treatment on bone health, which is particularly important for long-term survivors.
Adaptability and Individualization: The success of exercise interventions relied heavily on adaptability and individualization. Programs were tailored to meet the unique needs and abilities of each patient, taking into account their current health status, treatment plan, and personal preferences. This individualized approach ensured that exercise was both safe and enjoyable, promoting better adherence and outcomes.

These findings underscore the potential of exercise to transform inpatient care for pediatric cancer patients, offering a holistic approach that supports physical, emotional, and social well-being.

Empowering the Next Generation: The Future of Exercise in Pediatric Oncology

Exercise interventions have emerged as a safe, feasible, and promising strategy for enhancing the well-being of pediatric cancer patients during inpatient acute care. While current evidence supports the integration of exercise into treatment plans, further research is needed to refine best practices and maximize the benefits for young patients. It is crucial to standardize intervention designs, incorporating elements such as the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, type, time) to ensure effectiveness and facilitate monitoring of adaptations. By prioritizing exercise and physical activity, healthcare providers can help mitigate the negative impacts of cancer treatment and empower young patients to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/pbc.26567, Alternate LINK

Title: Exercise Interventions For Patients With Pediatric Cancer During Inpatient Acute Care: A Systematic Review Of Literature

Subject: Oncology

Journal: Pediatric Blood & Cancer

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Vanessa Rustler, Meaghan Hagerty, Julia Daeggelmann, Stacey Marjerrison, Wilhelm Bloch, Freerk T. Baumann

Published: 2017-04-19

Everything You Need To Know

What are some of the primary benefits of integrating exercise into inpatient care for children undergoing cancer treatment?

Integrating exercise into inpatient care offers multiple benefits for pediatric cancer patients. Studies reveal improved physical functioning, which includes enhanced mobility, and positive effects on psychosocial well-being, like better self-esteem and mental health. Exercise interventions may also mitigate the negative impacts of cancer treatment on bone health. These benefits collectively contribute to a higher quality of life during and after cancer treatment. While the data shows promise, there is a need for more comprehensive studies using standardized interventions to fully quantify the effects of exercise on these health indicators.

How has research addressed the feasibility and safety of exercise programs for young cancer patients during inpatient acute care?

Research consistently demonstrates that exercise interventions are both feasible and safe for pediatric cancer patients during inpatient care. Studies following the PRISMA guidelines show that there were no reported adverse events across multiple studies, suggesting that structured physical activity can be safely implemented in this vulnerable population. Adaptability and individualization are crucial to these programs' success, as programs are tailored to each patient's unique needs, abilities, current health status, and treatment plan to ensure both safety and enjoyment. Factors such as weakened immune systems, post-surgical recovery, and treatment-induced fatigue contribute to inactivity. Integrating exercise interventions into inpatient acute cancer care helps to counteract inactivity and enhance overall well-being.

In what ways are exercise programs adapted to meet the specific needs of young cancer patients during inpatient care?

Exercise programs are carefully adapted through individualized, supervised, and combination training approaches. These adaptations accommodate the fluctuating abilities of patients, considering their current health status, treatment plan, and personal preferences. Individualization ensures that exercise remains safe and enjoyable, fostering better adherence and outcomes. This method acknowledges that pediatric cancer patients are markedly less active than their healthy peers, particularly during hospitalization.

What key elements should be standardized in future research on exercise interventions for pediatric cancer patients to maximize their effectiveness?

Future research should standardize intervention designs, incorporating elements such as the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, type, time) to ensure effectiveness and facilitate monitoring of adaptations. Standardizing these elements allows for more consistent and comparable data, which is essential for refining best practices. By prioritizing exercise and physical activity, healthcare providers can mitigate the adverse effects of cancer treatment and empower young patients to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. More extensive studies are required to fully quantify the effects of exercise on these health indicators.

How do exercise interventions impact the psychosocial well-being of young cancer patients undergoing inpatient treatment, and why is this important?

Exercise interventions have demonstrated positive effects on psychosocial outcomes, including improved self-esteem, mental health, and social role functioning. These improvements highlight the holistic benefits of exercise, addressing not only the physical but also the emotional and social challenges faced by young cancer patients. Enhancing psychosocial well-being is critical because it contributes to a higher overall quality of life. These benefits are crucial given the significant side effects endured during therapy and the long-term health challenges that persist for many survivors, impacting both their physical and psychosocial well-being.