Hodgkin’s Disease Treatments – Oncology Rehabilitation

Oncology Rehabilitation for Hodgkin's Disease

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) offers oncology rehabilitation services to promote physical fitness and help strengthen Hodgkin’s disease patients in their fight against cancer. Centering on cardiovascular, flexibility and strength training, our rehabilitation team can help you reduce stress, regain strength and independence, and improve overall quality of life.

The integrated rehabilitation services team at CTCA is comprised of physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), speech and language pathologists and massage therapists. Working together, we try to help Hodgkin’s disease patients realize both the physical and psychological benefits that a regular physical fitness regimen can provide during treatment.

Therapy highlights of the CTCA Oncology Rehabilitation Program include:

Evaluation

Our rehabilitation team will first conduct a thorough physical evaluation. Part of this initial evaluation consists of a functional assessment of your ability to perform regular activities of daily living (ADLs). This will allow our team to customize our exercise programs to your unique physical needs and abilities.

Physical Therapy / Exercise Program

Even the most minimal amount of exercise can help give you strength during Hodgkin’s disease treatment. Regular exercise increases heart rate and muscle flexion, helping to strengthen and boost your body’s tolerance to chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Participating in daily exercise programs may also enable you to gain a sense of physical control over your condition, and provide an outlet for stress and anxiety.

CTCA exercise programs combine range-of-motion training with other light activities, like resistance training, to provide you with the amount of exercise that’s right for you. Designed for Hodgkin’s disease patients capable of maintaining independent self-care, these programs will help you identify and address strength and stamina deficiencies, and help prevent fatigue from reaching a debilitating level.

• Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE):  The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion helps therapists determine the intensity of exercise you can tolerate. The scale ranges from 6 (no exertion at all) to 20 (maximum exertion). Since the condition of each person is unique, the Borg system measures “exercise” as any activity that increases heart rate. Most people achieve 65 to 75 percent of their maximum heart rate during exercise.
• Flexibility Program:  Stretching is a beneficial activity that may help relieve joint stiffness and pain, while at the same time improving your overall mobility and range-of-motion. The benefits of stretching include:
  • Enhancement of performance in everyday activities
  • Improvement of mobility and independence
  • Improvement and maintenance of posture and muscle balance
  • Injury prevention
  • Promotion of physical and mental relaxation

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists at CTCA deliver quality of life programs. By studying you as you interact with your day-to-day surroundings, occupational therapists assess physical mobility and will teach you how to address, and adapt to, any physical limitations resultant from Hodgkin's disease treatment. Quality of life programs include help with showering, dressing, eating and toileting. 

Speech and Language Pathology

Speech and language pathologists provide a dual role in the rehabilitation services department.  They teach speech therapy and troubleshoot any swallowing problems that may limit your ability to consume food. If left untreated, an improper swallowing mechanism can create a condition known as aspiration—when food falls into the lung. Speech and language pathologists at CTCA will work with the nutrition team and Food Services to thicken or puree food to the consistency you may require.

Manual Therapy

Massage therapy is one means of manual muscle therapy. If you could benefit from massage therapy as part of your Hodgkin's disease treatment, you will first obtain a referral from either a physical or occupational therapist. The following list details the various forms of manual therapies you may receive from the rehabilitation services team at CTCA:

• Swedish Massage
• Reflexology
• Myofascial Release

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