Five tips on getting fit after a health scare

FROM PATIENT TO ATHLETE

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Many men, especially later in life, only consider fitness following some kind of health scare. This no-nonsense guide gives you five tips to improve health following doctors' orders A health scare can be a terrifying and isolating experience. The body ceases to work as it once did and that youthful, invincible feeling may be replaced with a sense of our own mortality and vulnerability.

Major events such as surgery, chemotherapy or a heart condition can leave us wondering if we will ever see a return to fitness. Even relatively minor health scares, such a tumour or lump that proves to be benign or a long bout of flu or covid can be unsettling. These set our fitness back and the couch may seem a far more appealing option than a 5k run.

But there is good news: with good nutrition and a slow but steady training regime, and if necessary, proper advice from a health care professional, your fitness will return. Those who have never trained before may surprise themselves by achieving more than they thought possible, even surpassing their pre-illness capabilities. Over time, it is possible to regain confidence in your body's abilities, rebuild your strength and improve your mental health and your relationships with those around you.

A new fitness regime can offer benefits even for those with chronic conditions. In 2016, a systematic review of the scientific literature showed there was mounting evidence that exercise interventions can reduce fatigue and improve quality of life for men with prostate cancer. A further study in 2021 found exercise (with guidance) lowered incidents of hospitalisation and reduced mortality rates in survivors of by-pass surgery.

1. Getting doctor’s advice