How Exercise Can Help During and After Cancer Treatment

For many people with cancer, exercise may help reduce fatigue, improve strength, support recovery and protect overall health. In this episode, we talk about how physical activity can help during and after treatment, how to get started safely, and why it’s important to work with your care team. Featuring Dr. Jennifer Baima, a physiatrist at The Orthopedic Center at Easton, part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. [Audio description: 0:00 — Intro graphic displays the podcast title and UMMS logo. 0:05 — Title card displays episode title "How Exercise Can Help During and After Cancer Treatment" podcast and episode information, and UMMS branding. 0:15 — Graphic displays "with Jennifer Baima, MD." 0:26 — Both speakers are identified on screen. Host Nolan Alexander and Jennifer Baima, MD, Physician. 10:12 — End card displays the Live Greater logo, UMMS logo, and text: "To find more shows, visit: www.umms.org/podcast"] Featured Speaker: Jennifer Baima, MD As a physiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Baima promotes exercise as "medicine" that facilitates patients' return to function. She enjoys counseling patients on prehabilitation, the use of exercise before surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation to improve outcomes. She sees patients of all ages for bone, joint, muscle and nerve problems. Dr. Baima’s specialized skills include electrodiagnostic testing for evaluating nerve function and peripheral joint injections for osteoarthritis. She has a passion for helping patients return to function at any point during the orthopedic or cancer care process. Previously, Dr. Baima worked in academic medicine in Massachusetts for sixteen years. She worked in outpatient musculoskeletal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, performed electrodiagnostic testing at the Boston Veterans Administration hospital, and taught at Harvard Medical School. She was recruited to the University of Massachusetts in 2013 for musculoskeletal medicine, cancer rehabilitation, electrodiagnosis, and teaching and research at UMass Chan Medical School before joining The Orthopedic Center in 2022. She has taught countless medical students, residents, and fellows the musculoskeletal exam. Dr. Baima is a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists, and a diplomate of the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. In her free time, she enjoys running and dancing, especially along Maryland's Eastern Shore. For more information about Dr. Baima, visit: https://www.umms.org/find-a-doctor/pr... For more information about The Orthopedic Center at UM Shore Regional Health, visit: https://www.umms.org/shore/health-ser... To find orthopedic services in another part of the state, visit: https://www.umms.org/health-services/... _______________________________ 00:00 Introductions 00:35 How can cancer treatment affect strength, energy, and bone health? 00:57 Why can exercise help during treatment and in recovery afterward? 02:25 Biggest benefits patients notice when staying active during and after treatment 03:52 Personalizing exercise — not a cookie‑cutter program 05:04 What types of exercise are most helpful for people with cancer? 06:11 How can exhausted or overwhelmed patients start moving safely? 06:58 When should exercise be modified or avoided due to weakened bones or fracture risk? 08:17 How can patients work with their cancer team and rehab specialists to find the right plan? 09:45 Key takeaway: one message about exercise during and after cancer treatment #CancerRehab #ExerciseDuringCancerTreatment #CancerSurvivorship #PhysicalTherapy #OncologyRehabilitation #FatigueManagement #UMMSHealth #Vodcast #Podcast