Physical activity is important for health, but the neuropathy is a barrier
cancer, pain, neuropathy
CANCER, NEUROPATHY
The patients perceived physical activity to be beneficial for health. They thus frequently tried to practice physical activity to the best that they possibly could manage. Physical activity, for example taking brisk walks, was very important for them. Many patients described that they practiced walking every day, or several times per week. They practiced self-talk to peer themselves to overcome barriers, to be able to stay physically active. The patients preferred to practice outdoor physical activity. The only exception was if the weather was too bad; those days they chose to practice indoor physical activity. The patients were very aware of benefits of physical activity and hypothesized that their physical activity may lead to better health and even longer survival. The neuropathy however impaired physical activities that used to be done before the cancer, for example, bicycling and walking in the forest. Thus, they have had to interrupt such demanding activities. Going for a stroll on cobbled streets or out in the forest was not possible anymore. The patients experienced pain due to the neuropathy symptoms in the feet during physical activity, inclugin walking. Walking was thus hard to practice now and then, especially walking on uneven ground. Others described that they had stopped using the bicycle for transport. The patients claimed that they might be too impaired, lazy, or unmotivated to adhere to the amount and intensity of physical activity described in guidelines regarding physical activity, due to their neuropathy.