Perth researchers have shown that twice-weekly exercise can improve sexual function in prostate cancer patients by 50 per cent.
One in six Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 90 per cent of them will report some form of sexual dysfunction during or after their treatment.
Prue Cormie, a senior research fellow, and her colleagues at the Edith Cowan University Health and Wellness Institute put a group of men with prostate cancer through a supervised exercise program involving twice-weekly group-based sessions of resistance exercise, such as weight lifting, and aerobic exercises including walking and cycling.
“After three months, the men involved in the exercise program had a 50 per cent greater level of sexual activity. Not only is exercise effective, but it is more patient-friendly and cost-effective treatment than the alternatives.”