Ep. 156 – Dosing exercise for your oncology patients

Do you ever struggle with dosing exercise for your oncology patients? I sure do.

I spoke with Dr. Andrew Chongaway, PT and Dr. Shai Sewell, PT about using exercise for your patients in their cancer journey and the importance of understanding how to dose exercise. 

If exercise is medicine, then we must be dosing it as such: specifically, to target specific patient needs.

When it comes to cancer treatment programs, exercise is crucial. Just like medicine, exercise dosages can change as treatment progresses. It is important to maintain the patient’s mobility during treatment in order to help maintain their strength. Strength will be gradually developed if the right exercises are performed. The patient can maintain it even when he or she is at a low point in the journey.

This is a really important conversation that we aren’t having enough in our field – tune in to hear Andrew & Shai’s tips on how to better help your patients today!

About Dr. Andrew Chongaway, PT

Andrew Chongaway is a Physical Therapist at Beaumont Health Royal Oak Hospital where he practices in the outpatient and acute care settings and a recent graduate of the Beaumont Health Oncology Rehabiliation Residency in Michigan. He is a Board-Certified Oncology Clinical Specialist, Certiifed Exercise Physiclogist, and Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer. With his knowledge background in exercise testing and prescription and oncology rehabilitation he was selected to author the Exercise Testing and Prescription chapter in Oncology Rehabilitation: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Clinicians, 1st edition that will be published in 2022.

Find Andrew on Twitter & Instagram.

About Dr. Shai Sewell, PT

Shai’s interest in oncology rehabilitation began prior to starting physical therapy school, when his mom was was diagnosed with cancer. Seeing the effects of exercise not only on her physical health, but mental well-being drove Shai to explore the benefits that rehabilitation and exercise can have throughout the cancer care continuum. 

While studying at the University of Miami to obtain his Doctorate in Physical Therapy, he was fortunate to intern at the University of Florida, Shands Medical Plaza where he assessed and treated breast, and head and neck cancer patients undergoing a multitude of cancer treatment related sequela. After graduating from PT school in 2018, Shai began his career at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami where he worked with the hematological oncological population undergoing stem cell transplants. With experience in this setting, his love for cancer rehabilitation only further grew.

During this time, he began a Special Interest Group for University of Miami students to help highlight the importance of cancer rehabilitation, and to spark curiosity in an ever-growing field. He has also been active in the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, where he hopes to educate students, clinicians, and physical therapy schools across the country on the importance of cancer rehabilitation. Shai has recently moved to the University of Florida, Shands Cancer Center where he continues to work in the bone marrow transplant unit and with hematological malignancies during inpatient chemotherapy. With his passion for raising awareness to new therapists and improving access to care for those diagnosed with cancer, Shai hopes to create a field where empowerment takes reign over a life-changing diagnosis. 

During his free time, he likes to bike, run, hike, camp, explore what the great outdoors has to offer, cooking, throw clay on the potter’s wheel, and transform his van Zooba into an adventure-mobile. 

Find Shai on Twitter!