r/cancer • u/Admirable-Remove8190 • 9h ago
Patient Recovery as a footballer
Hey guys,
I just wanted to say at the start of this, i’m really not posting this to ask for sympathy or anyone to feel sorry for me etc. I’ve just turned 21, and I got over the fact I was diagnosed with cancer about 2 days in, and my mindset has just been getting through the treatment and staying positive throughout.
I’ve now completed the treatment, and am due to have a scan to get the official “cancer-free” in a few weeks, which i’m sure will be positive.
My problem is this. A lot of my self worth comes from my ability to play footy to a good level, I play at uni and in quite a good saturday team (not pro or anything but with a good group of players). The cancer has absolutely ravaged my body to be honest, i’ve put on about 8kgs of weight, lost all my muscle and pretty much all my fitness and ability on the ball after 6 months of no exercise and fighting this disease.
What this whole ordeal has given me is motivation, and a different level of it. I can’t explain how badly I want to get back to the fitness/ athleticism levels I was at pre-cancer, but I also really want to go above and beyond and push myself to play football to as high a standard as possible whilst i’m young and able to physically do so.
I guess what i’m really asking for is advice, or anyone with knowledge of recovering from an illness like this or just getting unfit players back in shape in both the most efficient and effective way possible. Whether it’s nutrition advice, advice to fix my body composition, advice for getting my technique back, anything AT ALL is welcome.
I will not let this beat me, but that doesn’t mean the recovery is going to be easy, so any advice/help at all is appreciated - even if it’s just pointing me towards the right people. I was tempted to reach out to some high level coaches on things like linkedin for some advice but thought this might be a bit unrealistic.
Just as a final note, i’m a centre-back who is 5’10, so I used to rely on my athletic ability and strength a lot in battles with taller strikers. My coach has been enquiring about converting me to a right back because he thought I had more to offer further up the pitch but not sure whether this will happen for a while now.
cheers lads - really really means a lot
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u/DishwasherLint 7h ago
Give yourself time. Chemo destroys your body. It will take time to rebuild yourself and get back in shape. I am about 2 months out of my last round of chemo. The final PET scan didn't show that I had any lymphomas left. What I'm having problems with is the neuropathy. I feel like my body is overusing my nerves and muscles trying to make up for it. Life is different now and I expect it will get better, but I expect to never have the same sort of normalcy and expectations I had for myself that I did before.
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u/Admirable-Remove8190 7h ago
I don’t know man that’s just not my mentality at all, I respect the honesty but I just can’t settle for that for myself I don’t think. I hope things get better for you ❤️
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u/randomnina 6h ago
I think you should consider getting some professional help. If you can afford personal training or get your medical team to refer you for a consultation to do rehab, that might be the thing to do. It seems like a bit of a daunting task to work your way back from the low point of cancer treatment and a little coaching and support can go a long way.
I had to recover from surgery and manage a permanent injury from the procedure. I started with 30min daily walks to recover from surgery then saw a physio for rehab exercises. I am older and less fit than you but within 6mo I was able to return to fitness and running. It will help your body recover and your mental health as well. Congrats on finishing treatment and starting a new chapter!
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u/cb_24 7h ago
Walking and swimming go a long way to getting fitness back if I take a long break and tend to be easier on the body. Swimming provides some extra resistance to build your muscles back.
With the professional season starting back up you can watch games while doing some light workouts for extra motivation. Once you feel strong enough maybe join up with a casual/beer league team and get some touches in to work your way back up. If you have a small ball you can get touches in around the house or take the ball with you on walks. Just set some small weekly/monthly goals and progress back to where you were, it won’t happen overnight.