Exercise with a Long-Term Condition: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
Activity is recommended in almost every long-term condition, and is consistently under-prescribed compared with medicines.
Key takeaways
- General target: 150 minutes moderate a week, plus strengthening twice a week
- Recommended in: heart disease, COPD, diabetes, arthritis, depression, cancer recovery
- Most useful single change: Ask whether a supervised programme exists for your condition.
- Commonest mistake: Avoiding activity because of the diagnosis.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What it is
Physical activity adapted to a condition rather than avoided because of it. It sits within Long Term Conditions. The figures come from the bodies named at the foot of this page.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| General target | 150 minutes moderate a week, plus strengthening twice a week |
| Recommended in | heart disease, COPD, diabetes, arthritis, depression, cancer recovery |
| Supervised programmes | cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation |
| Start point | below current capacity, building gradually |
What helps
These are the changes with the clearest evidence behind them. Start wherever it is easiest to start.
- Ask whether a supervised programme exists for your condition
- Start below what feels possible and build slowly
- Adapt the activity rather than abandoning it
What to avoid
A few of these are widely believed. That is precisely why they are here.
- Avoiding activity because of the diagnosis
- Starting at your pre-illness level
Where to go next
- Answers to the Common Questions on Exercise with a Long-Term Condition
- Exercise with a Long-Term Condition in Five Minutes
- Exercise with a Long-Term Condition — the reference entry
- What the Guidance Really Says About Planning for Deterioration
- What the Guidance Really Says About Living with Multiple Conditions
When to speak to a doctor
Speak to a GP before starting if you have unstable angina, uncontrolled blood pressure, a recent cardiac event, or symptoms that are not yet diagnosed. Stop and seek urgent help for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness or fainting during exercise.
Where this comes from
- UK Chief Medical Officers — Physical Activity Guidelines
- NICE — Multimorbidity
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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