Returning to Sports After Serious Illness

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Girl playing volleyball — Everyone is different when it comes to physical activity during and after treatment. Talk to your care team about what is best for your child.

Returning to sports or other activities during or after a serious illness looks different for each person. Being physically active is possible and has important health benefits. Talk to your care team about safe ways your child can return to sports or other physical activities.

Things to discuss with your care team include:

How your child’s diagnosis and treatments affect their body
Your child’s growth and development
How to safely increase physical activity
Ways to lower the risk of injury
Activities to limit or avoid
Any safety precautions or equipment needed
Medicines your child takes
Signs or symptoms to watch for

Benefits of sports and physical activity

Playing sports and doing physical activities can have many benefits. The types of activities and their benefits may depend on the severity of your child’s illness, treatment, and earlier physical activity levels.

Health and fitness

Physical activity can play an important role in your child’s recovery and long-term health. In general, all children and teens benefit from daily physical activity—whether through active play, exercise, sports, or simple movement. A mix of activities is best.

Health benefits of sports and physical activity may include:

Healthier heart and lungs
Stronger muscles
Stronger bones
Improved balance and flexibility
Better ability to do daily activities
Better sleep
Healthy weight management

Talk to your care team about health and fitness goals that fit your child’s needs.

Growth and development

Physical activity is important for your child’s growth and development. As children grow, they learn how to move their bodies and develop new skills.

Through age 11 or so, children develop whole-body movement skills like running, skipping, and climbing. This prepares them for more specialized sports skills and complex physical activities.

During the pre-teen or teen years, children go through a growth spurt as they enter puberty. They may feel less coordinated as their bodies change. Physical activity and sport during this time can support bone health, muscle strength, coordination, and balance. It can also help build healthy habits for adulthood.

Your child’s health, treatment, and age at diagnosis can affect their physical development. If your child develops differently, physical activity and sport can improve movement skills, body awareness, strength, endurance, and daily function.

Social, emotional, and mental health

Physical activity and sports can help your child’s social, emotional, and mental well-being. Being active supports brain health and can help your child feel more normal. Benefits may include:

Better thinking and learning skills
Improved confidence and improved self-esteem
Improved mood, such as lower stress, anxiety, and depression
Better focus and attention
Improved social skills and sense of connection

Social and emotional health are an important part of your child’s development, especially after serious illness. Sports and physical activity give your child a chance to build friendships, practice teamwork, and feel connected to others. It can also help them feel more capable and encourage independence.

Sports after cancer

Sometimes, cancer treatment means taking a break from sports and other activities. There are no standard guidelines for returning to sport after cancer. In some cases, your child can return to previous activities. In other cases, it might be time to start something new.

The effects of cancer treatment on your child’s body depend on the type of therapy.

Surgery: Surgery may affect specific parts of the body. That may include the cancer site and the healthy tissue around it. This may affect growth and development. When returning to activity, follow the advice of your child’s surgeon.
Radiation: The effect of radiation therapy depends on where the radiation is targeted. It can also cause overall fatigue.
Chemotherapy: The effect of chemotherapy varies depending on the medicines used. For example, some may cause fatigue or peripheral neuropathy (numbness or tingling in the hands and feet). Others may cause nausea and vomiting or affect heart and lung function.

Treatments may affect fitness, endurance, strength, and balance. Your child might need to avoid certain sports and activities if they have a medical device, such as a central line or feeding tube. It's important for your child to know their limits and take them into account. Everyone is different. Talk to your care team about what's best for your child.

Nick discusses his cancer diagnosis, what life was like during treatment, and how it felt to get back to school and basketball.

Tips for returning to sports after serious illness

Get medical clearance

Get full medical clearance from your care team before restarting activities. Ask if there are any activities or sports, such as contact sports, that your child should avoid.

Know risks and monitor health

Understand your child’s medical condition and any potential risks of physical activity. Your child may need to adjust their activities based on symptoms or test results. For example, they may need to stop sports when platelet or white blood cell counts are too low. Ask your care team what numbers are safe.

Know what medicine your child takes and how it could affect them. Monitor your child before, during, and after physical activity. Talk to coaches and teachers about your child’s needs and what they should watch for.

Start slowly and build up

Your child should start slowly and increase their activity little by little. Watch for tiredness, dizziness, trouble breathing, or pain. Make sure that your child has downtime and gets enough sleep. Taking breaks is OK.

Focus on fun and celebrate showing up. Your child may be frustrated by things that they can’t do. Talk to your child openly and listen to their fears or worries.

Prevent injury and problems

Before returning to sports, understand how to decrease the risk of injury. Here are some things you can do:

Choose age-appropriate activities.
Build up activities to improve fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility.
Wear safety gear such as helmets, pads, and supportive shoes.

Some children might be at higher risk of infection because of their medical condition. Be sure your child washes their hands often and takes steps to prevent infection. Your care team may advise your child not to share sports gear or other items.

Manage fatigue

Watch for and help your child manage their tiredness. Ways to manage fatigue include:

Take breaks and get plenty of rest between activities.
Drink water and stay hydrated.
Eat healthy meals and snacks.
Plan activities for times of day when your child has the most energy.
Encourage your child to speak up when they are tired.

Work with a physical therapist, athletic trainer, or coach

Working with a rehab or fitness professional can help your child return to physical activity safely. They can help:

Make an activity plan with a mix of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities that are appropriate for your child’s age and health.
Advise on safety gear and equipment to reduce the risk of injury.
Teach safe techniques and proper movements to help your child move correctly and prevent injury.
Supervise activities and watch for problems.

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When to call your care team

Contact your care team if your child has:

Chest pain or trouble breathing
Fainting or dizziness
Extreme tiredness
Pain that gets worse or does not improve
New or worsening symptoms

Questions to ask your care team

What types of physical activities are best for my child?
Is it safe for my child to play sports again?
How might my child’s illness affect their coordination, balance, strength, or endurance?
Are there any sports or activities my child should avoid?
How can my child rebuild their strength and endurance?
When can my child return to PE class, play full games, or do contact sports?
Do any of my child’s medicines affect their ability to exercise or play sports?
What signs or symptoms should we watch for?
When should we call the care team?

Key points about returning to sports

Sometimes treatment for serious illness means taking a break from sports and other activities.
Illness and treatments may affect your child’s fitness, endurance, strength balance, and coordination. It is important to know your child’s limits.
Before returning to sports, it is important to know which activities are safe for your child and understand how to decrease injury risk.
If the care team says it is OK, your child should return to physical activity slowly and increase activity as they are able.
With the right guidance and support, most children and teens can safely return to PE classes, physical activity, and sports after serious illness.
Physical activity and sports can have many benefits. Work with your care team to choose activities and make a plan that fits your child’s needs and abilities.