If you are shopping for mastectomy swimwear because you are currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, a new study has revealed that a dip in the pool may be just the ticket to help take the edge off the side effects of treatment.

The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics has reported that research led by the University of Porto in Portugal found that regular exercise is an effective way of reducing the unpleasant side effects of treatment for breast cancer.

Symptoms including fatigue and pain were proven to lessen in women undergoing advanced breast cancer care if they followed a tailored exercise plan including aerobic and resistance training.

Professor of exercise physiology Eduardo Oliveira said the tailored exercise programmes were all achievable for the women who participated in the research and there were “measurable benefits to their health and wellbeing”.

He added that although the benefits of exercise are well established in normal life, little is known about its effects in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Oliveira noted, however, that those undergoing treatment for breast cancer find it difficult to live a so-called normal life, so the right exercise plan is something their healthcare provider should support them in pursuing.

Treatments such as chemotherapy are known for their impact on the patient but research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that Tibetan yoga could help patients get a better night’s sleep.

Dr Lorenzo Cohen said that Tibetan yoga was selected for the study because it is a very gentle yoga practice, allowing patients to rest at regular intervals during a session.