Enhance Cancer Recovery with Specialized Health Apps
Harnessing Technology for Better Health Management
In addition to sports exercises, specialized apps can offer some advantages to get back to health or to live better with cancer. What are such apps good for and what should you watch out for?
Helmut S. likes to take the stairs not only when shopping in the city. To stay fit, he also specifically does stair sports. After suffering from cancer with subsequent chemo, Helmut Schneider wants to regain strength. An app from the Internet helps him with sports and fitness tips.
Programs to better deal with the disease
Helmut S. uses the so-called Mika app, Mika is the abbreviation for “My interactive cancer assistant”. The app was developed by the Berlin Charité, among others.
The Mika app was the first on the market that is specifically aimed at cancer patients and can even be prescribed by prescription. In addition to tips from experts on how to better deal with the disease, the app offers programs to regain your mental and physical strength.
Another cancer aftercare app is called “Onko aftercare active”. It is aimed at people with breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. It was developed, among others, by the Cancer Association of Baden-Württemberg in cooperation with the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg. “Onko aftercare active” also supports users in exercise and sports.
Sports is good for the immune system
Sport stimulates the immune system and metabolic processes, can prevent inflammation in the body, and strengthens the body. This is always proven in scientific studies, explains the sports scientist and sports psychologist Dr. Joachim Wiskemann from the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg.
Wiskemann heads the working group for oncological sports and exercise therapy there. She is one of the initiators of the Onko network.
We are now talking about several hundred studies that have examined, in the context of cancer, the extent to which structured sports programs, and exercise programs help patients to alleviate side effects of therapy or even complications of cancer and we have to say here too: If it is possible to keep patients active Chemotherapy, under radiotherapy or afterward, then you will get through the therapies better and very likely also have a better prognosis, so live long after cancer.
Sports psychologist Dr. Joachim Wiskemann from the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg
Exercise is not a drug
Joachim Wiskemann from the Onko network is active in the medical profession and also in the public. Not nearly enough, however. So we know that many people in society do not attach so much importance to the movement. Exercise and sport are also not drugs that can be administered briefly, but rather a change in behavior. That is why it also means “work” from a medical point of view. Joachim Wiskemann sees a huge need for information here.
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Beware of commercial health apps
There is also an increasing number of purely commercial offers on the health app market. Here, however, products are often primarily intended to be sold or, in some cases, sensitive user data is to be tapped – for marketing purposes. This is not the case with the “Onko aftercare active” app. Joachim Wiskemann lists the many advantages of the app:
App “Onko aftercare active” offers many advantages
This also includes an exercise program that was actively developed by the Onko network. There are different programs for patients in different performance situations, from beginners who still have little experience with exercise: There is a program that is a little easier and less time-consuming. You can work your way through the days and weeks and gradually increase the program.
Every exercise that I have to do can be seen nicely presented on a video with brief instructions in writing. In this way, regardless of whether you are at home or not able to go to the therapy facility, you can implement an exercise program and you can also ask questions via the app.
It’s just a shame that, compared to others, this app contains gymnastics and sports videos, but no sound. The app can remind you to take medication, save the patient file, and give event information on the topic of cancer follow-up care. It does not transmit any data to third parties, can also be used without an internet connection, and can be downloaded from the relevant app stores – free of charge.
