Cancer and Oncology Rehabilitation

Cancer and its treatments can affect your strength, energy, mobility, and may also leave you living with pain. Oncology rehabilitation is a personalised program designed to support your recovery, ease discomfort, rebuild function, and help you return to the activities that matter most to you — safely and at your own pace.

What is Cancer and Oncology Rehabilitation?

Oncology rehabilitation is a specialised form of therapy and supportive care designed for people who are undergoing cancer treatment or recovering from it.

Cancer treatments can impact muscles, joints, nerves, lymphatic function, and overall physical capacity. Rehabilitation helps address these changes through safe, targeted strategies.

Oncology rehabilitation may focus on:

Improving strength and endurance
Restoring movement and flexibility
Reducing pain and stiffness
Managing cancer-related fatigue
Supporting lymphatic health
Improving balance and mobility
Supporting return to daily activities and work

Programs are adjusted depending on where you are in your cancer journey — whether you are currently undergoing treatment, recovering after treatment, or living well beyond cancer.

What to Expect During Your Assessment?

Your first appointment includes a comprehensive assessment so we can understand your health history and current challenges.

During your appointment we will:

Review your medical history
This includes your cancer diagnosis, treatments received, surgeries, medications, and any precautions provided by your medical team.
Discuss your current symptoms
You may be experiencing fatigue, pain, weakness, reduced mobility, swelling, or other treatment-related effects.
Assess movement and function
We will evaluate strength, range of motion, posture, balance, and functional activities such as walking or lifting.
Screen for lymphatic changes
If appropriate, we may assess for signs of lymphoedema or fluid changes.
Understand your goals
Your goals might include returning to exercise, improving energy levels, reducing pain, or getting back to work or daily activities.

Your Personalised Rehabilitation Plan

Your rehabilitation program will be tailored to your body, treatment stage, and personal goals.

1 / Exercise rehabilitation

Safe and progressive exercises are prescribed to rebuild strength, endurance, and mobility, helping you regain confidence in your body and return to everyday activities.

2 / Fatigue management strategies

We provide practical techniques to manage cancer-related fatigue, improve energy levels, and help you pace activities so you can maintain independence and quality of life.

3 / Mobility and flexibility work

Gentle stretching, range-of-motion exercises, and movement strategies are used to improve joint mobility, reduce stiffness, and support ease of movement during daily tasks.

3 / Scar and tissue management

We offer specialised treatment to address tightness, discomfort, or adhesions following surgery, helping to improve tissue mobility and reduce pain in affected areas.

3 / Lymphatic support

If swelling or lymphatic changes are present, we integrate safe lymphatic exercises, positioning, and monitoring to support fluid flow and reduce the risk of lymphoedema progression.

3 / Education and self-management strategies

We provide guidance on posture, movement, exercise, and lifestyle strategies, empowering you to take an active role in your recovery and maintain improvements between appointments.

3 / Gradual progression and adaptation

Your plan is regularly reviewed and adjusted to your changing energy levels, treatment phase, and recovery progress, ensuring safe, effective, and achievable rehabilitation goals.

When can Rehabilitation start?

Rehabilitation can begin at different stages of your cancer journey.

It may be appropriate:

During cancer treatment
After surgery
Following chemotherapy or radiation
During long-term recovery
In survivorship care

Programs are always adapted to your medical status and energy levels.

Do you need a Referral?

Private Clients do not need a referral from your general practitioner (GP) or other medical specialist to book in for a Cancer and Oncology Appointment.

If you are eligible for the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, your GP must write a referral to receive Cancer and Oncology appointment.

Please Note that these can only be used with Our Physiotherapists.

Aged Care clients that have a Home Care Package will require appropriate documentation and referral from their GP or care coordinator, in line with their funding arrangements.