What is the role of exercise and physical therapy in palliative care?

• A. Exercise should be avoided in all palliative care
• B. Help maintain function, reduce fatigue, improve QoL, and tailor to tolerance
• C. Physical therapy is only for elite athletes
• D. Exercise replaces medications

Answer: (B)

In palliative care, the aim of exercise and physical therapy is to support daily functioning and comfort by tailoring activity to what the patient can tolerate and what matters most to them. This approach helps preserve independence, reduces fatigue, and can improve quality of life by gradually improving strength, endurance, and overall energy without pushing beyond the person’s limits. PT plans are individualized, starting gently and increasing only as tolerated, with careful attention to pain, breathlessness, and other symptoms, so safety and comfort come first. In practice, this means simple activities like short walks, gentle stretching, balance and breathing exercises, and gradual resistance work that fit the patient’s goals and prognosis. It works alongside medications and other treatments, rather than replacing them.