English

When competitive athletes develop cancer, the question arises as to how they can maintain their performance under therapy as much as possible and, if necessary, succeed in reintegrating into competitive sports.

In our interdisciplinary consultation, we advise competitive athletes with a tumor disease on the training possibilities under therapy. If necessary, we take care of them from diagnosis to aftercare. It can hardly be avoided that the performance decreases in the therapy phase. However, the loss can be limited and the training helps to get through the therapy well. Our team consists of doctors and sports scientists with experience in oncology and competitive sports. The core is formed by Prof. Friederike Rosenberger, sports scientist and co-head of the working group Oncological Sports and Exercise Therapy, and Prof. Sebastian Adeberg, Senior Consultant at the Clinic for Radiation Oncology and Radiotherapy and himself a former competitive athlete. In addition, if necessary, sports physicians, psycho-oncologists and nutritionists can be involved in the consultation. Affected athletes can seek advice alone or in their team, e.g. with team doctors, coaches, athletic trainers or sports psychologists. We offer consultation hours regardless of the athlete's place of residence and treatment – on site in Heidelberg or via video call.

Whether a re-entry into competitive sports is realistic and desired depends on many factors. Sometimes the decision is made only in the course of the disease. In our consulting, we are open to all paths and accompany the athlete until the return to sport-specific training, whether as a competitive or feel-good sport.