Physiotherapy Practices for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Concept Analysis

Abstract

Cancer-related fatigue is among the most prevalent and functionally disruptive symptoms across the cancer continuum. Although physiotherapy is increasingly recommended within non-pharmacological fatigue management, the phrase physiotherapy practices for cancer-related fatigue is used inconsistently and is often conflated with generic exercise advice, general physical activity, or broader cancer rehabilitation. This paper therefore aimed to clarify the meaning, boundaries, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of physiotherapy practices for cancer-related fatigue through a concept analysis. Walker and Avant’s method guided the analysis, supported by a structured search of recent peer-reviewed literature and selected foundational works. After screening and duplicate removal, 46 sources were retained for concept-analytic synthesis. The analysis indicates that physiotherapy practices for cancer-related fatigue constitute an assessment-led, individualised, and progressive clinical process that includes fatigue and function assessment, tailored therapeutic exercise, symptom-sensitive modification, education for self-management, monitoring, and coordination across the cancer trajectory. Key antecedents include recognition of clinically relevant fatigue, referral pathways, medical stability, access to physiotherapy services, patient readiness, and supportive care infrastructure. Key consequences include reduced fatigue burden, improved functional capacity, stronger self-management, and wider access to supportive care when flexible delivery models such as home-based and telehealth services are available. The concept should therefore be understood as more than exercise advice alone. Clarifying physiotherapy practices for cancer-related fatigue can strengthen conceptual precision, intervention design, clinical referral, and multidisciplinary supportive care.