Around the world, roughly two out of every three people will undergo major surgery at some point in their lives. For many, the operation is the focus of all the preparation, while the weeks beforehand are spent waiting. But a growing body of evidence suggests that how a patient spends that waiting period can shape how well they fare afterward — and that exercise, in particular, may be a powerful tool.
New research indicates that physical activity undertaken before surgery, an approach sometimes called prehabilitation, can improve outcomes and shorten recovery time. Patients who build strength and fitness ahead of an operation appear better equipped to withstand the stress of surgery and to bounce back more quickly, spending fewer days in hospital and returning sooner to normal life. The reasons are intuitive: a fitter body tolerates anaesthesia and healing more gracefully. Yet prehabilitation remains far from routine. The findings argue for making exercise a standard part of surgical preparation, giving patients an active role in their own recovery before they ever reach the operating room.
