# Prehabilitation

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Prehabilitation
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Prehabilitation.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehabilitation
> Source revision: 1325404219
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Medical term

**Preoperative rehabilitation**, **prehabilitation** or **prehab**, is a form of [healthcare](/source/Healthcare) intervention that takes place before a [medical](/source/Therapy) or [surgical](/source/Surgery) intervention with the aim to reduce [side effects](/source/Side_effect) and [complications](/source/Complication_(medicine)), and enhance recovery.[1][2] Multidisciplinary team involvement can range from [physiotherapists](/source/Physiotherapist), [occupational therapists](/source/Occupational_therapist), [respiratory therapists](/source/Respiratory_therapist), [doctors](/source/Physician), [pharmacologists](/source/Pharmacologist), [anesthesiologists](/source/Anesthesiologist), [psychologists](/source/Psychologist), [psychiatrists](/source/Psychiatrist) and [sports physiologists](/source/Sports_physiotherapy).[1]

Prehab can be applied to surgical populations in [oncology](/source/Oncology), cardiorespiratory, cardiovascular and orthopaedic settings. The intention is that increasing baseline fitness prior to surgery will allow for relatively higher fitness post-operatively. Prehabilitation interventions are tailored to the patient so that even those with high amounts of [comorbidities](/source/Comorbidity) can receive a positive outcome. Research evidence is mixed, but suggests that prehabilitation reduces hospital stays and therefore risk of hospital acquired infections such as [pneumonia](/source/Pneumonia).[1]

Prehab is also being considered for use in some cardiovascular interventions,[3] and may also be of some benefit for preventing lung complications, such as [pulmonary atelectasis](/source/Pulmonary_atelectasis), in general surgery.[4]

For older people with [frailty](/source/Frailty_syndrome) undergoing [abdominal surgery](/source/Abdominal_surgery), prehabilitation programmes that include exercise, improved diet and psychological support can reduce the [length of hospital stay](/source/Length_of_stay) and decrease the risk of serious complications.[5]

## Prehabilitation Evaluation

A physician can evaluate a patient based on a few metrics to determine their need for pehabilitation. The most important factor is the patient's ability to perform [activities of daily living](/source/Activities_of_daily_living), which can mean asking the patient about their ability to make their own food, make phone calls, perform household chores, and take their medications[6]. Their specific needs help to determine the prehabilitation approach. The provider may then recommend exercise, advice on nutrition, or referral to another provide to help with managing pain or anxiety[6].

## Research

A 2013 pilot study of prehabilitation in [colorectal surgery](/source/Colorectal_surgery) found improved postoperative functional recovery, measured in terms of the walking capacity at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. However, the time in hospital and post-operative complications were similar.[7]

According to a 2020 study looking at men awaiting surgery for urological cancer, [high-intensity interval training](/source/High-intensity_interval_training) (HIIT) may improve [heart and lung fitness](/source/Cardiorespiratory_fitness) within a month before their surgery.[8][9]

According to recommendations from American Family Physicians, particularly in older adults, one of the greatest predictors of postoperative risk of death is related to falls[10]. Those who have mobility limitations or who take medications associated with falls are at greatest risk. In those patients preparing to undergo surgery, if they participate in prehabilitation with physical therapy and exercise they are at lower risk of postoperative complications[10].

## See also

- [Rehabilitation](/source/Rehabilitation_(disambiguation))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) ["Principles and guidance for prehabilitation within the management and support of people with cancer"](https://cdn.macmillan.org.uk/dfsmedia/1a6f23537f7f4519bb0cf14c45b2a629/1532-source/prehabilitation-for-people-with-cancer-tcm9-353994). *Macmillan Cancer Support*. 30 Nov 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Wynter-Blyth, Venetia; Moorthy, Krishna (2017-08-08). ["Prehabilitation: preparing patients for surgery"](https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3702). *BMJ*. **358** j3702. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1136/bmj.j3702](https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmj.j3702). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0959-8138](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0959-8138). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [28790033](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28790033). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [29658090](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:29658090).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Alkarmi A, Thijssen DH, Albouaini K, et al. (June 2010). "Arterial prehabilitation: can exercise induce changes in artery size and function that decrease complications of catheterization?". *Sports Medicine*. **40** (6): 481–92. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2165/11531950-000000000-00000](https://doi.org/10.2165%2F11531950-000000000-00000). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [20524713](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20524713). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [24870534](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:24870534).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Jack S, West M, Grocott MP (September 2011). "Perioperative exercise training in elderly subjects". *Best Practice & Research. Clinical Anaesthesiology*. **25** (3): 461–72. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.bpa.2011.07.003](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.bpa.2011.07.003). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [21925410](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21925410).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Skořepa, Pavel; Ford, Katherine L.; Alsuwaylihi, Abdulaziz; O'Connor, Dominic; Prado, Carla M.; Gomez, Dhanny; Lobo, Dileep N. (2024-01-22). ["The impact of prehabilitation on outcomes in frail and high-risk patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis"](https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0261561424000153). *Clinical Nutrition*. **43** (3): 629–648. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.clnu.2024.01.020](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.clnu.2024.01.020).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) Kumar, Chandrika; Salzman, Brooke; Colburn, Jessica L. (2018-08-15). ["Preoperative Assessment in Older Adults: A Comprehensive Approach"](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30215973). *American Family Physician*. **98** (4): 214–220. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1532-0650](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1532-0650). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30215973](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30215973).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Li C, Carli F, Lee L, et al. (April 2013). ["Impact of a trimodal prehabilitation program on functional recovery after colorectal cancer surgery: a pilot study"](https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/rr1721660). *Surgical Endoscopy*. **27** (4): 1072–82. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/s00464-012-2560-5](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00464-012-2560-5). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [23052535](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23052535). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [9888085](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:9888085).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["High-intensity interval training rapidly improves fitness in patients awaiting surgery for urological cancer"](https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/high-intensity-interval-training-rapidly-improves-fitness-in-patients-awaiting-surgery-for-urological-cancer/). *NIHR Evidence* (Plain English summary). National Institute for Health and Care Research. 2020-06-05. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3310/alert_40363](https://doi.org/10.3310%2Falert_40363). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [242684291](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:242684291).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Blackwell, J. E. M.; Doleman, B.; Boereboom, C. L; Morton, A.; Williams, S.; Atherton, P.; Smith, K.; Williams, J. P.; Phillips, B. E.; Lund, J. N. (10 March 2020). ["High-intensity interval training produces a significant improvement in fitness in less than 31 days before surgery for urological cancer: a randomised control trial"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7655502). *Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases*. **23** (4): 696–704. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/s41391-020-0219-1](https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41391-020-0219-1). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1365-7852](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1365-7852). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [7655502](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7655502). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [32157250](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32157250).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:02_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:02_10-1) Kumar, Chandrika; Salzman, Brooke; Colburn, Jessica L. (2018-08-15). ["Preoperative Assessment in Older Adults: A Comprehensive Approach"](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30215973). *American Family Physician*. **98** (4): 214–220. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1532-0650](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1532-0650). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30215973](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30215973).

This sports-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Sport-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3ASport-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Sport-stub)

v t e Physical therapy and rehabilitation Physical rehabilitation disciplines Physical therapy Occupational therapy Speech and language pathology Education Doctor of Physical Therapy Master of Physical Therapy Physical therapy education Intervention techniques Aquatic therapy Cryotherapy Debridement Diathermy Eccentric training Electrotherapy Gait training Heat therapy (Thermotherapy) Hydrotherapy Iontophoresis Joint manipulation Joint mobilization Soft tissue therapy Splint Strength training Traction Therapeutic ultrasound Professional associations and regulatory agencies American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties American Occupational Therapy Association American Physical Therapy Association American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy World Confederation of Physical Therapy World Federation of Occupational Therapists Other related articles Prehabilitation Allied health professions Assistive technology Disability Evidence-based practice Pain management Physical therapy practice act

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Prehabilitation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehabilitation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehabilitation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.