Improving your physical and mental wellbeing can help you cope with what’s ahead. For example, surgery or a medical procedure. This is called pre-prehabilitation or prehab for short.
Prehab can also help to:
There are some examples of prehabilitation.
You should aim to get in the best shape possible before surgery. For example, by doing more activity. This can strengthen the lungs which will:
If you stop or reduce your use of tobacco, alcohol or drugs, it’ll improve your health. This’ll help prepare you for surgery and support your recovery.
Losing weight in a steady and healthy way before surgery can reduce the risk of an operation. It’ll also help your recovery after the operation and support you to get fit faster.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCOA) has advice on what you can do to get the best outcome from your surgery.
Fitness coach Joe Wicks has released exercise videos for people who are waiting for surgery. These were developed with the Centre for Perioperative Care.
Doing these in the lead up to your surgery can help support your recovery.
Find out more about Joe Wicks’ exercise videos for pre-operative patients
Moving Medicine provide information, research and advice to help people be more active. They have information on why being active is important before and after an operation.
If you’re waiting for joint replacement surgery, support is available to help you get ready for it.
Versus Arthritis have advice on exercises for joint replacement surgery. They also have step-by-step workouts that you can follow to improve your overall fitness.
Further information on the Versus Arthritis Let’s Move for Surgery Toolkit
Get support if you’re waiting on hip or knee replacement surgery
Scotland’s local health boards provide further advice on getting ready for surgery. You can get information on:
More help and information is available if you’re waiting for surgery.