This is what we want you to do:

We want to help you train your body for major surgery.

Similar to how an individual would train and prepare their body in the weeks leading upto a major sporting event in order to prevent injury and recover as soon as possible, we would like you to train your body before your upcoming operation to minimise the health risks after your surgery, and to help you recover more quickly. Improving your current levels of fitness before a major operation will help minimise the risks of infections after your surgery and will help you have a healthy recovery.

We will work with you to help you reach a target of completing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily, such as:

• Moderate/brisk walking
• Jogging
• Swimming
• Cycling

Remember your total activity can also be spread out across your day so for example you could complete a 10 minute brisk walk in the morning and again in the evening, and complete 10 minutes of cycling on an exercise bike in between. We are working with your local leisure facilities to help support you in your preparation for, and recovery from major surgery.

There are plenty of activities you can get involved in to improve your fitness at your local leisure facility. Please contact them or your ERAS+ team to find out more information on how your local leisure facilities can support you to improve your fitness levels.

Examples of warming up exercises are:

• Marching on the spot for 3 minutes
• Alternate heel digs for 1 minute
• Alternate knee lifts for 30 seconds x3
• Slow walk/jog/cycle/swim increasing speed up to 5-10 minutes

Stretching exercises:

• Hamstring stretches held for 10-15 seconds
• Calf stretches held for 10-15 seconds
• Inner thigh stretches held for 10-15 seconds

Recovery

After your surgery we recommend you continue to maintain your fitness levels. Once home from hospital, many patients feel comfortable walking short distances to keep active during the recovery period. You can gradually increase the amount of exercise you complete during the 4-6 weeks after your operation until you feel you are able to complete a similar level of activity and exercise previous to your operation. Remember to use your local leisure facilities to support you through your recovery period following your surgery and help you maintain an active lifestyle.

If you feel unwell or experience severe breathlessness or dizziness, please stop, refrain from any further activity, and consult your GP.