Prehabilitation Program Enhances Recovery in Older Adults Facing Major Surgery: A Pilot Study

A recent pilot study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society demonstrates that a comprehensive prehabilitation program can effectively support recovery in older adults scheduled for major elective surgery. The study, conducted by researchers at the Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, investigated the feasibility and benefits of a multi-component intervention that combines physical therapy, nutritional support, and psychological strategies in the weeks leading up to surgery.

Participants who completed the program showed notable improvements: post-surgical walking speeds increased by approximately 0.2 meters per second, and the time required to perform the five 'chair stands' test—a measure of lower body strength—decreased by 3.4 seconds. Additionally, patient-reported physical function scores improved by around 4.4 points at 90 days post-operation compared to baseline.

The study emphasizes that delivering this type of prehabilitation within a short window of three to four weeks before surgery is feasible. However, challenges related to coordinating timely access to physical therapists and dietitians need to be addressed to make it widely accessible. The research highlights the importance of preparing older patients through exercise, nutrition, and mental health support to mitigate postoperative decline and enhance recovery.

Specialist Dae Hyun Kim pointed out that older patients often struggle with recovery because their bodies lack the necessary resilience before surgery. He noted that although scheduling remains complex, the successful completion of the program by participants and their subsequent improvements are promising signs. Kim suggests that incorporating pre-surgery exercise, nutritional optimization, and psychological wellbeing strategies could significantly benefit older adults undergoing major procedures.

Future larger-scale studies are needed to compare this prehabilitation approach with standard care to establish definitive benefits. Nonetheless, this research opens promising avenues for enhancing surgical outcomes and quality of life for older individuals.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-prehabilitation-recovery-older-adults-major.html