Compliance, adherence and effectiveness of a community-based pre-operative exercise programme: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Exercise Physiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Pre-operative exercise training enhances fitness and quality of life in hospital settings.
• Community-based programs offer a pragmatic approach to pre-operative preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate compliance and adherence of a community-based pre-operative exercise program.
• To assess the program's impact on health-related fitness and quality of life in surgical oncology patients.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two surgical oncology patients (prostate and colorectal cancer) underwent assessments for fitness and quality of life.
• An exercise program was prescribed prior to surgery, with repeat pre-operative assessments.

Main Results:

• 75% compliance and over 80% adherence were observed in the community-based program.
• Significant improvements in lower body strength were noted for both prostate and colorectal cancer groups.
• Statistically significant improvements in health-related quality of life were observed across multiple domains for both patient groups.

Conclusions:

• The community-based pre-operative exercise program demonstrated acceptable compliance and adherence.
• The program effectively enhanced upper and lower body strength and health-related quality of life.
• Pre-operative exercise should be considered early in the surgical oncology pathway.