Factors influencing physical activity after cardiac surgery: An integrative review

Physical activity can optimize patient outcomes after cardiac surgery, but postoperative patients' physical activity generally has been inadequate. No review studies have focused on factors influencing cardiac patients' postoperative physical activity.

To identify factors influencing physical activity in patients after cardiac surgery.

This study was conducted following Whittemore and Knafl's methodology. CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Scopus, and Embase were searched and selected studies were analyzed using the Matrix Method.

In 12 studies, factors facilitating physical activity included personal, socio-environmental, and intervention-related factors. Barriers to physical activity included personal, socio-environmental, and cardiac rehabilitation program-related factors. The most common predictor of physical activity was male sex, and the most frequent barrier was comorbidities.

This study revealed facilitators and barriers that significantly influenced physical activity after cardiac surgery. Healthcare providers and exercise guideline developers should consider our findings when devising physical activity strategies for postoperative cardiac patients.