Is there a link between physical function testing and ventral hernia size?

Clinical assessments of physical function are widely used to evaluate candidacy and predict outcomes for various procedures. This study investigates the relationship between ventral hernia size and physical function tests.

A cohort study was performed on prospectively collected data as part of a randomized control trial Pilot Trial of Abdominal Core Rehabilitation To Improve Outcomes After Ventral Hernia Repair (ABVENTURE-P). Patients scheduled for ventral hernia repair were enrolled between 4/2022 and 8/2024. Patients completed the Five Times Sit-to-Stand (5 × STS) and Timed Up & Go (TUG) physical functional tests pre-operatively. Hernia width was then measured at the time of hernia repair. Associations between hernia width and physical function tests were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation tests, and associations between European Hernia Society (EHS) classifications and physical function tests were assessed using one-way ANOVA.

A total of 112 patients were evaluated with a mean hernia width of 7 cm (SD 7 cm), classified by EHS as 47% W1, 29% W2, and 24% W3. No significant association was found between 5 × STS scores and hernia size when analyzed as a continuous variable (Spearman's rho = 0.13, p = 0.19) or across EHS classifications (p = 0.12). Similarly, TUG scores showed no significant correlation with hernia size as a continuous variable (Spearman's rho = 0.13, p = 0.16) or across EHS classifications (p = 0.08).

Physical function test scores alone did not correlate with ventral hernia size in this cohort. Hernia width was not significantly associated with 5 × STS or TUG performance when analyzed as a continuous variable by EHS classification.