Patients' Readiness to Exercise After Cardiac Surgery: A Single-Center Observational Study

Background/Objectives: The prolonged bed rest of patients after cardiac thoracic surgery is associated with many deteriorations in their lives. This study examined patients' readiness to exercise after cardiac surgery in Greece. Methods: This study employs a cross-sectional observational design. Data collection occurred from April to August 2024, and 98 patients who underwent cardiac surgery were enrolled in the study. Patient readiness was assessed via the Greek version of the "Readiness to Change Exercise Questionnaire," which contains 13 questions divided into four subscales: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from medical records, while readiness for exercise was assessed by telephone interview three months after surgery. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: The mean age (standard deviation) was 64.2 (±10.7 years), while the majority were men (72.4%). In the "pre-contemplation", "contemplation", "preparation", and "action" subscales, 11.2%, 11.2%, 24.5%, and 53.1% of the patients were allocated, respectively. Male patients (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.0-10.4, p = 0.042) were more likely to be ready for exercise than female patients. Compared with patients with low levels of preoperative physical activity, those with moderate and high levels of physical activity were more likely to be ready for exercise (OR = 5.2, 95% CI 1.4-18.7, p = 0.012 and OR = 7.4, 95% CI 2.1-26.0, p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusions: About half of the patients who have undergone cardiac surgery appear to have a good intention of exercising. Parameters such as sex, marital status, and preoperative exercise levels were significantly associated with these patients' readiness to exercise.