Major surgery takes a major toll on the body — not unlike running a marathon. You wouldn’t attempt a marathon without training, so why would you undergo major surgery without preparing your body for the trauma it will experience?
That’s the premise of prehabilitation, which prepares the body through exercise, nutrition and cognitive training to better withstand surgical trauma. Studies have shown that prehab can improve recovery after surgery, but current programs tend to be one-size-fits-all. Tailoring prehab regimens to fit the individual needs of patients can reduce immune responses linked to infections and neurocognitive decline after surgery, researchers report November 12 in JAMA Surgery.
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