New research indicates that patients who engage in a daily step count exceeding 7,500 before undergoing surgery experience a significant 51 percent reduction in the risk of post-operative complications. This association holds true irrespective of the intricacy of the procedure or the patient’s pre-existing health condition. Conducted by US researchers, this study is regarded as the pioneering exploration of the relationship between physical activity, monitored via wearable smartwatch-like devices, and the occurrence of post-operative complications within a 90-day timeframe. The findings reveal that lower daily step counts correlate with heightened rates of post-operative complications.
READ: “Shocking Discovery: How Corals Defy Climate Change Threats – New Study Reveals Surprising Findings”
Based on a study of 475 individuals, the results have reinforced the notion that individuals who maintain their fitness levels through regular physical activity face a decreased risk of experiencing post-operative complications. Previous research has highlighted that post-surgery complications can manifest in approximately 30 percent of patients, with nearly half of these cases emerging following the patients’ discharge from the hospital.
Patients
Carson Gehl, the lead author of the study from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, emphasized, “Our fitness data encompassed a period beyond just the immediate pre-operative phase. The duration of the activity record could span six months or even several years before the surgery. This approach provided a more comprehensive insight into long-term physical activity patterns rather than focusing solely on the activity immediately before the operation.”
Presented at the annual clinical conference of the American College of Surgeons, the recent findings prompt consideration regarding the potential for certain preoperative physical activities to mitigate the risk of post-operative complications among patients scheduled for planned surgeries. Lead author Gehl emphasized the need for further research and evidence to fully address this question.
Within the study sample, approximately 12 percent of participants documented complications within 90 days following their surgeries. Even after adjusting for underlying health conditions, age, body weight, gender, and the complexity of the operation, patients who logged more than 7,500 daily steps on their wearable devices prior to surgery exhibited a notable 51 percent decrease in the likelihood of experiencing post-operative complications.
Analyzing data from electronic health records and wearable devices, Gehl and his team focused on patients who underwent a diverse range of surgeries, including general, orthopaedic, and neurosurgery.
Prior research has indicated that for specific surgery types, obese patients face a higher risk of complications compared to non-obese patients. A medical team at the University Hospital of Leipzig, Germany, reported heightened rates of pneumonia, kidney, and liver complications among obese patients undergoing high-risk abdominal surgeries based on an analysis of data from 886 patients last year.
In contrast, doctors at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands challenged the notion that obesity leads to increased post-operative mortality rates eight years ago. Their examination of data from approximately 4,000 patients suggested that while obesity poses a significant risk for wound infections, increased surgical blood loss, and prolonged operation times, it is paradoxically associated with improved long-term survival. Described in the journal BMC Anaesthesiology, the Erasmus doctors highlighted the validity of the “obesity paradox” in their findings.
