Benefits of prehabilitation
Evidence made easier to explore.
See what prehabilitation may help with, then open each benefit to read the peer-reviewed studies behind it.
Evidence-based benefits
What can prehabilitation help with?
Open any card to see the research. Results vary by patient, procedure, program and outcome.
Enter surgery stronger and more resilientSee the research +
Multimodal and exercise-led programs can improve functional capacity before surgery, although the size and durability of the benefit vary.
- Molenaar et al. Effect of multimodal prehabilitation on reducing postoperative complications and enhancing functional capacity following colorectal cancer surgery: the PREHAB randomized clinical trial. JAMA Surgery. 2023. Open PubMed ↗
- Risco et al. Home-based prehabilitation in high-risk patients undergoing colorectal surgery: a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Surgery. 2024. Open PubMed ↗
- Kelisides et al. Prehabilitation reduces length of stay and severe complications in frail and high-risk patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2024. Open PubMed ↗
Reduce risk of complicationsSee the studies behind the “up to 50%” figure +
Several analyses in selected surgical groups report relative reductions around 45–55%. Other reviews find smaller or no overall effect, so “up to 50%” is not a promise for every patient.
- Elliott et al. Preoperative exercise training to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications: systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 2021. Reported RR 0.52. Open PubMed ↗
- Cochrane review. Preoperative exercise training for people with non-small cell lung cancer. 2022. Reported RR 0.45 for postoperative pulmonary complications. Open PubMed ↗
- Perry et al. Preoperative interventions for reducing postoperative pulmonary complications: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2021. Exercise RR 0.54; inspiratory muscle training RR 0.55. Open PubMed ↗
- Kelisides et al. Meta-analysis in frail and high-risk abdominal surgery patients. 2024. Severe complications OR 0.56. Open PubMed ↗
- Systematic review and meta-analysis. Combined exercise and nutritional prehabilitation before major abdominal surgery. 2026. Overall complications OR 0.52. Open PubMed ↗
- Cambriel et al. Meta-analysis of randomized trials. 2023. Found no significant reduction in overall postoperative complications, illustrating why results should not be generalized. Open PubMed ↗
Support completion of cancer treatmentSee the research +
Early evidence suggests personalized prehabilitation may support treatment tolerance and completion, but this area still needs larger randomized studies.
Support the body’s response during treatmentSee the research +
A recent randomized trial found changes in tumour immune markers after exercise prehabilitation. The clinical significance is still being studied.
Shorten hospital stays in some groupsSee the research +
Some meta-analyses report a modest reduction in length of stay; certainty and effect size vary across procedures and programs.
- Perry et al. Meta-analysis of preoperative interventions. 2021. Multimodal interventions reduced length of stay by an average of 1.67 days. Open PubMed ↗
- Kelisides et al. Frail and high-risk abdominal surgery meta-analysis. 2024. Mean difference −1.07 days. Open PubMed ↗
- Umbrella review. Prehabilitation in major surgery. 2022. Found low or very-low certainty evidence for length-of-stay outcomes. Open PubMed ↗
Improve function, balance and independenceSee the research +
Exercise programs can improve functional capacity and reduce falls, particularly when they include balance and functional training.
- Cochrane review. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. 2019. Exercise reduced the rate of falls by 23%. Open PubMed ↗
- Network meta-analysis. Fall-prevention interventions for older adults. 2021. Open PubMed ↗
- NEMEX-TJR randomized trial. Neuromuscular exercise before hip or knee replacement improved activities of daily living and functional performance. 2014. Open PubMed ↗
*This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Study findings may not apply to every patient. Your care team should interpret the evidence in the context of your diagnosis, planned treatment, health and goals.