Other researchers are looking at the potential benefits of “prehab,” which is exercise to get patients in shape before surgery. Most patients preparing for major surgery have only a few weeks between being diagnosed and heading to the operating room, so effective and rapid exercise intervention is critical, experts say.
In the studies included in the analysis, some HIIT sessions were around 18 to 20 minutes. This popular form of exercise “can make people healthier and faster,” he said. Kari Cliffordlead author of the review and a research fellow in the Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Otago, New Zealand.
Improve your fitness with HIIT
Most of the patients studied had undergone major abdominal surgery.Researchers found HIIT can improve fitness in patients “In a meaningful way,” Clifford said before the surgery.
This improvement was measured using several indicators of cardiovascular fitness, including the 6-minute walk test and improvements in peak oxygen uptake, a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise. .
“This is important because the body needs oxygen to recover and heal after surgery,” Clifford says.
In the 2022 survey Included in the review, participants aged 45 to 85 undergoing major abdominal surgery were randomized to 14 sessions of HIIT over 4 weeks compared to standard care. Standard care typically includes general information about staying active and cutting down on alcohol and smoking before surgery, but does not include specific training programs, Clifford said.
In a 2022 study, a HIIT session included about 30 minutes of stationary cycling. But rather than cycling for 30 minutes straight, patients are instructed to alternate 1 minute of high-intensity cycling with the goal of reaching 90 percent of their maximum heart rate, followed by 1 minute of active recovery. It was done.
The study, co-authored by Clifford, After just 12 to 14 sessions over 4 weeks, we saw a significant improvement in pre-surgery peak oxygen uptake.
The overall results of the large meta-analysis were limited by the fact that not all studies in the review relied on the same fitness measures or used the same HIIT routine. Researchers often define HIIT in different ways, with most exercise programs lasting less than 4 weeks, but some interventions lasting more than 6 weeks. The medical problems faced by patients were also diverse.
“I think it’s good to focus on HIIT overall, especially HIIT,” he said. Daniel McIsaac, an associate professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Ottawa, was not involved in the new review. “But I think this review left us with more questions than answers.”
Reduced complications after HIIT
Clifford said HIIT exercises not only improved his patients’ fitness, but also lowered their risk of problems after surgery.
This study found that “prehab” HIIT exercises before surgery reduced the odds of postoperative complications by 56 percent, based on eight studies in the review that reported on postoperative complications in 770 patients. did.
In Clifford’s 2022 study, researchers measured complications by directly examining participants during their hospital stay and recording complications. They also sent a follow-up questionnaire six weeks after surgery.
In addition, the review authors looked at length of hospital stay. The study suggested that performing HIIT exercise before surgery could reduce hospital stay by about 3 days, but this result was not statistically significant, so it is difficult to draw firm conclusions. I could not do it.
Benefits of exercising before surgery
McIsaac, who conducted his own research on prehab exercise, points out that the studies in the review did not compare HIIT to other exercise interventions, such as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. A traditional prehab program would likely include three to five weeks of exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling and swimming, he said.
Although the new review cannot determine whether HIIT is more effective for rehabilitation than other exercise modalities, Clifford said his team is working on this research.
“I think anyone preparing for surgery can expect that if they can increase their level of physical activity and improve their nutritional status, they are likely to have a better outcome after surgery,” McIsaac said. Told. “This review suggests that if they are interested in high-intensity interval training, it may be beneficial for them. If not, then other more traditional forms of exercise There is probably just as much evidence, if not more, that it is likely to be just as beneficial.”