Graciela Martínez, anesthesiologist: "The better your physical condition, the lower the incidence of postoperative complications."

If you had to run a marathon in a month, you probably wouldn't wait until the last minute to train, because running it without preparation would make the race much harder. Something similar happens with surgery: facing it without preparing your body (and mind) can significantly complicate the recovery process. This is the basis of prehabilitation , an approach that proposes using the time before surgery to optimize the patient's physical and emotional condition.

Improving physical and emotional fitness before surgery not only reduces complications during and after the procedure, but also shortens hospital stays and reduces the use of healthcare resources after discharge. Ultimately, prehabilitation can translate into a faster and safer recovery. "The better the patient's physical fitness, the better their cardiorespiratory reserve and, therefore, a lower incidence of postoperative complications," notes Dr. Graciela Martínez Palli, an anesthesiologist at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona .

What is prehabilitation?

Prehabilitation is an approach based on a multidisciplinary team—comprised of specialists in anesthesia, nutrition, psychology, and nursing—that provides comprehensive support to the patient. A prominent example is the prehabilitation unit at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, ​​which develops a personalized program with supervised physical training , promotion of physical activity , nutritional support to compensate for losses caused by both exercise and illness, and psychological support to help the patient manage the stress associated with surgery and their diagnosis.

It also includes strategies for abandoning harmful habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as well as managing and improving existing medical conditions , such as anemia or chronic illnesses, that can impact recovery. The duration and content of this preparation are tailored to each patient's needs and conditions, always with the goal of strengthening their ability to cope with surgery and recover better.

Prehabilitation programs, such as the one at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, ​​not only prepare patients for surgery but also promote the adoption of healthy habits that will continue after the procedure. Therefore, a key element of prehabilitation is the active role given to the patient: they are not passive recipients of care, but the protagonists of their own recovery. “They've taught me how to breathe, they've taught me how to eat,” says a patient at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, ​​who after the operation feels “wonderful, as if I hadn't had surgery.”

In this way, the period between diagnosis and surgery becomes a key opportunity to promote changes and consolidate habits that benefit patients' long-term health.

Who is prehabilitation aimed at?

Prehabilitation isn't reserved for athletes or young patients; it's especially designed for those who need it most, such as older people or those with chronic illnesses who must undergo complex surgeries. Although advanced age isn't a contraindication for surgery, a weakened physical condition is. Therefore, doctors often encourage patients to take advantage of the time between diagnosis and surgery to improve their physical and emotional condition.

Specialized programs often focus on high-risk patients or complex procedures, but anyone facing surgery can benefit from this approach. Preparation doesn't require hospitalization: simple activities such as walking daily, maintaining a balanced diet, getting plenty of rest, managing stress, and quitting smoking can significantly improve the surgical outcome.