Early Mobilization After Colorectal Surgery

Facilitation of Early Mobilization After Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Early mobilization (i.e. initiation of out of bed activities from the day of surgery) is considered an important component of postoperative care after colorectal surgery. Having a health professional dedicated to facilitate early mobilization has the potential to enhance postoperative recovery by preventing the negative effects of prolonged bed rest (e.g. increased risk for complications, muscle loss, deconditioning and functional decline); however, the need to implement this resource-intensive approach is not evidence based. This study aims to contribute evidence about the role of facilitated early mobilization as a strategy to enhance recovery after colorectal surgery.

The primary research question of this study is: to what extent does postoperative facilitation of early mobilization impact on recovery of functional walking capacity at 4 weeks after surgery in comparison to standard care (preoperative education).

The hypothesis is that, by 4 weeks after surgery, facilitated early mobilization will result in a greater proportion of participants returning to preoperative levels of functional walking, as measured by the six-minute walk test (6MWT).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult people (>18 years)
• Colonic or rectal diseases (i.e. cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis) planned for surgical resection

Exclusion Criteria:

• Metastatic disease
• Medical conditions that preclude postoperative mobilization (e.g. neurological or musculoskeletal diseases)
• Inability to understand English or French
• Admission to intensive care immediately after the surgery