Low Physical Activity Linked to Postoperative Outcomes in Major Abdominal Cancer Surgery

According to a single-center prospective cohort study, physical activity levels are far from optimal following major abdominal cancer surgery. The study found that postoperative physical activity was low, with a median daily step count ranging from 71 steps on the first postoperative day to 918 steps on the seventh day. Furthermore, the study identified several patient-related factors associated with low physical activity, such as age, preoperative weight loss, and operation duration. Importantly, low physical activity was found to be associated with increased complication rates and prolonged hospital stays. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging physical activity in this patient population and identifying individuals at risk of low activity levels.