Exercising before your pancreatic surgery

It is extremely important to maintain and then increase your exercise tolerance when able before your operation. This will help to minimise the risk of complications after the operation and will help your recovery time. All exercise, no matter how small or large, is beneficial.

The best activities use large muscle groups in a rhythmic manner: walking, aerobics, cycling, swimming, jogging, using machines such as climbers, stationary cycles, and skiing machines. Choose an activity that is convenient and fun for you. No activities are restricted for transplant patients.

Exercises that can be done easily at home to strengthen muscles include:

• climbing stairs
• standing up and sitting down onto a chair (repeat 10 to 15 times, using your hands as little as possible so your legs do the work)
• lifting soup cans as shown in the diagram
• push-ups against the wall or, for example, from a work surface

You should try to schedule your activities so you are doing something at least five days per week. Planning this into your daily schedule will help you continue it on a regular basis. There is no time of day that is best for exercise, it all depends on what works for you and when you will be able to do it regularly.

It is best to start slowly and increase gradually with a short duration of activity and gradually increase the time of each session. Start with a comfortable, lower level of intensity and gradually increase it as you get used to the exercise. People may have problems, such as injuries, when they do too much exercise too soon. Gradual progression will help prevent those problems.

A lack of exercise and immobility before your operation can lead to muscle wastage and increase tiredness. Staying physically active will help in relieving some of this tiredness and maintaining your muscle strength. The more exercise you are able to do will greatly aid your recovery and ability to return to normal activities after your operation.

The amount of exercise that you will be able to do may vary depending on how you are feeling day to day. Try to achieve 20 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every day. This level of exercise should make your heart beat faster and make you feel comfortably short of breath. If you are unable to reach the 20 minutes do not worry, all exercise remains beneficial.

If you are in hospital it is very important to continue with exercise and activity in order to maintain your level of fitness. It is important, however, not to increase high level activity without first discussing this with your doctor or physiotherapist.

Basic exercises

Advanced exercises

Privacy and dignity

Same-sex bays and bathrooms are offered in all wards except critical care and theatre recovery areas where the use of high-tech equipment and/or specialist one-to-one care is required.