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.
![A blank text box to write your exercise goal](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Capture_EVByOmN.width-840.png)
Basic exercises
![Illustration of a person holding on to the back of a chair with their knees slightly bent](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person lowering themselves down on to a chair with their arms crossed over across their chest](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_dfQsMhb.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person holding on to the back of a chair with their right leg slightly behind them.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_ZB7gSpe.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person laying on their back with their knees bent to one side and their arms out straight either side](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_DTpJn2u.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person lying on their back with their knees bent towards the ceiling](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_vUmiOkW.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person doing push-ups against a wall](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_WsOIVPf.width-840.png)
Advanced exercises
![Illustration of a person holding on to the back of a chair with their feed apart and slightly bent at the knees.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_ZPvFWje.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person lunging forward with their hands on their hips and their right leg out in front of them.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_uJUTgAX.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person lying on their back with their knees bent towards the ceiling and their lower back and bottom raised off the floor.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_j2XqUbk.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person standing on a stool with their hands on their hips, right leg slightly bent and left leg raised behind them.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_0rJJJkP.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person sat down with a dumbbell in each hand. Their left arm is raised and their right arm is down.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_acWufxf.width-840.png)
![Illustration of a person with a dumbbell in each hand, raising their elbows towards each side.](https://buckup-cuh-production.s3.amazonaws.com/images/exercises_rYkqlZi.width-840.png)
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.
We are smoke-free
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital campus. For advice and support in quitting, contact your GP or the free NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
Other formats
Help accessing this information in other formats is available. To find out more about the services we provide, please visit our patient information help page (see link below) or telephone 01223 256998. www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/accessible-information/
Contact us
Cambridge University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road, Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Telephone +44 (0)1223 245151
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/contact-enquiries/