80
People
Number of people in A&E department
0:56
Hours
Average wait to be seen by a clinician
2:20
Hours
Average time in the department
Surgical Prehabilitation
Having an operation challenges your body and mind, and prehabilitation is the process of getting physically and mentally ready for surgery.
There is lots of evidence that shows that when people make an effort to improve their physical and mental health before an operation, it can really help them to recover faster, have fewer setbacks and can potentially improve their long-term health and wellbeing.
Whilst your body is healing, your heart and lungs need to work harder to provide the oxygen and nutrients it needs to recover.
Improving your physical fitness trains and prepares your body for the extra work it will need to do after the operation, which means you’ll get over the surgery and back on with your life faster.
It’s not just any activity (although any movement you do is good for you), the key is to do some exercise that gets you out of breath 3 times per week, because it is the getting out of breath that is trains your heart and lungs to work a bit harder.
Getting more active has other benefits too; it helps reduce stress and anxiety, improves your mood and can even reduce tiredness.
In short, the stronger you can go into any surgeries or treatments, the better outcome you can get.
Sitting Exercises - NHS
This NHS page provides a range of simple, gentle exercises you can do while sitting. These exercises are designed to improve mobility and strength, especially useful for people with limited movement or those who spend a lot of time seated.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/sitting-exercises/
NHS Active 10 - Walking Tracker
This app by the NHS encourages you to walk briskly for at least 10 minutes a day to boost your heart health. It tracks your walking activity and motivates you to build a healthy habit of daily exercise.
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/nhs-active-10-walking-tracker/id1204295312
Getting Active - Sheffield Aches and Pains
Part of an active waiting program, this page focuses on encouraging people to gradually increase their physical activity. It offers tips and motivation for safely becoming more active to manage pain and improve overall wellbeing.
https://sheffieldachesandpains.com/conditions/active-wait/week-4-getting-active/
If you are waiting for hip/knee replacement, please check below:
Let's Move for Surgery Toolkit - Versus Arthritis
This toolkit provides practical exercises and advice designed to help people with arthritis prepare physically for surgery. It aims to improve strength and mobility to support better recovery outcomes.
Being as well-nourished as possible before you start your treatment can help you deal with problems that might arise along the way. Enjoying what you eat is important too.
A balanced diet needs to include food from all the food groups to make sure your body works well, these include beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins, starchy foods, fruit and vegetables and dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese or dairy alternatives.
Ideally you should eat enough calories (energy) and enough protein to keep your weight steady and keep as strong as possible. If you are overweight, losing weight into a healthy weight range is recommended as it can help reduce any risk during your treatment and improve the outcome of any treatment you might be undergoing.
You can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to check whether your weight is within healthy range: https://www.nhs.uk/health-assessment-tools/calculate-your-body-mass-index/
A balanced diet includes:
- Enough calories to give you the energy to perform your everyday activities
- Enough protein to keep your muscles strong, your immune system working, and support wound healing. Foods high in protein should be included in 2 or 3 meals each day. If your appetite is poor, eating 3 smaller meals along with snacks or milky drinks in between may be easier to manage.
- Good sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs, and dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Plant-based sources of protein include soy and tofu, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds
- Five portions of fruit and vegetables each day which provide fibre and vitamins and minerals. One portion is:
- 3 tablespoons of vegetables or
- 1 medium piece of fruit or
- 2 smaller pieces of fruit or
- A handful of small fruits such as grapes or strawberries.
- A glass of fruit juice or smoothie can count as one of your five a day
- Starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, noodles, pasta, bread, cereals – these provide energy but also fibre, especially when wholegrain
- Plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated – aim to drink between 1.5 and 2.5 litres of non-alcoholic fluids a day and enough to keep your urine pale straw colour.
You might have ‘off days’ while you are waiting for the surgery, when your appetite is poor or you are lacking energy. Consider stocking up your freezer and store cupboard with easy to prepare or easy to eat foods and snacks. There are additional resources available with suggestions and snack ideas below.
If you have Diabetes, ensure you check your blood sugar regularly and speak to your diabetes nurse or GP about how you might best manage your condition during your treatment.
If you are having difficulty in managing your weight, or other dietary issues or concerns that are preventing you from eating well contact a member of your healthcare team (e.g. nurse, doctor, pharmacist) as soon as possible.
Useful Links
NHS digital weight management programme:
An online programme offering personalized support and advice to help you lose weight and improve your wellbeing. You can self-enrol yourself if your BMI is above 30 and you have diabetes or hypertension.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/digital-weight-management/
Eatwell Guide:
Official NHS guidelines on balanced eating, showing how to get a healthy diet with the right proportions of different food groups.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/
Healthy recipes app:
A collection of nutritious and easy-to-make recipes designed to support a healthier lifestyle for the whole family.
https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/
NHS food scanner app:
A handy app that lets you scan barcodes to get nutritional information and healthier alternatives for everyday food products.
https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/food-facts/nhs-food-scanner-app/
Having an operation is a stressful time in anyone’s life and it is natural to feel worried. Managing your anxiety, encouraging positive thinking and developing your coping skills may have a positive impact on your recovery and outcome after surgery.
Sleep is also an important component of your recovery, and so if it’s something you struggle with, it’s important to try to address it before your operation, so you can benefit from the recovery benefits of sleep after surgery.
Useful links for mental wellbeing
For mental health helpline services in the UK, you can contact:
Mind:
Call InfoLine at 0300 123 3393 or text 86463. Email: info@mind.org.uk.
Samaritans:
Call 0330 094 5717. Samaritans are available for people of all ages and will listen to whatever is on your mind.
Shout:
Anyone in the UK can text 'Shout' to 85258 at any time of day or night to be connected to one of their trained, clinically-supervised volunteers. Shout provides 24/7, free, compassionate and confidential support over text message.
Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing - NHS
This guide outlines five practical steps to improve your mental health and wellbeing, including connecting with others, staying active, and managing stress.
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/
Mental Wellbeing Tips - NHS Every Mind Matters
A collection of simple, everyday tips to help boost your mental wellbeing and maintain a positive mindset.
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/
Tackling Your Worries with CBT Techniques - NHS Every Mind Matters
This page introduces self-help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to help manage and reduce worry and anxiety.
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/self-help-cbt-techniques/tackling-your-worries/
Talking Therapies - Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Talking Therapies is a free NHS service here to support the residents of Berkshire who may be struggling with difficulties including: low mood, anxiety and stress at this unprecedented time. They offer a range of treatments including 1:1 therapy and online support.
https://talkingtherapies.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/getting-support/sign-up-to-talking-therapies/
Useful links for improving sleep:
How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Better - NHS Every Mind Matters
This NHS guide offers practical tips and strategies to improve your sleep quality, helping you fall asleep more quickly and enjoy more restful nights.
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-and-sleep-better/
How to Sleep Better - Mental Health Foundation
This resource explores the connection between sleep and mental health, providing advice on habits and lifestyle changes to promote better sleep and overall wellbeing.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/publications/how-sleep-better
Sleep Hygiene - Headspace
Headspace explains the concept of sleep hygiene—healthy sleep habits—and shares mindfulness and relaxation techniques to help improve sleep patterns.
https://www.headspace.com/sleep/sleep-hygiene
Sleep Action
Sleep Action provides support and resources focused on improving sleep health through education, expert advice, and tools to help manage sleep problems.
https://sleepaction.org/
Stopping smoking or vaping
Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of problems after an operation.
The world health organisation suggests that you can reduce the complications from surgery by up to 50% by stopping smoking.
If you stop smoking:
- you increase blood flow to the tissues that are healing, reducing the risk of infection,
- you reduce the strain on your heart, reducing your risk of a heart attack and it also
- you improve the efficiency of your lungs, reducing the chance of breathing problems after surgery.
There are many support options available to you, located within our local stop smoking service: Stop Smoking Berkshire.
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/
Stopping or reducing alcohol
The NHS suggest drinking 14 units or less per week. Take a drinking check:
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/drinking-check/#/overview
Alcohol has many effects on the body, but the main importance around the time of surgery is that it can reduce the liver’s ability to make the proteins/building blocks required to heal after the operation.
Useful Links:
DrinkCoach:
This service offers confidential, online support to help individuals reduce their alcohol consumption. Through free tools like a two-minute alcohol test and a goal-setting app, along with professional coaching sessions, DrinkCoach provides personalized guidance to support healthier drinking habits.
https://drinkcoach.org.uk/
Change Grow Live:
They are located in Reading, offering one-to-one support as well as peer-led activities and groups with a range of options to support you, including detox services, health assessments, needle exchange.
https://www.changegrowlive.org/drug-and-alcohol-service-reading/referrals