If you’re preparing for surgery, most of the focus is usually on the procedure itself. However, what you do before surgery plays a significant role in how well — and how quickly — you recover.
This is where prehabilitation (prehab) becomes important.
At The Active Studio, we regularly work with clients preparing for joint replacements, spinal procedures, and other orthopaedic surgeries. From a clinical perspective, prehabilitation is about improving your body’s capacity to tolerate surgical stress and respond more effectively during recovery.
What Is Prehabilitation?
Prehabilitation is a structured, individualised exercise program completed in the weeks leading up to surgery.
The goal is not just general fitness — it is to target specific physiological systems that influence recovery, including:
- Muscle strength and force production
- Joint stability and movement control
- Cardiovascular capacity
- Balance and coordination
- Understanding of post-operative movement requirements
Programs are tailored to your condition, current capacity, and the demands of your upcoming procedure.
1) Improving Surgical Outcomes
Prehabilitation has been shown to improve a range of post-operative outcomes, including:
- Reduced length of hospital stay
- Lower complication rates
- Faster return to functional activity
- Improved post-operative strength
From a physiological standpoint, increasing baseline strength and aerobic capacity improves your ability to tolerate the metabolic and mechanical demands of surgery and early rehabilitation.
2) Increasing Muscle Capacity Before Strength Loss Occurs
Most orthopaedic surgeries result in a temporary reduction in muscle strength due to:
- Pain and swelling
- Reduced joint loading
- Neural inhibition
If pre-operative strength is already low, this decline can significantly impact recovery.
Prehabilitation aims to increase muscle cross-sectional area, force production, and neuromuscular efficiency, creating a buffer against post-operative deconditioning.
For example:
- Quadriceps strength supports knee joint loading
- Glute strength improves hip stability
- Trunk strength supports spinal control
Even modest improvements in strength pre-surgery can meaningfully influence early rehabilitation outcomes!
3) Enhancing Cardiovascular and Metabolic Capacity
Surgery places systemic stress on the body, not just the affected joint.
Improving cardiovascular fitness before surgery can:
- Enhance oxygen delivery to healing tissues
- Improve metabolic efficiency
- Reduce fatigue during recovery
- Increase tolerance to rehabilitation workloads
These adaptations support a more efficient recovery process and improved engagement in post-operative exercise.
4) Improving Movement Confidence and Reducing Fear
Pain, injury, and uncertainty often lead to reduced movement and loss of confidence.
Prehabilitation provides:
- Exposure to safe, controlled loading
- Education around expected recovery
- Practice of key movement patterns
- Gradual rebuilding of confidence
This reduces fear-avoidance behaviours and allows for earlier and more effective engagement in rehabilitation.
5) Preparing for Early-Stage Rehabilitation
Prehabilitation also involves rehearsing movements that will be required immediately after surgery.
These may include:
- Sit-to-stand transitions
- Stair negotiation
- Gait patterns and use of walking aids
- Early-stage strengthening exercises
Familiarity with these movements improves efficiency and confidence during the initial recovery phase.
Is It Too Late to Start?
Ideally, prehabilitation begins 6–12 weeks prior to surgery, allowing time to build meaningful physiological adaptations.
However, even shorter programs can be beneficial. Evidence supports improvements with:
- 4–6 weeks of training
- 2–3 sessions per week
If your surgery date is approaching, it is still worth starting.
Exercising Safely Before Surgery
Prehabilitation should be specific, progressive, and clinically guided, particularly when pain or functional limitation is present.
A structured program considers:
- Surgical requirements and timelines
- Current tissue capacity
- Movement limitations and symptom behaviour
- Appropriate loading and progression strategies
This ensures adaptations are achieved without exacerbating symptoms.
How The Active Studio Can Help
At The Active Studio, prehabilitation programs are designed to improve physical capacity, movement efficiency, and load tolerance prior to surgery.
We focus on:
- Targeted strength development
- Movement retraining
- Progressive loading strategies
- Preparation for post-operative rehabilitation
If you have an upcoming procedure, prehabilitation can play a critical role in improving your recovery experience and long-term outcomes.
Ready to prepare for surgery with a structured plan?
Get in touch with The Active Studio to discuss a personalised prehabilitation program.
