Prehabilitation ("prehab") means improving your health and wellbeing before surgery. The time before your operation is an opportunity to prepare your body and mind, helping you recover more quickly and reducing the risk of complications.
Research shows that patients who improve their fitness, nutrition, and overall health before surgery often have:
Preparing for surgery Fitter Better Sooner
The time before surgery is preparation time, not waiting time.
Even small changes can improve your recovery and reduce your risk of complications. By becoming more active, eating well, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol, and looking after your wellbeing, you can help yourself achieve the best possible outcome from your surgery.
Please speak to your Pre-Operative Assessment Team, GP, Practice Nurse, or Surgical Team if you would like support with:
Every positive step you take before surgery can help your recovery afterwards.
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measure that compares your weight to your height. It helps identify whether your weight may affect your health or recovery after surgery.
| BMI |
Weight category |
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30 – 34.9 | Obesity Class I |
| 35 – 39.9 | Obesity Class II |
| 40 or above | Obesity Class III |
If your BMI is low - Being underweight may mean your body has fewer nutritional reserves to help with healing and recovery. This can increase the risk of:
If your BMI is high - A higher BMI can increase the risk of:
Remember: even small improvements in your health before surgery can make a difference. The goal is not always major weight loss but improving your overall fitness and wellbeing.
Improving your fitness helps your heart and lungs cope with the stress of surgery and supports recovery afterwards.
Try activities such as:
Aim to do some activity that makes you slightly out of breath several times each week, while staying within your own limits.
For hip and knee replacement surgery:
A healthy diet helps your body heal and recover.
Tips include:
If you have recently lost weight without trying or are struggling to eat, please tell your healthcare team.
How to lose weight | Weight loss tips and advice - Better Health - NHS
Healthy ways to gain weight - NHS
Water, drinks and hydration - NHS
Free healthy eating and weight management programme for eligible Sheffield residents
12-week programme with nutrition, behaviour change and lifestyle support - Click here to view their website
Outside Sheffield Ask your GP about your local Tier 2 weight management service
Stopping smoking before surgery is one of the best things you can do to improve your recovery.
Benefits include:
Ask your GP practice, local pharmacy, or NHS Stop Smoking Service for support.
For Sheffield:
Click here for the Yorkshire SmokeFree website
Tel: 0114 553 6296
Drinking too much alcohol can increase the risk of complications after surgery and slow recovery. Reducing or stopping alcohol before your operation can help improve outcomes.
For Sheffield:
Likewise is a drug and alcohol support service with no judgement, no pressure and no expectations. It's help for you, however you need it. Likewise Sheffield
Information about alcohol units, risks, and practical tips for cutting down.
Feeling worried about surgery is normal.
Helpful strategies include:
For Sheffield:
