What is prehabilitation?
Prehabilitation is the work you do before an operation to be in better shape for it. It combines exercise, practice with walking aids and getting your home ready.
It is the opposite of waiting. Instead of just counting down the days, you use the time to prepare.
Why does it matter?
Surgery takes a lot out of the body. Starting from a stronger, more mobile position can make the first days easier, and knowing how to use your walking aid before the operation takes away a source of worry.
Preparing the home matters just as much. A bed at the right height, a clear route to the bathroom and a plan for the stairs prevent trouble when you are tired and sore.
An everyday example in Ipoh
Uncle Ah Seng has a knee replacement planned. He lives in a terrace house in Taman Cempaka, with the bedroom upstairs and a squat toilet downstairs.
Before the date we strengthen his thighs with chair-stand exercises, practise his walking aid on the stairs and plan a raised toilet seat and a bed downstairs. His wife learns the exercises, so the plan is ready on the day he comes home.
Related terms and next steps
Read the full guide on prehabilitation before surgery and how it leads into post-surgical rehabilitation. Pages on knee replacement and hip replacement show the usual recovery steps.
Use the home safety checklist to look at your own house, and ask your surgeon about surgeon rehabilitation instructions.