By Constance M. Chen, MD, MPH, Oct 2022

Getting patients moving and up and around as soon as possible after surgery is crucial to the healing process. The first goal is usually just walking, which offers terrific benefits including reducing the risk of blood clots and expanding the lungs. The most common cause of a fever after surgery is atelectasis. Here, shallow breaths cause the alveoli in the lungs to collapse. The risk of getting atelectasis is reduced by simple movement. The body gets weakened very quickly and needs to move. Any movement is helpful. Gentle stretching can stimulate the muscle fibers and reduce stiffness. Once the initial healing has occurred, ongoing and regular exercise increases the heart rate such that the blood moves more quickly and the lungs fill with oxygen. All of these processes help with health.

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