Surgery is a controlled trauma — the body is intentionally disrupted in order to repair or remove something — and how you prepare before and support recovery afterward substantially influences the outcome. Prehabilitation (improving fitness, nutrition, and lung function before surgery) is one of the most evidence-supported perioperative interventions, yet it remains underutilized. Recovery is not passive: early mobilization, adequate nutrition, wound care, and honest monitoring of complications are active contributions the patient makes to the process.
Each step builds on the last.