Study design
urinary incontinence, fatigue
URINARY INCONTINENCE
This randomised controlled trial compared the effectiveness of a 6-week supervised multimodal exercise programme before surgery (Prehabilitation) versus the identical exercise programme delivered post-surgery (Rehabilitation) in patients undergoing prostatectomy. Patients were randomly assigned using a computer random assignment programme to either group stratified for physical activity level (i.e., cut-off value of 150 min/week). Allocation was concealed using sealed opaque envelopes. Following familiarisation and baseline assessment, prehabilitation comprised combined resistance and aerobic exercise for 6 weeks pre-surgery with no formal intervention post-surgery, whilst rehabilitation exercise commenced 6 weeks post-surgery. All patients were instructed to rest and not exercise for at least 6 weeks after surgery to allow for recovery. Measurements were undertaken at baseline, pre-surgery, 6 and 12 weeks post-surgery. Quality of life and fatigue were additionally assessed at 2 weeks post-surgery, while urinary incontinence was assessed at 2, 6, and 12 weeks post-surgery. In this report, the time between baseline to pre-surgery is defined as the pre-surgery phase, the period from discharge to 6 weeks post-surgery as the early post-surgery phase, and between 6 and 12 weeks post-surgery as the late post-surgery phase (Figure S1).