title: The effect of abdominal support on functional outcomes in patients following major abdominal surgery: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immobility and pain are modifiable risk factors for development of venous thromboembolism and pulmonary morbidity after major abdominal surgery (MAS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of abdominal incision support with an elasticized abdominal binder on postoperative walk performance (mobility), perceived distress, pain, and pulmonary function in patients following MAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients scheduled to undergo MAS via laparotomy were randomized to experimental (binder) or control (no binder) groups. Sixty (33 male, 27 female; mean age 58±14.9 years) completed the study. Preoperative measurements of 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance, perceived distress, pain, and pulmonary function were repeated 1, 3, and 5 days after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgery was associated with marked postoperative reductions (p<0.001) in walk distance (∼75-78%, day 3) and forced vital capacity (35%, all days) for both groups. Improved 6MWT distance by day 5 was greater (p<0.05) for patients wearing a binder (80%) than for the control group (48%). Pain and symptom-associated distress remained unchanged following surgery with binder usage, increasing significantly (p<0.05) only in the no binder group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elasticized abdominal binders provide a non-invasive intervention for enhancing recovery of walk performance, controlling pain and distress, and improving patients' experience following MAS.
authors.affiliation: Oren Cheifetz, PT, MSc: Clinical Specialist-Physiotherapy, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario.
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cheifetz
authors.forename: S Deborah
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lucy
authors.forename: Tom J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Overend
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crowe