title: The effects of inpatient exercise therapy on the length of hospital stay in stages I-III colon cancer patients: randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the effects of a postsurgical, inpatient exercise program on postoperative recovery in operable colon cancer patients
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted the randomized controlled trial with two arms: postoperative exercise vs. usual care. Patients with stages I-III colon cancer who underwent colectomy between January and December 2011 from the Colorectal Cancer Clinic, were recruited for the study. Subjects in the intervention group participated in the postoperative inpatient exercise program consisted of twice daily exercise, including stretching, core, balance, and low-intensity resistance exercises. The usual care group was not prescribed a structured exercise program. The primary endpoint was the length of hospital stay. Secondary endpoints were time to flatus, time to first liquid diet, anthropometric measurements, and physical function measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 31 (86.1 %) patients completed the trial, with adherence to exercise interventions at 84.5 %. The mean length of hospital stay was 7.82 ± 1.07 days in the exercise group compared with 9.86 ± 2.66 days in usual care (mean difference, 2.03 days; 95 % confidence interval (CI), -3.47 to -0.60 days; p = 0.005) in per-protocol analysis. The mean time to flatus was 52.18 ± 21.55 h in the exercise group compared with 71.86 ± 29.2 h in the usual care group (mean difference, 19.69 h; 95 % CI, -38.33 to -1.04 h; p = 0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-to-moderate-intensity postsurgical exercise reduces length of hospital stay and improves bowel motility after colectomy procedure in patients with stages I-III colon cancer.
authors: Department of Sport and Leisure Studies, Yonsei University, 134 Seodaemun-Gu, Shinchon-Dong, 120-749 Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ki-Yong
authors: KY
authors: Ahn
authors: Hyuk
authors: H
authors: Hur
authors: Dong-Hyun
authors: DH
authors: Kim
authors: Jihee
authors: J
authors: Min
authors: Duck Hyoun
authors: DH
authors: Jeong
authors: Sang Hui
authors: SH
authors: Chu
authors: Ji Won
authors: JW
authors: Lee
authors: Jennifer A
authors: JA
authors: Ligibel
authors: Jeffrey A
authors: JA
authors: Meyerhardt
authors: Lee W
authors: LW
authors: Jones
authors: Justin Y
authors: JY
authors: Jeon
authors: Nam Kyu
authors: NK
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003082:Colectomy; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology