Fit for Surgery and Beyond

'Fit for Surgery and Beyond' is a Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership exercise intervention that forms part of a larger scale perioperative project being led by the Pre Operative Assessment Clinic (POAC) team at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton (MPH), supported by the Improvement team and Orthopaedic Assessment Service In Somerset as well as other specialist / community services.

It aims to support people in making the best treatment choices for them and optimise medical health status prior to surgery if surgery is indicated. The pilot project will involve people with hip and knee osteoarthritis currently on the waiting list at MPH for hip or knee arthroplasty (replacement).

The Fit for Surgery and Beyond intervention will focus on the exercise component to the larger scale project and take pre-selected participants on a 6-8 week journey of virtual group exercise sessions, discussions around moving more to support condition management as well as optimising cardiovascular fitness and lower limb strength in preparation for surgery and beyond.

Next Steps

Welcome to Fit for Surgery and Beyond. You have been selected to participate in a Somerset first exercise intervention that has been created with you and your arthritis in mind. Whilst you await your knee or hip replacement surgery, you will be guided through a programme of exercises alongside qualified Exercise Professionals who specialise in health conditions. They will support you with increasing your cardiovascular fitness and lower limb strength in preparation not only for surgery but life beyond this as you rehabilitate and return to normal activity.

Fit for Surgery and Beyond forms a very important part of a much wider pilot around healthier pre surgical options and your support in this intervention is greatly appreciated. The pilot is being delivered by the SASP Beach Wellness Gym Team and you will have already been contacted by a member of the team to discuss the detail of the intervention.

In preparation for your Induction to the group exercises classes, you have been asked to complete and submit the below questionnaires. In doing so you will be allowing the Beach Wellness Gym Team to review your current health status, attitudes, motivation, confidence towards physical activity as well as the impact that your arthritic joint has on your activities of daily living.

Please complete and submit the below PARQ and include in this EITHER the hip OR knee Oxford Score questionnaire result depending on your affected joint. We would appreciate it if you could take some time to complete these at least three days prior to your scheduled Induction to allow the Instructors time to review the information. Thank you.

Only complete ONE of the following depending on your affected joint. Please make a note of the score given to then complete the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ):

Once the above has been completed and a score obtained please complete the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ).

In addition to the questionnaires, you have been provided with an Activity Record Card that will be explained in more detail during your induction but will form an essential part of the Fit for Surgery and Beyond pilot.

For further information around this programme or if you have any questions, please contact beachgym@sasp.co.uk