Examination of the Effect of Early Mobilization on Postoperative Recovery, Pain, Quality of Life and Complication Development in Elective Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Postoperative Accelerated Recovery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary approach aimed at facilitating the faster and more effective recovery of patients undergoing surgical operations. The ERAS protocol encompasses specific measures implemented during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. Its objective is to ensure better outcomes for patients by reducing postoperative pain, complications, and the duration of hospital stays. The multimodal and multidisciplinary approach to patient care during the perioperative period includes a combination of evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing the stress of surgery to maintain anabolic homeostasis and promote recovery.

This includes preparing the patient for surgery through assessment and education, ensuring the best possible management during surgery (such as minimally invasive surgery, pain control, and optimal fluid management), and expediting postoperative recovery (for example, through early feeding and mobilization). Early mobilization is considered one of the most crucial elements of this approach and is strongly recommended as part of ERAS guidelines in many surgical disciplines.

Prolonged post-surgical bed rest has been associated with adverse outcomes such as thromboembolism, pneumonia, reduced muscle strength, and physical conditioning loss. If a patient does not have physical limitations in the postoperative period, early mobilization is beneficial in preserving respiratory, circulatory, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal system functions and in reducing complications related to anesthesia and surgery. Ultimately, it accelerates recovery, enables early discharge, and reduces hospital costs and the workload of healthcare professionals.

Despite the well-recognized importance of early mobilization in surgical procedures, it has been reported that compliance with mobilization goals is low, and those unable to achieve early postoperative mobilization are at a higher risk of complications. Reviewing the literature, it is observed that patients undergoing spinal surgery tend to avoid movement during the postoperative period due to experiencing intense pain before the surgery.

In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the impact of postoperative mobilization timing on patients' recovery status, pain levels, quality of life, and the development of complications following spinal surgery. The results obtained from the study are intended to be reported, thus contributing to the literature in this field and serving as a resource for future studies in this area.