Efficacy of Preoperative Exercise in Prehabilitation for Preventing Postoperative Sleep Disturbances and Pain: An Experimental Rat Model Study

Background Postoperative sleep disturbances and pain are common, negatively impacting recovery and quality of life. While various preventive strategies exist, the role of preoperative exercise in mitigating these effects remains underexplored. Objective This study evaluates the efficacy of preoperative exercise as a prehabilitation strategy to reduce postoperative sleep disturbances and pain in a rat model. Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: postoperative pain (PO) without preoperative exercise (N-group), PO with preoperative exercise (P-group), and a sham-operated control (S-group). Sleep patterns, including sleep duration and quality, were analyzed using EEG over a 72-hour period, starting at 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the experiment. Additionally, pain thresholds were assessed using the von Frey and Hargreaves tests. Results Compared to the N-group, the P-group exhibited reduced wake time and increased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep duration. Additionally, the N-group showed increased wake time and decreased NREM sleep duration compared to the S-group, whereas no significant differences were observed between the P- and S-groups. The thermal allodynia test indicated a higher pain threshold in the P-group than in the N-group, although both remained lower than the S-group. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the efficacy of preoperative exercise as a nonpharmacological intervention for reducing postoperative sleep disturbances and alleviating pain. These findings highlight the potential benefits of prehabilitation for patients undergoing surgery.