Beyond walking distance: Recognising functional vulnerability and supporting recovery after gastrointestinal cancer surgery

We read with great interest the study by Asaeda and colleagues examining the interaction between locomotive syndrome (LS) and baseline walking capacity in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery [1]. The authors should be commended for placing functional recovery at the centre of perioperative assessment. By considering LS alongside baseline six-minute walk distance (6MWD), the study highlights vulnerability that may be overlooked when assessment focuses on apparent independence alone.