Evaluation of postoperative mobilization and the ERAS® compliance-goal (360 min out of bed from post-op day 1) in elective bowel surgery

Background: Early postoperative mobilization is one of the core elements in Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS®). The compliance-relevant ERAS® mobilization goal is 360 minutes out of bed from post-op day 1 (POD1). Despite a strong recommendation-level, mobilization is the component with the poorest adherence. There is evidence that setting goals too high can be counterproductive. Another problem is that mobilization data are mostly based on self-assessments, for which the accuracy is uncertain. In this study, postoperative mobilization in ERAS® patients was measured by validated motion data from body sensors. Our data evaluate critically whether the general ERAS®mobilization goal of 360 minutes is realistic and useful for the majority of patients.