A new study has found that something as simple as walking more after surgery could significantly improve recovery outcomes, reduce complications and help patients return home sooner.

Researchers reported that every additional 1,000 steps taken per day after surgery was linked to an 18% lower risk of postoperative complications, a 16% reduction in hospital readmissions and a 6% shorter hospital stay.

The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, are adding fresh momentum to the growing role of wearable technology in modern healthcare and recovery monitoring.

Wearable Devices Offer Real-Time Recovery Insights

The study analysed data from 1,965 adults enrolled in the All of Us Research Program who underwent inpatient surgical procedures. Researchers found that higher daily step counts consistently correlated with better recovery outcomes across different types of surgeries and patient health conditions.

Importantly, step count emerged as a stronger predictor of recovery than several traditional indicators, including heart rate variability and self-reported wellness scores.

According to the researchers, wearable fitness devices could soon become an important tool for doctors to monitor patients in real time, identify warning signs early and make more informed discharge decisions.

Postoperative recovery — the healing process after surgery — can often involve risks such as infections, bleeding, delayed wound healing and hospital readmission, particularly among older adults or patients undergoing complex procedures.

Medical experts say early mobility has long been encouraged under Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, which focus on speeding recovery through evidence-based care strategies. However, until now, clinicians have had limited ways to objectively track how active patients actually are after surgery.

More Steps, Fewer Problems

After adjusting for age, sex and surgical risk factors, the study found a clear relationship between movement and recovery.

Patients who walked more after surgery were significantly less likely to experience complications or require readmission. Researchers also noted that increased activity levels appeared to support better lung function, lower the risk of blood clots and reduce physical deconditioning.

Timothy Pawlik, senior author of the study and Chair of the Department of Surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said the findings highlight how physical activity may serve both as a marker and a driver of recovery.

“Our study shows a strong association between higher postoperative step counts and better surgical outcomes, including shorter length of stay, fewer complications, and lower readmission risk,” Pawlik said.

At the same time, he cautioned that the research was observational, meaning it cannot definitively prove that walking itself directly caused the better outcomes.

Still, the researchers took steps to minimise what is known as “reverse causation” — where patients move less because complications have already occurred.

To address this, the team focused on wearable data collected before any documented complications or readmissions took place.

A Potential Early Warning System

Researchers also believe wearable devices could help doctors identify problems sooner.

A sudden drop in activity levels after surgery may signal underlying issues such as dehydration, poorly managed pain, infection, nausea, breathing difficulties or medication side effects.

Pawlik said reduced mobility should be treated as an important clinical signal rather than ignored.

“A drop-in-step count should prompt the care team to ask why the patient is moving less,” he explained.

Doctors could then intervene through telehealth consultations, physical therapy, medication adjustments or additional medical evaluation if necessary.

Personalized Recovery Goals

While the findings reinforce the importance of mobility, researchers emphasized that recovery targets should not follow a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

Instead of universal goals like 10,000 daily steps, experts say recovery plans should be tailored to each patient’s baseline health, type of surgery and preoperative activity levels.

For example, a healthy patient who normally walks 8,000 steps daily would likely have a different recovery target compared to an older patient recovering from major surgery whose baseline activity is far lower.

The study also builds on earlier findings presented at the ACS Clinical Congress in 2023, which showed that patients walking more than 7,500 steps daily before surgery had a 51% lower risk of postoperative complications.

Together, the research underscores the growing importance of maintaining mobility both before and after surgery.

The Future of Recovery Monitoring

Healthcare experts believe wearable technology could eventually transform postoperative care by replacing vague advice such as “walk more” with personalised, data-driven recovery guidance.

According to Pawlik, the ultimate goal is not simply encouraging patients to move more, but helping clinicians monitor whether patients are steadily returning to their normal activity levels safely and appropriately.

“The key message is not that every patient should simply walk as much as possible, but that wearable data can help clinicians set safe, individualized, and risk-adjusted mobility goals,” he said.

The findings add to growing evidence that wearable health technology may soon play a central role in precision medicine, allowing doctors to track recovery more accurately and intervene earlier when complications arise.