Tracking Before and After Surgery - Why is it Important?

Preparing for surgery can feel overwhelming, but small daily actions can make a big difference in your recovery. Research shows that prehabilitation—actively preparing your body before surgery—can lead to better outcomes, including faster recovery, reduced complications, and shorter hospital stays (1). One of the most effective ways to stay motivated, engaged, and accountable during this critical time is habit tracking. At Matilda, we integrate habit tracking into our digital surgery optimisation program, empowering patients to build small, sustainable habits that set them up for a smoother recovery.

Author: Joanna Morris, Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and Matilda Co-founder

Why Track Your Habits Before Surgery?

1. Builds Momentum with Small Wins

Tracking daily habits—whether it’s getting enough sleep, moving your body, or managing stress—creates a sense of progress. Each time you complete a habit, your brain releases dopamine, reinforcing the behaviour and making it easier to stick with it. Anyone with an apple watch knows how good it is to close a ring!

💡 Example: Marking off your daily breathing exercises helps reduce anxiety and keeps you feeling in control before surgery.

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2. Keeps You Engaged & Motivated

It’s easy to feel discouraged or overwhelmed when preparing for surgery. Habit tracking turns preparation into a game, where consistency is the goal, not perfection. Think of it like running a marathon, not all runs are going to feel great, but the goal is to keep going for the runs, not to make all runs perfect.

💡 Example: If you track your nutrition intake, you are more likely to prepare your food and be mindful of what you are eating, versus making reactive choices.

💡 Example: Ever noticed how setting out your gym clothes the night before makes you more likely to work out in the morning? Tracking habits works the same way!

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3. Increases Accountability & Awareness

Many people underestimate how much sleep, movement, or mindfulness they get each day. Tracking helps you stay honest with yourself and identify areas where there is room to improve.

💡 Example: If you realise you’re getting less than 6 hours of sleep, you can adjust your routine before surgery to improve your sleep habits, subsequently improving your energy and immune function.

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4. Helps Reduce Surgery Anxiety

Research shows that structured prehab programs that focus on movement, nutrition, and stress management can help patients feel more prepared and in control (1).

💡 Example: If you track daily mindfulness exercises, you’ll be able to prepare your mind before surgery, helping you feel less anxious, and more confident.

Start Small, Stay Consistent, See Results

The key to habit tracking is progress, not perfection. Even small changes add up over time—whether it’s drinking more water, practicing relaxation techniques, or increasing your daily steps.

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References:

1- Pinto ACPN, Piva SR, Rocha A, Gomes-Neto M, Atallah ÁN, Saconato H, Trevisani VF. Digital technology for delivering and monitoring exercise programs for people with cystic fibrosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Jun 9;6(6):CD014605. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014605.pub2. PMID: 37294546; PMCID: PMC10251804.

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