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My new workouts to help children prepare for surgery

Last year, I was introduced to the incredible work being led by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Centre for Perioperative Care and the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists.

I learned more about the support being provided to children living with excess weight and obesity, helping them prepare for surgery while encouraging healthier habits that can benefit them long into the future.

One of the people I met was Dr Zoe Burton, who shared a simple but powerful message:

“We know that physical activity is a fundamental pillar of both physical and mental health. For all children, but particularly those living with excess weight, increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time can have huge benefits, both now and in the future.”

I recently visited Sheffield to meet the team including Dr Sam Black who played a key role in helping develop and drive this collaboration. I saw in this visit their work in action and together we created a series of short, fun and accessible videos designed to help children and their families feel more confident about getting active and building healthy habits before and after surgery.

It's been a wonderful example of what can be achieved when healthcare professionals, patients and organisations come together with a shared goal: helping children become fitter, stronger and healthier for life.

Turning waiting time into preparation time

Waiting for surgery can be a worrying time, but there are little things children and families can do to help them feel more prepared for what’s ahead.

Things like eating well, getting enough sleep and being active can all play a part in helping children feel healthier and more prepared.

Dr Karen Bartholomew, President of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI), explains: “It’s about helping every child and young person to be as physically and emotionally prepared as possible for their procedure, and supporting their recovery afterwards.”

This project is all about using the time before surgery to build positive habits that can hopefully stick around afterwards too.

Five short workouts to get children moving

We created five workouts for children and young people aged 8 to 16, designed to make getting active feel fun and achievable.

You don’t need to suddenly change everything or spend hours exercising. It’s about starting small, moving a little more and doing what you can.

“These short, fun and accessible videos are a fantastic way to help make physical activity feel achievable for everyone,” says Zoe. We hope they’ll inspire more children and their families to take simple steps towards becoming fitter, stronger and healthier before and after surgery.”

And the brilliant thing is children and families across the country can do these workouts at home.