Variation in Preoperative and Postoperative Physical Therapist Management of Patients Opting for Elective Abdominal Surgery.

Background: Evidence about the role of physical therapy in perioperative care pathways to improve postoperative outcomes is growing. However, it is unclear whether research findings have been translated into daily practice.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to describe the current content and between-hospital variability of perioperative physical therapist management for patients undergoing colorectal, hepatic, or pancreatic resection in the Netherlands and to compare currently recommended state-of-the-art physical therapy with self-reported daily clinical physical therapist management.