Preparing for Endometriosis Surgery: Why Prehab and Rehab Matter
Surgery is often seen as the start of recovery, but in reality, recovery begins long before you enter the operating theatre. Through a framework known as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), and with the right preparation, what we call prehab, you can reduce complications, feel more in control, and return to life sooner. Here’s how prehab and rehab work, and why they’re central to Matilda Health’s approach.
What Is Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)?
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is an evidence-based framework that helps people heal faster and experience fewer complications after surgery. Originally developed in general surgery, it’s now widely used (sometimes without realising it) in gynaecology and endometriosis care.
The ERAS approach focuses on supporting both your body and mind before and after surgery to improve outcomes such as:
Faster recovery and shorter hospital stays
Reduced post-operative pain and fatigue
Better physical and emotional wellbeing
Key ERAS principles include:
Preparing and educating patients before surgery
Optimising nutrition, sleep, and activity levels
Managing pain through multimodal strategies
Encouraging early, supported movement after surgery
What Is Prehab Before Endometriosis Surgery?
Prehabilitation, or prehab, refers to what you do before surgery to get your body and mind ready. It’s not about doing more, it’s about preparing smarter.
Studies show that people who complete prehab programs often:
Experience fewer surgical complications
Have less anxiety before surgery
Return to daily life sooner
At Matilda, the pre-surgery phase includes:
Gentle movement and breathing to build circulation, strength, and mobility
Mindfulness and nervous-system regulation to ease stress and promote calm
Educational modules to help you understand what to expect before, during, and after surgery
Prehab gives you a sense of control, helping you start surgery from a place of strength and understanding rather than fear or uncertainty.
What Is Rehab After Endometriosis Surgery?
Rehabilitation, or rehab, is the structured process that follows your operation. It’s about supporting your body’s natural healing, pacing your return to activity, and preventing setbacks.
A good rehab plan should address not only physical healing but also the emotional side of recovery. Many people find the weeks after surgery to be an emotionally vulnerable time, so compassionate guidance is essential.
Matilda’s post-surgery phase focuses on:
Safe, progressive return to movement and exercise
Pelvic, bowel, and bladder care
Rest, pacing, and sleep strategies
Nutrition and hydration for healing
Mind-body reconnection through gentle mindfulness and body awareness
The Evidence Behind Matilda’s Approach
The Matilda program was built on years of research in physiotherapy, pain science, and behavioural health, combined with insights from people with lived experience of endometriosis.
By combining ERAS principles with digital delivery, Matilda aims to make recovery support accessible to anyone, no matter where they live or how busy life feels. Every element of the program is designed to help you feel:
Informed about your body and recovery
Supported by a community of peers and clinicians
Empowered to take an active role in your healing
Why Preparation Is Power
As a physiotherapist and researcher, I’ve seen how small changes before surgery can transform recovery afterwards. When people understand their body, manage stress, and follow structured movement and education before surgery, they don’t just recover faster, they recover better.
Prehab and rehab give you the tools to navigate surgery with confidence, build trust in your body, and return to life feeling strong and capable.
Key Takeaway: Recovery Starts Before the Operation
Preparing for endometriosis surgery is about more than the day of the operation. It’s about building a foundation for healing- physically, mentally, and emotionally.
By engaging with Matilda’s prehab and rehab program, you’re not just supporting your recovery; you’re investing in your long-term wellbeing.
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