Study: Surgeons should do warm-up exercises

Los Angeles Times

The increasing use of robotic and minimally invasive surgery means doctors today need to have superb manual dexterity and fine-motor skills.

These operations involve inserting a tiny camera and instruments into small openings in the body to cut, remove or mend tissues.

A study suggests that surgeons may benefit from pre-operative warm-up exercises to prepare them for the cognitive and physical challenges ahead.

The study, from researchers at Arizona State University, found that 15 to 20 minutes of simple exercises leads to a substantial increase in the proficiency of surgical skills by raising alertness and protecting against fatigue.

The study involved 46 surgeons who practiced a series of standardized exercises involving such things as hand movement, tool movement and cognitive skills.

The surgeons were then tested by performing a difficult procedure in a simulation. The study was published in the February edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.