PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To evaluate the impact of an exercise prehabilitation program on post-operative outcomes after head and neck cancer surgery.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To evaluate the impact of an exercise prehabilitation program on post-operative weight loss, depression and discharge disposition after head and neck cancer surgery.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate the adherence rate to and satisfaction with a pre-operative exercise prehabilitation program, which will be evaluated at the end of their inpatient stay.
II. To evaluate the impact of lower extremity free tissue transfer on post-operative recovery after undergoing an exercise prehabilitation program, which will be evaluated at the end of their inpatient stay.
III. To evaluate the impact of the duration of prehabilitation on post-operative outcomes after head and neck cancer surgery, which will be evaluated at the end of their inpatient stay.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients wear a Fitbit or personal wearable device beginning on day 1 and receive the prehabilitation exercise intervention consisting of 2000-4000 steps per day, sit-to-stand training 3 days per week, and standing therapeutic exercises 3 days per week beginning on day 2 for up to 2-5 weeks prior to surgery. Patients continue wearing the Fitbit personal wearable device from post-operative day 1 until hospital discharge or until 14 days post-surgery.
ARM II: Patients wear a Fitbit personal wearable device beginning on day 1 up until day of surgery and then from post-operative day 1 until hospital discharge or until 14 days post-surgery.
