In the post-operative day 1-10 rehabilitation plan, which item is commonly initiated?

• A. Initiate bed mobility skills
• B. Initiate gait training
• C. Endurance training
• D. Driving training

Answer: (A)

Early postoperative rehabilitation centers on safe, foundational movements that don’t require standing or bearing full weight. Bed mobility skills are commonly started in the first 1–10 days because they are achievable with minimal risk: rolling in bed, log-rolling to protect incisions, repositioning, and moving from lying to sitting. These tasks help prevent complications from immobility (like pneumonia and pressure injuries), promote better circulation, and begin the process of independent transfers, which everything else in the rehab plan builds on.

Gait training usually follows once the patient can tolerate upright activity and is cleared for weight bearing, since it relies on standing balance, appropriate loading of the limb, and safer coordination. Endurance training and driving-related skills require more recovery time, cardiovascular tolerance, and often additional medical clearance or precautions, so they’re typically introduced later in the rehab timeline.