Abstract: Objective: To analyze the effects of early progressive resistance exercise program on the clinical outcome of patients after pancreatic surgery and evaluate the safety of the program. Methods: Totally 131 post-pancreatic patients who were treated in the general surgical ICU from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected as study subjects. Among those, 52 who were enrolled from January 2019 to December 2019 served as the control group, while 79 who were enrolled from January 2020 to December 2020 served as the intervention group. Routine post-operative activity guidance was given to the control group, and the early progressive resistance exercise intervention was given to the intervention group. Differences in the activity ability, recovery time of gastrointestinal function, length of stay at ICU and other indicators between the two groups of patients after intervention, as well as the safety of progressive resistance exercise, were evaluated. Results: Compared to the control group, the activity ability of patients in the intervention group was significantly improved on the third and fifth day (t=0.496, P<0.001; t=1.652, P=0.005, respectively). Exhaust time, the first time getting out of bed, and the length of stay at ICU were significantly shorter in the intervention group (t=10.812, P<0.001; t=11.744, P<0.001; Z=-2.171, P=0.030, respectively); Both groups had no exercise-related adverse events during exercise. Conclusion: The early progressive resistance exercise is safe, which can improve the activity ability of patients after pancreatic surgery, promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, and shorten the length of stay at ICU.

Key words: pancreatic surgery; early mobilization; resistance exercise; activity ability