Hospital inpatients who engage in light walking exercises can see real benefits, including shorter recovery times, improved mood, and reduced risk of complications. Inpatients at St James’ Hospital can now access guided walking plans, including information about steps, distance and length of route, with a few nice spots highlighted to stop at along the way.
Together with the colorectal nursing team and interested patients, Mr Dermot Burke, a Consultant in Abdominal Surgery, led the development of the walks. The idea was inspired by one of Dermot’s previous patients, who was usually very active at home, but stayed in bed most of her hospital stay because she was worried she might get lost in a large hospital. From there, Dermot was inspired to develop support to help patients feel confident to get up and about. He said: “Many people assume bed rest is the best way to recover, but staying still for too long can actually slow recovery and lead to muscle weakness. Walking—even just a few minutes a day—can make a huge difference.
“We’ve been trialling the walking routes for a while now, and we’ve had some brilliant feedback so far. One of our previous patients explained how the opportunity to have ‘adventures’ supported their mental health, and how they’d opened up a world beyond the ward at a time when the world felt very small.
“Micky is one of my current patients and has been recovering from major abdominal surgery over the last 4 weeks. He’s a very active person at home, so I knew he’d benefit from an opportunity to get out and about. We supported Micky to pace himself, starting slowly with a guided walk to the end of the ward and progressing to a lap of the hospital site. Micky has done really well and gradually increasing his activity has helped him get ready to go home this weekend.”
Patient Micky said:
Being in hospital can be quite intimidating, especially if you’re in for a long time. At home I’m used to walking over 3 miles every day around my local area, so I really appreciated Mr Burke taking the time to explain the routes and support me. I found being stuck in bed very difficult so being able to take part in the walks, starting slowly and gradually going a bit further when I felt up to it, was great for my physical and mental wellbeing. I’d encourage any patient to push themselves to get out of bed and be as active as they can.
Why Walking Matters
Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active. Research1 shows that walking for as little as 25 minutes a day can:
- Improve appetite and sleep
- Lower the risk of pressure sores
- Help patients regain independence faster
- Reduce the risk of further problems and readmissions
20 walking routes are currently available from wards in Bexley Wing and Lincoln Wing, with more routes to be added in the coming weeks, and potential to develop options in different wings and at different sites in line with patient feedback.
Further information and all routes are available on our ‘Staying Well’ pages.
