TITLE:
Physical Therapy Goals and Exercise Participation during Fast-Track Inpatient Rehabilitation Following Lung Transplantation: A Program Evaluation
AUTHORS:
Ivana Truong, Aurangzaib Gill, Taylin Kelly, Justyn Ng, Jasmine Wong, Danielle Jepson, Lisa Wickerson
KEYWORDS:
Lung Transplantation, Physical Therapy, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Exercise
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation,
Vol.14 No.2,
May
25,
2026
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To improve physical functioning and a timely home discharge, a higher intensity, shorter duration rehabilitation protocol was developed for people requiring fast-track inpatient rehabilitation following lung transplantation (LTx). The study aimed to evaluate exercise participation, physical therapy goals, and functional outcomes before and after the protocol change. Materials and Methods: A single-center, retrospective program evaluation of LTx recipients referred to fast-track inpatient rehabilitation from acute care was conducted between June 2022 and June 2024. Results: 33 LTx recipients were included (58% male, 67 (±8) years). 13 people underwent the traditional protocol and 20 people participated in the new protocol (median length of stay 15 [7] vs 7 [2] days, respectively, p = 0.0001). There was no between-group difference in the change in walking distance from Day 1 to Day 6 of inpatient rehabilitation (P = 0.058). People in the new protocol set more independent exercise fitness-focused goals compared with more foundational functional goals set in the traditional protocol. There was a lack of fidelity in the documentation of rehabilitation participation, exercise biometrics, and goal setting. Conclusions: The new rehabilitation protocol achieved similar walking distances in a shorter time. Future directions include standardizing documentation and goal setting to improve data comprehensiveness to optimize this new protocol.