Table 1 Barriers and facilitators to participation in prehabilitation in people undergoing major surgery

Psychological capability

Lack of knowledge of the benefits and concept of prehabilitation [8, 18, 26, 28], no awareness of prehabilitation options [27], no priority due to other commitments [8, 13, 16, 22], lack of technological skills [21]

Knowledge of the benefits of prehabilitation [12, 19]

Physical capability

Physical symptoms [7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15,16,17,18, 20,21,22,23, 27, 28], age-related limitations [18], physical and exercise limitations [11, 18, 23, 25, 28], comorbidities [11, 18]

Physical opportunity

Hard to find time [6, 8, 10, 14, 18, 20, 21, 27], limited financial capacity [20, 21, 28], transportation and parking limitations [6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 21, 23,24,25, 27, 28], lack of physical activity resources [18], short pre-operative timeframe [8, 11, 18, 22, 23, 25, 26], bad weather [7, 10, 13, 14, 17], hospital appointments [10, 11, 14, 18], living alone [23], work [8, 13, 16, 20], too general recommendations [13]

Having access to physical activity resources [10], home-based prehabilitation [8, 14, 27], neighborhood walkability [10], tailored approach [11, 13, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29], resources for registration of activities and monitoring of exercise intensity [8, 10, 12,13,14, 22]

Social opportunity

Lack of social support [10], contact with fellow patients [7, 11]

Social support [6,7,8, 10,11,12,13, 18, 19], encouragement by family and friends [7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 18, 23, 27], being part of a peer group [6, 11, 12, 16, 19, 23, 24], exercise prescription by the doctor [6, 12, 17, 21, 27, 29], collaborating with the health care professional [7, 22], encouragement by a health care professional [6, 8, 10,11,12,13, 18,19,20,21,22,23], supervision [12, 14, 22]

Automatic motivation

Anxiety [8, 13, 14, 21, 27], emotional impact of cancer diagnosis [11, 18], state of mind [8, 10, 18, 20, 21, 27], stress [23]

Measures of progression [7, 12], positive distraction [7, 14, 18, 22], sense of control [7, 8, 12,13,14, 26], sense of purpose [7, 8, 12, 13, 18], emotional impact of cancer diagnosis [27], positive mindset [27]

Reflective motivation

Lack of self-confidence [8, 18, 21], lack of willpower [8, 18], previous positive experiences with postoperative recovery [18], previous negative experiences with exercise [18], doubting effectiveness [18], lack of motivation [14, 21, 25], feeling too fit for prehabilitation [8, 11, 18, 21, 23, 24], unattainable goals [7]

High belief in own abilities [18], previous positive experiences with exercise [10,11,12, 18, 21], anticipating better postoperative recovery [7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 22,23,24, 27,28,29], anticipating physical improvements [6,7,8, 12, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29], collaboration and mutual goal setting [7, 8, 27], motivation [10, 23]