Fisioterapia Brasil · Oct 14, 2026
Effects of physical exercise after bariatric and metabolic surgery: An integrative review
By Castro IB, de Oliveira IA, Palmério MEG et al.
INTRODUCTION: Metabolic surgery promotes substantial weight loss and improvements in clinical and metabolic parameters, but may be accompanied by a reduction in muscle mass, favoring the development or worsening of sarcopenic obesity. In this context, physical exercise has been used as a strategy for preserving body composition and functional recovery in the perioperative period. OBJECTIVE: To analyze and synthesize the available evidence on the effects of structured physical exercise in the postoperative period on body composition, muscle parameters, and functional capacity in adults undergoing bariatric and metabolic surgery, considering the applicability of the findings to sarcopenic obesity. METHODS: This is an integrative literature review, with searches conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE and Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases using descriptors related to metabolic surgery, physical exercise, and sarcopenic obesity. Studies published between 2016 and 2026, available in full text in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, were included. Selection followed the stages of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. RESULTS: The search yielded 108 studies in the selected databases. After duplicate removal and application of the eligibility criteria, 06 primary research studies were included in the review. The results demonstrated favorable effects of exercise mainly on muscle strength, functional capacity, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Combined protocols showed favorable results for preserving fat-free mass, whereas resistance training was more closely associated with improvements in muscle strength. The effects on muscle mass were heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative physical exercise showed favorable results mainly for muscle strength and functional capacity. The effects on muscle mass were heterogeneous, and the lack of a uniform diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity limits the direct application of the findings to this population.