Exercise interventions in the rehabilitation of patients with enterostomy: A scoping review

Background: Patients with enterostomies often face postoperative complications, decreased physical function, and psychosocial challenges that negatively impact their quality of life. As a non-pharmacological intervention, exercise can significantly improve health outcomes and enhance the quality of life for patients with colorectal cancer by regulating metabolism, hormones, and inflammatory pathways. However, the existing evidence remains heterogeneous and lacks systematic synthesis. Objective: This scoping review aims to summarize the components of exercise intervention protocols for adult patients with enterostomy—including exercise type, initiation timing, modality, intensity, frequency, and duration. Additionally, it seeks to identify the outcome measures used to evaluate these interventions and synthesize the evidence regarding their effects on patient outcomes. Methods: A systematic search will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM from inception to December 31, 2025. Two reviewers will independently perform study selection and data extraction. Eligibility Criteria: 1. Inclusion Criteria: ①Adult patients with enterostomies (including both permanent and preventive stomas); ②Original studies such as randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs; ③Studies involving exercise interventions (either alone or as part of rehabilitation) during the period when patients have a stoma; ④Articles published in Chinese or English. 2. Exclusion Criteria: ①Duplicate publications; ②Case reports, conference abstracts, guidelines, or policy documents; ③Articles with unavailable full text or incomplete data. Expected Outcomes: The findings of this review will offer a comprehensive overview of the current state of exercise intervention research within this population. It will highlight common protocol components, outcome measurement tools, and identified evidence gaps, thereby informing future research and clinical practice.