A Multidisciplinary Approach to mHealth: Developing a Protocol of Prehabilitation App for Abdominal Wall Hernia Surgery

Introduction: Abdominal wall hernias (AWH) represent distinct pathological structural defects, with incisional hernias occurring as late surgical failures following laparotomy, and prehabilitation has shown promise in improving functional recovery. However, access to hospital-supervised programmes is frequently limited. Methodology: A multidisciplinary team developed the HERNIACare Lab mobile application, integrating clinical surgery, biomedical engineering, and sports science expertise. The development process involved clinical evidence synthesis, structured exercise protocol design (FITT-VP principles), software architecture development, and system integration. Results: The application incorporates four primary functional modules: baseline isometric strength stratification, programme scheduling, progressive multicomponent training, and post-session exertion and symptom monitoring. It features sex-specific tertile-based stratification, progressive overload principles with intra-abdominal safety constraints, and an accessible interface. Discussion: HERNIACare Lab addresses practical barriers to prehabilitation by delivering a structured home-based intervention tailored to baseline functional status. Conclusions: The application provides a clinically informed, accessible framework for remote prehabilitation, with clinical safety, usability, and effectiveness to be evaluated in prospective clinical trials.