Appendicitis is defined as inflammation of the appendix vermiformis (Jones et al., 2021). It is the most common surgical emergency reported in children (Gadiparthi & Wasim, 2021), and the standard treatment is surgery (Mosuka et al., 2021). Appendectomy is an abdominal surgery that requires general anesthesia and is associated with some risks and potential complications (Hall & Eaton, 2018). Appendicitis is most common between the ages of 10 and 19 years but can occur at any age (Şimşek et al., 2023).

The postoperative period is a process that begins with the child's transfer from the operating room and continues until discharge (Dolgun et al., 2017). During the postoperative period, the aim is to ensure homeostatic balance, prevent complications related to surgery, and initiate mobilization as soon as possible (Bailey et al., 2019; Roberts et al., 2020; Rove et al., 2018). After surgery, children may perceive mobilization as a practice that causes pain and damage to the incision area and may not want to mobilize, which may prevent them from mobilizing (Schwab et al., 2020; Tadyanemhandu et al., 2018). Owing to the pain experienced by children in the postoperative period, their desire to move decreases, their recovery process is delayed, and their hospital stay is extended (Dehghan et al., 2017; Gonzalez-Mercado et al., 2017). In contrast, mobilization positively affects pain management and makes participation in care more active (Abd-Elhamed et al., 2020).

An examination of the literature revealed that early mobilization reduces postoperative complications, accelerates recovery, provides early nutrition and increases a patient's quality of life (Gao et al., 2019; Gather et al., 2018; Noronha et al., 2022). In addition, mobilization regulates breathing, supports intestinal peristalsis, improves gastrointestinal system functions, reduces abdominal distension, strengthens muscle contraction, promotes venous return to the extremities, reduces the risk of thrombophlebitis, and helps prevent postoperative ileus by promoting the return of bowel function (Abd-Elhamed et al., 2020; Cuello-Garcia et al., 2018; Dolgun et al., 2017; Owens & Tapley, 2018; Tsuboi et al., 2019). In this context, it is important to ensure early mobilization of children in the postoperative period and to increase mobilization times. Studies examining mobilization-promoting practices and early postoperative mobilization, which is an important element of accelerated Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in children, are limited (Abd-Elhamed, Osman, Mobarak and Hussien, 2019, Abd-Elhamed, Osman, Mobarak and Hussien, 2020; Gather et al., 2018; Noronha et al., 2022).

Despite a number of advances in perioperative care and surgical techniques, some complications are commonly observed in the postoperative period after abdominal surgery. Early mobilization in abdominal surgery continues to be highly important in the management of complications (Abd-Elhamed, Osman, Mobarak and Hussien, 2019, Abd-Elhamed, Osman, Mobarak and Hussien, 2020). Early mobilization in children may not always be easy. In addition, mobilization times also vary. Evaluating the mobilization processes of children after appendectomy surgery and revealing the effective factors are still issues that need to be investigated. Although child-focused mobilization approaches vary across clinics, the time and duration of mobilization and difficulties in managing the process continue. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the recovery results of mobilization after appendectomy in pediatric patients.

The aim of this study is to describe the relationship between the first three mobilizations performed within the first 24 h postoperatively in children aged 3–18 years who underwent acute appendectomy surgery and the mobilization time (hour), duration (minutes) and number, pain level, oral intake times, flatus, and discharge time.