Early mobility in the intensive care unit (ICU) within 24 h following cardiac surgery (CS) is guideline-recommended, safe, and supports improved patient outcomes. The evolution of early mobility following CS research has not been explored. Prior reviews have not included non-randomized controlled trials nor assessed the quality of intervention reporting using standard guidelines.

This scoping review addresses these gaps and maps CS ICU early mobility literature to understand the extent, range, and nature of the extant literature.

The databases Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.org, and CS association websites were searched from inception to January 2025. Extracted details included early mobility definitions and modes, outcome measures, alignment of intervention reporting with the Consensus of Exercise Reporting Template (CERT), and the inclusion of sex/gender in results/discussions.

A total of 109 studies were included. 43 studies defined early mobility, ranging from the day of surgery to within 2 weeks post-operatively. Many early mobility modes were noted, most commonly ambulation. Primary outcomes varied, with hospital length of stay and pulmonary function the most often studied. There was a consistent lack of reporting of CERT items. Only two studies presented findings disaggregated by sex/gender, and only 13 studies considered sex/gender in the discussion.

There is heterogeniety in the extant CS ICU early mobility literature, specifically in early mobility definitions and modes, outcome measures, quality of intervention reporting, and consideration of sex/gender. Improvements to research design and reporting should be encouraged to support the advancement of the science.