Table 3 Themes and sub-themes identified in staff and patient interviews contributing to assessment of acceptability of implementation of intervention arms

Supervised exercise arm

Motivation

• Social exercise as mechanism for motivating patients

• Counselling critical for inactive patients^a

• Motivating patients requires sophisticated communication skills

Social support

• Flexible, individualised support according to prior motivation and exercise levels

• Understanding patient capacity

Interruptions

• Chemotherapy

• Post-operative complications

• Inability to use bike seat

Constraints within CRC care context

• Lead-in time to surgery limiting pre-operative exercise

• Limited staff capacity

• Limited space and availability of exercise bikes

Home-based exercise

Social support

• Regular contact on phone

• Supportive, ongoing relationships as motivational

• Advice on restarting exercise post-operatively

• Unwanted pressure to increase activity

• Difficult for HCPs to monitor progress

Increased activity at home

• Higher intensity of current activities

• Taking up new activities