With the "Rocky" theme song playing for encouragement, patients on the neurology floor at Penn Medicine are up and walking less than 24 hours after spine surgery.

The walks are part of a new project at the hospital, where doctors say moving after surgery is critically important even though it's uncomfortable. 

And Penn nurses have developed a way to make it fun for patients in Philadelphia.

Beverly Shaffer had surgery on her spine to relieve nerve compression, and a day later, she joined the walking group.

"I love it here," she said.

Research shows early walking after spinal surgery can help people leave the hospital healthier.

"They need to get up, and we just try to make that fun because if somebody cuts into your neck or your back, it's gonna hurt," nurse practitioner Mary De Silva said. "They're very surprised at how getting up makes them feel better."

This pilot program will compare recovery times to patients who don't have a regular and festive walking plan. 

Nurse manager Diane Latham came up with the idea for the walking groups. She said her team is always looking for ways to improve patient outcomes and experiences.

"We love to have fun in the unit," Latham said. "But especially when you are playing music, you see other patients that look like you, probably feel like you, it just motivates you to just keep moving."

It's a fun distraction with a serious purpose. Walking after surgery reduces the risk for blood clots, pneumonia and infections.

Patients in the walking group are cleared by doctors before they start and are carefully monitored and cheered to success, whether it's just a few steps or dozens.

Richard Bobbe had a three-hour surgery to fix his spine because his spinal cord was compressed. Hours later, he was feeling better and enjoying the group activity.

"From what I've heard and what they say, it pays dividends, so I'm all about it," Bobbe said.