A frail,elderly man is admitted to the hospital after a fall at home resulted in a left hip fracture.After surgery,he is to begin ambulating with a walker but must avoid weight bearing on his left lower leg.What is the best intervention to help him use his walker?

A) Aerobic exercise with deep breathing
B) Quadriceps and gluteal repetitions
C) Isometric toning of lower legs
D) Arm resistance training

Arm strength is necessary for ambulating with a walker and other assistive devices.Upper body resistance training increases muscle strength and tone,which will aid him in using the walker more easily.Toning the lower body through exercise of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles,although important for regaining strength in general after surgery,does not specifically aid in using a walker.Aerobic exercise with deep breathing produces the greatest benefit to the cardiovascular health and does little to improve the upper body strength needed for ambulating with an assistive device.