My uncle fell and broke his hip last month. He’s been home on his own for a few weeks. We’re concerned about his safety home alone. Shouldn’t he be doing some kind of exercises for his hip or at least to stay active?

Exercise is a key ingredient to improving balance, strength, function, and overall health. A recent study from the University of South Wales showed the value of exercise up to four months after hip fracture.

They compared three groups: one group did weight-bearing exercises (WBE); one group did exercises without standing up, and a third group didn’t exercise. They found the WBE group did the best and any exercise was better than none.

A physical therapist can come to your uncle’s home and prescribe an exercise program for him. Even better, if he can come to a clinic he’ll get a chance to exercise and interact with other people of all ages. This may help motivate him to continue exercising.