My mother’s been on bed rest after serious surgery. I’m worried that her muscles will deteriorate. Are there exercises she should be doing to prevent this? How many exercises should she do, and how often?

It’s a good idea to try to keep your mother’s muscles strong during this time of bed rest. This will help ensure a fuller recovery when she is finally up and moving.

Studies suggest that she may not have to do a lot of exercises to maintain her muscle tone. In a recent study, 20 minutes of muscle contraction exercises every three days helped a group of young, healthy subjects maintain muscle size and strength.

Your mother’s doctor or physical therapist can design a program of exercises for her. The number and frequency of exercises will depend on your mother’s age, condition, and duration of bed rest.