Final answer:
The patient advances the walker in front of their legs to provide adequate support while walking, ensuring proper balance, stability, and maintenance of correct posture.
The orrect option is; D) To Provide Adequate Support While Walking.
Step-by-step explanation:
When patients are learning to use a walker, they are instructed to advance the walker 25.4-45.7 cm in front of their legs to provide adequate support while walking. This technique helps in creating a larger base of support, increasing stability by widening the user’s stance.
When the base of support is expanded, the body’s center of gravity remains within this base, preventing falls and improving balance. Additionally, using a walker correctly requires the user to maintain a proper balance and also contributes to maintaining a correct posture.
Lowering the center of gravity, as done by a football player preparing for a tackle, can also enhance stability. This is the same principle behind the use of mobility aids; they allow the user to feel more stable by broadening the base of support, which in turn, helps in balancing both front-to-back and sideways displacements.
Therefore, the primary reason for advancing the walker ahead of the user is to ensure stability and safety during ambulation.