PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3119, 20 February 1909, Page 3

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

""" " (By R. 0. JAKRETT, Late Supervisor to wa.i i^i/<' ; '- tion Board. Fniui h. : V- ■ - ganui, Palmtrston hoicli, Ft lining and Foxton Physical Culture Schools). J CURVATURE OF THE SPIKE. ! SOME EXERCISES FOR PKEVEN- ; TION AND CUKE. j Nearly every ease of j lateral curvative has i's I beginning in a bad po J ' tion of standing or sitcng in childhood. Lateral curvature of the spine is one of the commonest; of physical deformities, and usually is unnoticed by the parents when in its earlier stages. What is ' lateral curvature? Lateral curvature is a rapidly progressive deformity caused by bad positions in standing or sitting. Where the spine is laterally curved, one shoulder droops forward, and j the lower part of the chest is cramped I and twisted, usually with the prutub- | erant side pushed backwards and the ' hollow side inclined forward. There is thus not merely a lateral curve, but also a rotary distortion. Many children habitually* stand with the weight of the body upon one leg. Thus the line of the hips, instead of being level, is tilted at an angle, necessarily causing a curvature of the spine. In the usual sitting position a sort of spiral curvature position is necessary, to read or write with comfort. Thif is often the beginning of a deformity so prevalent that some authorities assert that it exists in two out of every three women. And in one out of every five men. In most cases the curvative does not go beyond certain points, unless there is present at some time a debilitating disease, when it is acelerate considerably. At a later period, when a boy or girl begins to earn h'.s

or her livelihood, the partly developed curvative becomes in many cases accelerated by the nature of the occupation they follow—much more so in the case of boys tha?i girls, as will be seen from some of the following; callings. i The butcher boy who rides around to deliver orders, riding with one stirrup much shorter than the other, sitting all to one side of the saddle, with the weight of the basket sustains! on the opposite thigh. If the ■ boy has any symptoms of spinal weakness it must of a necessity become much more pronounced. The milkboy, wh<un many of us have seen walking up one side of the street and down the other carrying a heavy can in one hand, the body and shoulders leaning to the opposite side. The parcels boy >:nd the porter carrying heavy trunks en one shoul- , der. The carpenter's assistant, stag-, gering under a load of timber. Almost invariably the weight is carried on the one shoulder, • and is seldom transferred to the other. These and many other of a similar nature assist to aggravate this deformity. In some it is to a certain extent hereditary, although I have reason to believe not usual. How to remedy this ailment? It is now generally conceded by the medical profession that the most successful method of treatment lies in special exercises to develop and strengthen the lax muscles; spet ial exercise? with a view to oppose the ocseous ani ligamentous changes which have accompanied the curva- i

tive; proper habits of carriage in walking, sitting and standing, to the same end; deep breathing exercises and exercises without breathing to develop the lower chest, and to remedy the pathological rigidity of the walls of the lower chest; general exercise, fresh air, cold spinal shower or douche, and tonics, to remedy the general weakness. In many cases massage is a valuable aid, though not always necessary. All apparatus, such as jackets, stretchers, backboards, etc., I am convinced are not only Juselesti, but are also harmful, since they produce a further muscular weakness, and a further ligamentous weakness, wHch permits the deformity to make still more rapid progress. In arranging exercises, it is most important that they are so arranged < that the exercise performed works ! directly in the opDosite direction to that which the curve tends. The illustrations here given will make my meaning clear; at the same time i they are most useful in correcting I curvature in children, though only a ' few of the many which may be dc--1 vised. ! I will, for the sake of illustration, I presume the curvature extends in the I following mannerßeginning at the centre of the neck, traversing outward toward the right side, then ' curving in toward the centre of back, > and ending just below the hip line ) in centre of back. If a piece of j string were held at the two points I which begin and end the curvature it [ would show the spine half-way down

instead of being in line with the string, it would be well over to the right of the luie. Thus a mild form of curvature would be perhaps from gin to IJin, while in advanced curvature it would be from 2in to Sin. THE EXERCISES. The followirg exercises (as illustrated) are suitable for a sjild form of curvature, as dt scribed above:— Exercise I.—Press elbows back, with hands in to the shoulders, iniialing deeply. Then press hands quickly above head, exhaling quickly and forcibly. Kept at, t.ay, six times. Exercise 2. — Stand with kgs apart. Stretch aims out in line with shoulders, inhaling deeply through the nostrils, stretching to the iullest extent. Pause momentarily, then dip quickly to the right, as in illustiation, exhaling through mouth. Recover original position inhaling, and repeat exercise half-a-dozen times. Exerise 3.—Stand with legs apart. Arms outstretched to fullest extent, inhale deeply, twist quickly to front with right hand, and to the rear with the left, keeping the hips square to the front, twisting with the arms and body only. Exhaling. Return slowly to oriuinal position. Inhale and repeat six times. Exercise 4.—Carry the hands overhead, stretching to fullest extent, endeavouring to keep both hands together. Inhaling, then bend quickly forward, exhaling and reaching as far as possible. Repeat six times. Exerciiw 5. -Lie on back, claap hat r!s behird ncrk, draw one knee towards chest, stretching the opposite leg out to fullest extent. Reverse the position by alternately stretching each leg as in illustration, keeping bom heels off the ground until the exercise is finished, inhmioi! with o;,e movement and exhaling with the other. In each of the above exercises inhale through the nostrils and exhale throuph the mouth. Each exercise should be performed an even number of times, commencing according to pupil's strength, say, about six limes each, increasing an extra movement vveeklv. The parents or guardian who is responsible for the arranging of the exercises should carefully watch the progress of the pup'l, so as to avoid the danger that once the curvature has bean remedied the same exercises do not bpgin another curvature in the opposite direction. As soon as the guardian is satisfied that the deformity has disappeared the special exercise should be dicantinued ar>d -general exercises substituted.