The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-10
TO REDUCE THE BACK

Layers of fat around the shoulder blades handicap the arms when they attempt to make a full swinging movement. As the fat increases the shoulder blades themselves become incased, preventing you from stand ing erect. This causes tho cartilage between the vertebrae of the spine to lose it's elasticity. Consequently, you will find yourself troubled with one ill after another and wonder what is the cause.
 II the shoulder blades lose their freedom of motion and, consequently, the spine it's elasticity, your move ments are bound to be sluggish and your organs are doomed to be starved for the lack of blood which would enable them to function normally, The overfat back causes the should CTS to bend forward and thus cramp the lungs. The first thing l would instruct patient who is seeking to regain her health, and is in the over weight class, is to overcome this tendency for fat to accumulate around the shoulder blades, for well know when this has been accom- plished the rest is easy sailing.
 Tho fat accumulated on your back in the first place because with the first few pounds overweight you gained, you acquired sluggishness of movement that exerted the muscles so little at this part of the figure that the fat had full chance to settle. So you will have to pursue the opposite policy and work dili- gently to move the shoulders freely to wear this fat away until by bring ing the muscles of the shoulders into play you will rid yourself of this load, and this must be done, not by exercise alone, but by a conscientious effort to move your arms more freely in whatever tasks you have to per- form. This. of course, besides your general exercises.
 l do not want you to allow your self to be so comfortable that the muscles can become flabby. You will nave to work, work, work to throw back the shoulders. to lift up the arms to circle the arms. to bend and swing them in every conceivable way until you are able to place the shoulder blades in correct position to the spine by placing the hands back to back with the fingers interlock- ing and make a complete revolution of the hands. working the thumbs toward the spine first.
 or course, you will not be able to do this until you have worn away quite bit of the fat that forms in layers on the shoulder blades. A good way to start the work is to clinch the fists and with the fists at shoulder height. rapidly jery the el- bows backward.
 Sometimes tho weight of the back accumulates directly around the back Of the neck. In that case the exercise of bending the head in the four po- sitions will help wonderfully, but you must also be sure to carry your head well up when walking and al ways watch yourself lest you allow the head to sway forward when you are reading.
 Fat that accumulates on the back, neck and back of the shoulders spells your appearance. but when the fat has accumulated on the lower part of the back it gives a very unrefined look to the entire figure. This fat is caused by a stagnation of the mus cles due from pressure from long periods of sitting, and nothing but persistent exercise will have the slightest effect.
 Swinging the legs forward and backward as far as possible is splen- did for givink these lazy muscles an opportunity to exercise and if per- histed in will make the fat entirely disappear in a short while. Walking with long, rapid stride is also very helpful and should be engaged In by everyone who is required to main tain a sitting position for several hours during the course of the day.