Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-07
Corrections
For Aching
Back Given
Various Exercises Used
With Good Results
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING
A QUILTS are likely to set a
"A definite time for the begin
ming of their iii health at a
period a year or two before il
began. but the careful clinician
in studying many of them will
see easily enough that their
poor health is the result of
long process beginning in child
hood.
This is particularly true OF
that group of patients in whom
no definite organic disease can
be demonstrated, but who are
obviously chemically i'll on ac-
count of poor body mechanics.
The White House Conference
on child health thus defines
body mechanics
Body mechanics II the me-
chanical correlation of the vari-
Gus systems OF the body with
special reference to the skeletal,
muscular and visceral systems
and their neurological Associa-
tions," which means the effects
of bad posture, movement and
mechanics of the bones and
muscles on the internal organs
and nerves.
A MECHANICAL engineer
"A studies a machine first 10
see how il Is made and then
TO see how near TO 100 per cent
it is aligned to its function.
Thus, if the machine is not
properly aligned, the greater
strain will mean potential
trouble.
The human machine is no ex-
ception TO this and bad align
ment or faulty mechanics is a
potential source of trouble and
should be recognized by the
physician as such.
Probably the eonimonest pos
tural defect which results in
strain comes from the way the
backbone is held.
This produces everything from
headache in the back Of the
head. pain in the neck. pain in
the chest. Indigestion. low back
pain, pain in the knees and feet,
10 general feeling of debility.
These defects should be recog-
nized in childhood and corrected.
mostly by exercises which are
taught in two positions, one in
the recumbent and the other in
the erect position.
EXERCISE /: The patient lies
IL flat on the back without a
pillow under the head. The
knees are flexed with the feet
flat on the table. In this posi-
ton deep inhalations are taken
10 expand the chest and then
diaphragnatic breathing is prac-
ticed.
The lower part of the ver-
tebrae and hip bones are moved
and raised so as 10 make the
abdominal muscles tired.
Next. in the same position.
the head alone is raised until
the eyes are looking directly at
the knees instead OF the cell
ing.
All of these are done Is TO
20 times, morning and evening.
Exercise 2: The child stands
against the wall with the heels
about four inches from the wall
and the buttocks, shoulders and
back to the head touching the
wall.
In this position exercises are
taken so that the entire back
is flattened against the wall.
Next, in the same position,
one leg is lifted 20 times, then
the other leg is lifted 20 times.
Walk forward two or three
PAGES on the toes several times
and return, walking backward,
TO the wall.
While doing this, attempt to
maintain the original position
of the backbone so that there
is a hollow in the lower part
of the spine and between the
shoulders and the back of the
head.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
f. Can ricketts, be cured in
a period of eight or nine
months? Is an unusually large
stomach on a l7-month-old child
a symptom of ricketts,? Should
there be a special diet?
Answer - Rickets usually