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FREE MOVEMENTS. 91
between the hands corresponding to the transverse diameter of
the chest.
Before the movement begins, the patient stretches himself
to the very utmost, and then he slowly bends forwards. The
back is not to be kept straight while he does so, because all
the segments of the vertebral column then become immovable,
and the movement which takes place is from the very beginning
greatest at the hip-joint, and we have, so to speak, only a falling
forwards of the trunk. The exercise must, on the contrary,
begin at the upper part of the spinal column, and gradually pass
down vertebra after vertebra ; and on raising the trunk again, it
is at the lower part of the back that the movement begins and
passes as gradually upwards. In this way the muscular slips of
the deeper muscles of the back come fully into play, and. they
act like so many elastic strings, which, having the weight (the
head and arms) at the upper end, and a fixed point below from
which their band action starts, must, when the movement goes
forward, necessarily extend the spine more completely, and in a
case of lateral curvature of the back also rotate the vertebrae.
The patient has then to try to keep as much as possible in the
mesial plane, in order that the elongated tongues of the relaxed
muscles may come more effectively in action.
The patient on rising up does not stop at the erect position,
but goes somewhat backwards, partly in order to get a deeper
inspiration, partly to exercise the abdominal muscles, and in this
manner to get equality between the antagonists.
A very simple, but none the less effective respiratory movement
is this :
The patient stands completely erect, with the arms down
to the sides. He now makes the following exercise : He carries
the arms slowly forwards and upwards, always maintaining the
proper distance between the hands, and when they are in the
vertical position he draws them backwards by bringing the muscles
of the shoulders more strongly into play. Slowly as they were
carried up, they are now taken downwards and outwards. As the
arms are raised from the sides, the chest becomes more and
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