Page:Massage & exercises combined (second version).djvu/68

 of the leg are stretched in a natural way. The spinal cord is also stretched.

The massage influences the legs, but not to such an extent as in exercise No. 3, first, because each is here only massaged with one hand and secondly, because the muscles are kept more rigid by the bending of the body, for the reason that the weight of the body is upon them. It influences the muscles, nerves and vessels of the abdomen, the hips, the sides, the chest and breasts, the lower and upper back and especially the spine and the buttocks. It also influences the heart, the liver both from in front and behind, and the kidneys. It influences the digestive organs directly from in front and indirectly through the nerves in the back.

To call attention to the difference between scientific massage movements and rubbing, it may be pointed out that there are five principal massage movements combined with the movements of the body in this exercise, namely:

1. The stroking and pressing upward over the back of the legs.

2. The manner in which the right hand strokes and presses directly across the abdomen from the right.

3. The stroking and pressing with the left hand from the left side over the region of the heart to the opposite side.

4. The stroking and pressing with the hands from each opposite side of the lower chest, over the region of the heart and liver inward and upward across the chest.

5. The manner in which the backs of the clutched hands are stroking and pressing downward on each side of the lower back and the spine.

If the hands would stroke over the front of the lower legs and continue straight up over the abdomen and then downward on the backs of the legs instead of upwards; neither the nerves, muscles and vessels of the legs nor the internal organs would be influenced in the proper way. Such rubbing would be of little value.