Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].
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And, of course, the special and cumulative symptoms of pregnancy must be taken into consideration. This would seem to be obvious, but, unfortunately, is not always sufficiently recognised. The symptoms in question affect the whole lower half of the body. Perhaps the least well known gestatory symptoms are those affecting the pelvic joints. As we have pointed out in a previous chapter, all these articulations, both of the symphysis and the ilio-sacral region, loosen automatically as pregnancy proceeds, and the pelvic regions acquire a certain, though limited, degree of mobility with respect to each other. But if this mobility becomes excessive, there is damage to the pelvic bones, which damage results in pain and difficulty when the woman stands or walks. And so she must avoid all such exercises as tend to increase this peculiar mobility of the pelvic zone, and, above all, the exercise par excellence that supples and activates the pelvic zone and which is described in detail as " Suspension-Flexion " (Exercise No. 19) and depicted in Film 12 and Figs. 12 and 13. There is a paradox here: the alternate movements of " Suspension- Flexion " are the most important of all for the act of birth itself, but they should be mastered before pregnancy begins and strictly avoided for its duration. In the later months there are difficulties of circulation, and the blood tends to be congested in the lower limbs; there are often haemorrhoids and varicose veins. Wherever it is no longer possible to prevent these injuries—when they had been sustained before pregnancy began—all exercises which make special demands on the leg muscles should be ruled out. In fact, after careful consideration, I have deleted the "heel raising and lowering " movements which have been recommended in other quarters as typically beneficial from my present list and remarks. For it has been proved that pain and swollen veins followed these exercises in certain cases which had hitherto been free from any congestive symptoms. And for similar reasons I specially recommend the semi-active and/or " passive" exercises, particularly those which may be performed in the sitting posture or lying at full length, and modified throughout a K 3