Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].
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hand on the body of the patient and clasps one leg at the ankle with the other hand. She then lifts the leg or supports it, while lifted by the patient, until it is at an obtuse angle to the body. Then lower the leg, still with support. Practise alternately left and right. This support enables one to modify the exertion required, from nil to full activity. (20) Lifting and Lowering of both Closed Legs (Fig. 35). Recumbent posture as before. Instructress places one hand on patient's body and clasps both ankles with the other. The legs are then raised—gradually and being supported the while—till they form an obtuse angle with the patient's body. Then they are lowered and still supported by the hand of the instructress : they should be lowered slowly, with a deliberate tension of the muscles and not rest with their full weight on the supporting hand. After each performance of Exercise 20 the patient should breathe quietly and deeply three or four times. Repeat the exercise, then breathe deeply again, and so forth alternately. This exercise may be repeated four or five times alternating with deep breathing, but the instructress must stand firm against undue exertion or too frequent repetition, however much the patient may wish them. Note.—The above directions refer to the exercise in its more active forms, entailing a certain degree of support by the instructress. If Exercise 20 is kept passive it is, of course, less exhausting to the patient, but also less effective. (21) Leg Rotation with Thighs Apart (Fig. 36). Recumbent posture. The instructress clasps both ankles (or the soles of the feet as is most convenient; much depends on the height of the table or couch from the floor), and raises them both together, slowly, till they form an obtuse angle with the patient's body, or supports them as the patient herself performs the exercise. Then each leg separately makes a circular movement outwards and back again. The patient, meanwhile, breathes quietly and regularly and, if the exercise is active rather than passive, it should not be k a