(1) Introductory exercises, (2) Leg exercises, (3) Span-bendings, (4) Abdominal movements, (5) Heave movements, (6) Shoulder-blade movements, (7) Breathing exercises, (8) Alternate-sided trunk movements, (9) Equilibrium or balance exercises, and (10) Jumping and vaulting.

We see at once that of these movements the first and the last (Introductory exercises and Jumping) belong really to educational gymnastics.

Introductory movements consist partly of so-called order movements (opening ranks, getting into line, etc.), partly of the simplest free movements.

Jumping belongs really to what the Swedish gymnasts call "applied movements.." One may be tempted to call these demonstration exercises. They generally represent proficiency in educational gymnastics and do not belong to medical gymnastics.

* I want the reader to understand that, although educational gymnastics borders on medical gymnastics, it is necessary to have specially trained educational and specially trained medical gymnasts. The manufacture of orthopaedic apparatus and instruments consists of steel-working, shoe-making, and tailoring, but we have special orthopaedic instrument makers, and special steel-workers, shoe-makers, and tailors.

All the other eight classes or groups contain exercises which are done with a definite purpose, and are of great importance in medical gymnastics. For their effects I refer to what I shall deal with myself in the next chapter and to Dr. Arvedson's chapter. I shall only remind the reader here of the following: -

Leg movements, by dilating the vessels of the extensive circulatory area of the lower extremity, are "depletive." Like all movements, by increasing metabolism they stimulate the heart's action, the strength of which is thus increased.

Span-bendings require a large number of muscles, in particular nearly all the muscles of the trunk, but they primarily exercise the back and shoulder muscles. They straighten the dorsal spine and are of value in kyphosis and scoliosis, whilst they have this drawback, that they tend to produce lordosis.

Abdominal movements, on the contrary, correct lordosis. Swedish gymnasts consider them to be valuable for their reflex effect on the alimentary canal, causing "associated peristaltic action," and in this way influencing constipation.

Heave movements give work chiefly for the flexors of the arm and shoulder muscles, and those muscles which go from the upper arm and shoulder to the trunk; and they expand the thorax (but impede respiratory movements).

Shoulder-blade movements are really movements of inspiration.

For breathing or respiratory exercises I refer to the next chapter and to Arvedson's chapter.

Alternate-sided trunk movements influence the mobility of the spine, besides exercising the working muscles, so that they are included in the treatment of certain deformities of the spine (see Scoliosis). Alternate side-bendings are especially effective, because they also help the circulation in the vessels of the abdomen by alternately lengthening and shortening the veins in the abdominal cavity and by compressing the liver and spleen.

Balance movements chiefly serve to exercise co-ordination of the muscles and nerves. In educational gymnastics the patient's supporting area is diminished - for example, walking along the boom; in Frenkel's gymnastics for ataxic patients co-ordination is exercised chiefly by making use of ordinary external means of balance.

Then we have the expressions simple and combined movements, which expressions have often been incorrectly used by myself as well as by others. In order that a movement may be simple it is necessary that it shall take place round only one axis and in one joint. Every movement taking place round several axes, even if these be only in one joint, is a combined movement.

But not only this. Arvedson points out, to my mind correctly, that by a "simple" movement is meant, strictly speaking, that the joint or the origin of the working muscles in this case is not fixed by the action of other muscles, but by gravity, support, or some other external arrangement.

Bodily movements may take place round various axes, but we divide these axes into frontal (= transverse), sagittal, and vertical.

Movements may be slow or quick, and of equal or unequal speed.

Both positions and movements may be divided according to the relation in which the halves of the body on either side of the middle line stand to each other.

In this connection we must distinguish between two different kinds of positions (or holdings) and between three different kinds of movements.

Positions (and holdings) may be (1) symmetrical, or (2) asymmetrical.

Movements may be (1) symmetrical, (2) asymmetrical, and (3) alternate.

A symmetrical position is one in which all analogous (= corresponding) points on both sides of the body are at the same distance from the (mesial) sagittal plane (e.g., the five fundamental positions, also wing-standing, bend-standing, yard-standing, leg-forward-lying position, etc.).

In unilateral or asymmetrical positions this is not the case (e.g., side-bend-standing, turn-standing, side-leg-lying, etc.).

In order to obtain the definitions of symmetrical and asymmetrical movements it is only necessary in both the above definitions to substitute the word "movement" for the word "position."

It is easy to see that for a movement to be symmetrical it is necessary that the head and trunk shall not move during the exercise round other than the transverse axis, nor in other planes than the sagittal, and that the sagittal plane of the head and trunk must throughout correspond with the sagittal (mesial) plane of the body when in the fundamental position. On the other hand, the extremities may during symmetrical movements move round any axes, if only their movements are throughout similar and performed at the same time (e.g., wing-sitting trunk-bendings, trunk-raisings, backward-drawings, lying leg-adduction, etc.).