In hospitals where children (mostly girls from ten to sixteen years of age) attend gymnastic classes for correction of the spine no massage treatment is given them as a rule. This is probably because there is no time for both exercises and massage treatment. The latter, however, would greatly help to nourish and strengthen the weak muscles which are associated with curvatures of the spine.
In massage exercises Nos. 6 and 8, and to a lesser degree in Nos. 13 and 5, massage of each side of the back (except the uppermost parts) is obtained at the same time. No. 1 is included in the ones especially recommended, because the movements of the arms in this exercise strengthens the upper part of the back.
In all diseased or disordered conditions, proper breathing at all times should be remembered.
