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Sunday, January 17, 2010

1920s Exercise 4: Flexion and Extension of the Foot


Don't hear the word flexion used very much. Sorry the picture didn't turn out well, but she is basically sitting and making a little circle with her foot. Here's the exercise:
Sitting Position - The leg is held slightly forward. Raise and lower the foot vigorously without bending knee, as in figure 4. Then perform a circular movement. Repeat ten times, first with one foot then with the the other.
According to the article these leg exercises should be done when you start exercising because they "equalize the circulation to distribute the blood, which from inaction might have been congested in parts of the body and to prepare the muscles for activity."
- Had no idea this was going on, but must keep the blood working.
They are also good at the end of exercising because these exercises "quiet the heart beat, which has been quickened by the preceding exercise, also to deflect the blood from other parts of the body to the legs, and to develop the muscles of the calves."
- Now I'm totally confused. How can it accelerate AND calm the blood at the same time? Not sure, but these are easy exercises to perform so I'm all for it.

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