The principles of mechanotherapy with special reference to the treatment of orthopedic cases / by C. Hermann Bucholz.

  • Bucholz, C. Hermann (Carl Hermann), 1874-
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The principles of mechanotherapy with special reference to the treatment of orthopedic cases / by C. Hermann Bucholz. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    additional force the arm may even be raised beyond the limitations imposed by the stiffness. On the other hand, since the weight of the arm naturally would bring it down without necessi- tating any work on the part of the antagnostic muscles, we can, by slightly resisting the down- ward motions of the arm, make active motions of the antagonistic muscles necessary in order to bring it to its normal position at the side of the body. It may be added that resistive movements are to be used not only in such specific cases as the above, but in general whenever we wish to in- crease the strength of the muscles and the natural resistance is not sufficient for this purpose. Massage is used in orthopedics in allforms. We find good prescriptions for these different forms in the textbooks of Mitchell, Graham and Hoffa. These authors give the technic in a very clear way and avoid the mistakes of others who fill their books with an enumeration and description of an enormous number of various manipulations. On the whole, massage in orthopedics is not compli- cated, but the selection of the right forms for the right cases needs usually a careful study and some experience. Certainly we can injure our patients by wrong use of massage as much as we can aid them by the right methods. Both massage and manipulations may be per- formed also by apparatus, although the special value of such apparatus as Zander’s or Kruken- berg’s, designed for this purpose, is not so great in orthopedic conditions as in some internal dis- eases. Exceptions will be mentioned later. Nev- ertheless, it is a great advantage in treating a large number to cases to have at one’s disposal various machines which can be regulated in an exact way. The Zander machines, especially, enable us to give the various forms of massage,
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