Lesson 9. Remedial Gymnastics

Remedial gymnastics is a medical treatment and prophylactic of diseases by means of physical culture.

An instructor in physical culture must have a clear understanding of the essence of the disease and the effect produced by certain physical exercises. He must know the indications and contraindications for the application of curative gymnastics.

Unlike other methods of treatment curative gymnastics has no ready – made prescriptions. Every patient needs a special set of exercises which will prove the most effective in his case. These sets of exercises must change as the patient’s condition improves. The instructor in curative gymnastics treating the patient by means of physical culture must keep an eye even on the minutest changes in his organism; inform the physician about them so as to change accordingly the methods of curative gymnastics and the quantity of exercises.

Medical treatment by means of physical culture is a creative process and the effect of treatment depends upon the instructor’s qualification, i. e. his knowledge, experience and pedagogical skill.

Every instructor in physical culture must know the fundamentals of curative gymnastics. It is most important for introducing physical culture into the lift of higher school students, pupils of schools and middle-aged and elderly persons in particular.

Physical culture is of the greatest importance for patients in sanatoria, hospitals, policlinics and kindergartens.

Vocabulary:

remedial gymnastics –лікувальна фізкультура

medical treatment – медичне лікування

disease – хвороба

clear understanding of the essence – добре розуміння суті

indications and contraindications – показання та протипоказання

application – застосування

unlike other methods – на відміну від інших методів

ready-made prescriptions – готові рецепти

to improve – удосконалювати, виправляти

must keep an eye on – повинен уважно стежити

minutest changes – найменші зміни

physician – лікар

quantity of exercises – кількість вправ

creative process – творчий процес

experience – досвід

kill – майстерність, уміння

middle-aged persons – люди середнього віку

a patient – хворий, пацієнт

in case of necessity – у разі необхідності

1. Answer the following questions:

   1. What is a remedial gymnastics?

   2. What understandings of the disease must an instructor of physical culture have?

   3. What sets of exercises must change the patient’s condition?

   4. Who must an instructor in curative gymnastics inform in case of minutest change in patient’s organism?

   5. What kind of process is medical treatment by means of physical culture?

   6. What does the effect of treatment depend on?

   7. Why is it important for every instructor of physical culture to know the fundamentals of curative gymnastics?

   8. Where is remedial gymnastics of the greatest importance?

2. Insert prepositions where necessary:

   1. Remedial gymnastics treats some diseases ___ means ___ physical culture. 2. It’s very important ___ an instructor to understand the essence – the diseases. 3. Some people need a special set ___ exercises. 4. An instructor must keep an eye ___ the minutest changes ___ the organism ___ a patient. 5. It’s very important to introduce curative gymnastics ___ sanatoria and polyclinic. 6. ___ the events the Romans introduced was the wooden horse ___ which they practiced mounting and dismounting. 7. The origin ___ gymnastics can be traced back ___ the ancient civilization ___ China, Persia, India and Greece. 8. There’s a country ___ the world where young lads do not go ___ wrestling. 9. Skiing as a competitive sport is divided___ 5 sections: cross ___country, ski-jumping, Alpine events “Nordic combination and biathlon. 10. The year of 1903 marked the beginning ___ a new era ___ professional and amateur wrestling.