Pendulous Abdomen The =pendulous abdomen= is another defect that is all too common. A great many people have prominent abdomens because they do not stand properly, but a pendulous or prominent abdomen is not necessarily synonymous with a stout abdomen. They attempt to stand erect by drawing the shoulders back and extending the abdomen. If they would hold the head erect and the chin in, with the shoulders back and the chest forward, and draw the abdomen inward and upward, their figures and physiques would undergo shortly a wonderful transformation. These directions also apply to pregnant women. Drawing the abdomen upward and inward will at first require considerable effort. It certainly will not be an involuntary act for the first few days. The sagging of the abdomen not only causes an unsightly appearance but results in great relaxation of the abdominal muscles, interferes with digestive functions, displaces the pelvic organs, and weakens the action of the lungs and heart. The laxity of the abdominal muscles allows the abdominal organs—the intestines, stomach, kidneys, etc.—to displace downward. This tends to indigestion, constipation, inactivity of the liver, etc., and causes a score of reflex symptoms. The organs become simply weakened from a lack of proper tone. This is a frequent cause of nervous prostration. Also it is one of the common causes of prolapsed and displaced pelvic organs, because the abdominal organs sag down upon them and the pelvic organs thus receive the brunt of the gravitative effect. Internal local treatment of the pelvic organs can only be a makeshift in these cases. The lungs and heart are weakened because the abdominal organs are dragging on the chest, the lungs can not aerate the blood freely owing to the abdominal weight and to the blood being obstructed in passing from the abdominal organs through the liver to the heart and lungs. The heart is handicapped in its work through lessened chest capacity and obstructed circulation. Just “suck” up the abdominal organs and see how much easier it is to expand the chest and to breathe. There are other causes for a pendulous abdomen, such as a weakened spinal nerve supply to the abdominal muscles and organs. The weakened nerve supply may cause a loss of tone to the abdominal organs themselves, so that certain organs, as the stomach and intestines, become dilated and prolapsed; to the ligaments, and to the tissues and organs as a whole so that they become gravitated. Through childbirth muscular fibres of the abdominal walls often rupture, leaving scars and a relaxed condition. Actual ruptures, hernia, of the abdominal muscles occur and cause a pendulous abdomen. Then there are cases of obesity where the pendulous abdomen is a symptom.