Book Review - Title: Rehabilitation of the Spine

Book Review

Title: Rehabilitation of the Spine

Editor:

Craig Liebenson, DC

Publisher:

Williams and Wilkins

Category:

student and doctor education

Price:

$75.00

When I was in high school, I broke my ankle playing basketball. After the cast came off, I began a program which involved restoring mobility and strength training. This scenario is well understood by athletes and nonathletes who suffer injuries. A vivid example of rehabilitation was presented in the movie "Brian's Song," where we saw the strenuous exercise program that Gale Sayers went through to strengthen his injured knee. It is quite natural for us to assume that injured knees, shoulders, and ankles need rehabilitation exercises. But what about the spine?

When I went through chiropractic college in the 1980s, spinal rehabilitation exercises were not mentioned. To this day, rehabilitation of the spine is largely neglected in chiropractic and medical education. For this reason, Rehabilitation of the Spine is a welcomed text. This book is unique because it provides both theory and practical advice. If you are one of the large population of DCs who want to include rehabilitation in their practices and do not know where to begin, this book is for you. If you are looking for a text which describes and illustrates procedures for rehabilitation, this book is for you.

Dr. Liebenson divided the text into five sections which include Basic Principles, Assessment of Musculoskeletal Function, Patient Education, Functional Restoration, and Psychosocial and Sociopolitical Aspects of Rehabilitation. Several of the chapters within the various sections contain introductions which explain where the chapter fits into the overall design of the text, which facilitates the learning process.

Practitioners will be delighted with the excellent "how to" chapters devoted to assessment, improving flexibility, strength, coordination, posture, and rehabilitation protocols. The methods presented in these chapters can nicely fit into the procedures and flow of any chiropractor's office.

There were only a few additions I would like to have seen in the book. The book could be even more user-friendly if every chapter's introduction explained how the chapter fits into the theme of the text, and how a DC should view the chapter in the context of private practice. Also, in my opinion, the text should have contained a chapter devoted to high technology methods of assessment and rehabilitation. Such a chapter would have completely rounded out the text. And finally, the topic of neuropathic pain was highlighted instead of pain associated with nociceptive processes which are much more common in chiropractic practice. Save for these minor issues, the text is excellent. In fact, it is the best text I have yet to read on the topic of spinal rehabilitation. Every DC should make sure to get a copy.

Dr. David Seaman Rating: 9 out of 10