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Section 2 focuses on the epidemiology of low back pain,risk factors and the type of injury and includes a chapter oncomplex low back pain. There is a comprehensive overviewof the management of low back pain, with a useful guide toappropriate interventions in the summary.

Section 3 concentrates on cervical, shoulder and upperlimb pain, with chapters on multiple tissue disorders, nerveentrapment, and management strategies for chronicinjuries.

Andrew Wilson is an osteopath, whose approach to hiswork encompasses many concepts familiar to musculo-skeletal physiotherapists.

The references are topical, in areas such as painmechanisms, muscle dynamics, and spinal mechanics.Unfortunately, the work of Jane Greening and colleagues isnot mentioned in the upper limb section.

The text provides an otherwise balanced review of theliterature, and looks at the evidence supporting currentpractice, while identifying areas where research is lacking.

The author is not afraid to challenge existing concepts,particularly the role of the medical model in the man-agement of complex over-use multi-tissue pathologies.

While Wilson's own ergonomic methodology may lackscientific vigour, his common-sense approach will giveoccupational health physiotherapists an overview of theareas they need to address, with a useful accompanyingreference list to revisit the pathological, epidemiological,clinical and ergonomic evidence base for their managementof spinal and upper limb conditions.

This book should appeal to anyone in an outpatientsetting dealing with the working population, especially thosenew to occupational health, or those wanting to reflect ontheir current occupational health practice. It would also bea useful addition to academic libraries for students requiringa grounding in clinical ergonomics.

J M Hoenich MCSP AdvCertPhysioOccHealth PgDManual Therapy

Human Kinetics, Leeds2001 (ISBN 0 7360 0163 8). Illus. 368 pages

edited by Bill Foran £16.95First, this is a text aimed at athletes and coaches and shouldbe read as such. Its principal goal is to inform readers aboutthe importance of specificity of exercise to gain optimalconditioning/training in the required sport. To that aim, itis a welcome addition to the general conditioning books onthe market. However, bear in mind that the authors areNorth American, so the examples are from North Americansports and will not be truly specific to sports requirements in the UK. On the other hand, the principles of usingfunctional exercise are still an important aspect and can bemodified to similar sports in many cases.

Referencing is mainly from other books or clinicalcommentaries/reviews. Only a small number of researcharticles are referenced, so if you are looking for a text thatreviews or critiques evidence regarding various trainingissues, this is not the book for you. It does, however, providesome useful practical ideas once you get past the oftensimplified style of writing; diagrams of running drills andtables for resistance training programmes are particularlyaccessible.

The chapter on baseline sports fitnessgives some useful tests that could beintroduced into a pre-season profilingscheme, which would be simple to carry outand do not involve complex clinical tests.Again, some of the agility training drills andplyometrics could easily be adapted to a laterstage rehabilitation situation. The drills designed for

‘lightning speed’ and ‘change direction’ have some greatnames, such as ‘shark in the tank tag’ and ‘suicide shuttle’.Funny as they sound, there are some good ideas for teamgames and introducing competition into training whichcould be adapted from the normal training scenario to varythe sessions when patients attend for long periods aftersignificant injury.

To reiterate, this is a North American text and their ideaof core stability is very different from ours. Hence, if youhave a muscle balance, kinetic control clinical background,the chapter on 3D balance and core stability will make yourtoes curl. On a positive note, if you are looking for late-stagedrills for the trunk power generators, then some options aregiven. The final chapter is devoted to restoring performanceafter injury but the rest of the book is equally appropriate forfunctional rehabilitation programmes, making the chaptersomewhat superfluous for a physiotherapist. Again, thechapter is presumably designed to give an overview tocoaches and athletes.

High Performance SportsConditioning

An exercise from ‘High-performanceSports Conditioning’: seated trunk circle.The athlete cycles the legs alternatelyand continuously to strengthenabdomen and trunk

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The text itself has been written by a collection of authorswho are well respected in their field, such as Kraemer andChu. The coaching input comes from conditioning coachesof successful professional sport teams in the US whoobviously know their subject.

From a physiotherapy point of view it is a shame that somuch of the text is not referenced, as some of it hasobviously come from research sources. It is important toremember at whom the book is aimed, which may reduce

the scientific, evidence-based component, but means thatexamples of drills are clearly described and illustrated.

In summary, this is a useful text for a junior looking for guidance on late-stage drills, and more experiencedclinicians might also pick up a few new variations onfunctional drills -- as I did.

Nicola Phillips MSc MCSP

Metro Books, London2000 (ISBN 1 84241 004 0). 204 pages

by Tania Farrell Yelland £9.99Every year, more than 30,000 women are diagnosed withbreast cancer. We have all met, or are aware of, someonewhose life has been affected by this disease. But the outlookfor those diagnosed is not always bleak and in this book theauthor sets out to dispel the myth that breast cancer mustlead to death.

The result is, primarily, a compilation of real stories ofwomen living with breast cancer. Beginning with her ownaccount, the author gathers women from all walks of life andinvites them to share their experiences of the disease. Eachis different; some tell their story from start to finish, othersrecall the life-changes their diagnosis provoked. However,the common theme that emerges is that, in many respects,breast cancer changed these women’s lives in positive ways,forcing them to re-evaluate what is important and alteringtheir priorities and perspective on life.

Reading the accounts it is clear that facing breast cancer isdifficult, but discovering an inner strength to deal with it hasbeen a revelation to the women affected. The stories arereal, honest and frank but inspirational. Each includesquotations from poems or books that reflect the writers’attitudes or perspectives; also included are their bookrecommendations and tips for surviving treatment. It seemsthat, when initially diagnosed, it is easy to fear the worst andto dwell upon negative statistics. If so, the positive accountsin this book provide essential reading for anyone with newly-diagnosed breast cancer.

The second, shorter section of the book is a resourceguide. It begins with a chapter on recent advances in breastcancer medicine by Professor Ian Smith of the RoyalMarsden Hospital, and includes information on drugs usedin adjuvant therapy, current research and progress towardsbreast cancer prevention. I believe the explanations ofinvestigations (why and how they are done), types of surgery(which may be indicated, and why), subsequent radio- andchemotherapy and the possibility of breast reconstructionwill be of great benefit in providing information to andallaying the fears of newly-diagnosed patients.

There is additional advice on diet and nutrition, breastcancer in relation to pregnancy and the menopause, andcomplementary therapies available, plus an excellentfurther reading list and glossary.

Unfortunately there is very little mention of physiotherapyin this book. Under the ‘After surgery’ heading thereappears a short paragraph on the importance of doingphysiotherapy exercises but it cites ‘the standard exerciseafter a mastectomy is walking your fingers up a wall’. This isobviously inadequate in the recovery of full range ofmovement of the shoulder joint and mobility of the upperlimb nerves. There is no mention of assessment by, or evenhaving contact with, a physiotherapist.

This is an easy-to-read, positive and informative book. It isaimed primarily at women with newly-diagnosed breastcancer, but would be of interest to any woman. Interestingly,there is no mention of the effect of the disease on men, butaspects of the book would certainly be beneficial to a manfacing the same diagnosis.

Indeed, I would recommend this book as a testimony tothe women who have faced up to the fear and uncertaintythat still surrounds a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Kirsty Westwood BSc MCSP

All Woman Life after breast cancer

Read any good books lately?If you have come across a book or video that could be of interest to other readers,

and it has not been reviewed in Physiotherapy, please send details to the managingeditor so that we can obtain a copy.

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