Product Description Written by an expert on alternative bodywork, this book presents techniques for manipulating the soft tissues of the back in a safe, simple manner. The method avoids the high-velocity, low-amplitude thrusting techniques employed by chiropractors. Instead, it utilizes the intuitive sense of somatic bodyworkers combined with the proven theory and technique of Rolfing to provide safe and effective treatment.
Excellent Book, but Be Aware of Errors!November 21, 2009 R. Todd(Chicago, IL USA) 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I read this book carefully and then read it again. I continue to refer to it often when treating patients. It is a very clearly written text. The concepts are rooted in osteopathic medicine, which make for solid, time-tested techniques. The major difference lies in the force of technique. Dr. Maitland's approach is to challenge joint fixations and then apply just enough force to encourage what he calls an 'orthotropic' effect in the surrounding tissue. The expected result is a released joint that is then able to articulate anatomically, as designed. If you have the 1st edition, however, you need to be aware that there are numerous editorial errors. This is a significant problem and should be a concern to anyone intending to apply the techniques. Most of the errors are right versus left, anterior versus posterior, superior versus inferior and lateral versus medial. If you have a solid foundation in functional anatomy, kinesiology, and biomechanics, you will be better equipped to find the errors and make edits. If you are a novice without much background in this, you will most likely have much more difficulty. Either way, please be aware that the errors exist. I confirmed the errors with the author, who informed me that there is a 2nd edition in which all errors were corrected. He also told me that the 2nd edition differs from the 1st in that the cover is a matte-finish as opposed to the glossy cover of the 1st edition. To reiterate, the book is excellent, the concepts and techniques are excellent, but if you can find it, the 2nd edition will cause many less headaches.
Practical adviceAugust 31, 2009 Paul(Washington) This book provides practical information that you can follow. You don't need to be a physical therapist to get value from this book, just a willingness to learn new terminology and apply some discipline. My wife and I are able to use the basic techniques described in this book to help find and loosen fixed facets, and neither one of us comes from a health care background.
a must read for bodyworkersJuly 8, 2009 Gary M. Kolenich If you are a veteran bodyworker that needs more answers to working with the spine, fro many reasons, then this will give you alot of answers. Very detailed, sometimes too detailed, but simply great.
Worth the effort to understand itJanuary 23, 2009 Daniel Heywood 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In response to thor's review: I found the techniques described being no more dangerous than giving a back massage.
I found this thoughtfully written book to pose no danger in applying the techniques, which are not at all forceful. No popping and such, rather, this book describes techniques that address the soft tissue that holds the spine out of alignment.
After a few months of regularly applying these simple and safe techniques, I helped my wife become free of the ever present back pain she had for years. For me, untrained in physiology, it took careful study to understand what the author is saying, and then continued careful application and rereading to learn how to recognize and feel the subtle visual and tactile cues he describes, but the effort paid off for me, and it has worked wonderfully for my wife. I'd give it five stars if it came with a glossary and more diagrams (which, without, required my doing some researching on the internet and in the dictionary so I could understand his technical language).
Once I understood the techniques, it was indeed very simple. It just took me some very worthwhile effort to get to that point.
Spinal Manipulation Made SimpleOctober 25, 2008 Crstn1stDr2nd(Amory, MS) Excellent resource manual and teaching guide for those in the field of medicine. Will take a little study for laypersons not trained in anatomy
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