Injuries Books

Excellent book for providing patient education about TBI, and provides exercises that persons with TBI can complete during therapy sessions or at home.

This is a well written, well organized reference for anyone interested in a quick overview or a working understanding of MBTI. The exercises are a great resource for patients and an aid to help family members grasp the day-to-day challenges of people with MBTI.

Needs more structural work to assist those with varying degrees of disability. More on "how to use this book" would be useful. For brain injury patients, these is no such thing as giving too much direction, ezpecially for those with minimal tolerance for books and written material. I did not find it possible to attack page 4, for example, and move streadily forward from there. Some sections were beond my limit of understanding and patience. It was sometimes difficult to see why the workbook tackled certain topics.

The workbook approach opens the door to a new type of thinking aboutthe issues that is not available in other publcations today and that is the true value of this book.

I spent a good deal of time using this book, but did not find it's information or the results of the self tests all that helpful. This information was general observations about how brain injury affects thinking, planning, etc. The tests were word searches (and others) spread throughout the chapters and meant to help readers identify cognitive areas that needed attention, e.g. strength and weakness areas in thinking and emotions. I enjoyed taking the tests, but now doubt their validity.

The assumptions for the utility of these tests were very specious, in my opinion. For example, left brain dysfunction was said to be identifiable by how long it took you to do a letters word search puzzle, and right brain dysfunction was said to be greater if it took a long time to do the numbers search puzzles. I am not sure if this correlation can be made scientifically or what to do about it if it is generalizable.

My main problems with brain injury have less to do with these distinctions than in finding ways to function without so much turmoil, confusion and lost time. These problems were not fully addressed in this guide, so I found it on the whole disappointing.

We got the book shortly after our son's head injury and have not put it down since. The book has sections on every aspect of head injury and guides you through the process of recovery. The exercises were a little challenging but eventually manageable. If you have a loved one with a head injury this book is a must.

If you are looking for a great book check out open ice.
The things I liked most about this book is that it had to do with my favorit sport hoskey, and the was exactly how a teen aged hockey layer would act. The things I diden't like was that if you don't know much about hockey you wouldn't understand it, and theres a lot of inaproprit things.
This book is about a teen Nick Tagilo the best hockey player on his high school hockey team that can't play due to a brain ingery he got from being blind sided, but to Nick hockey wasn't just a sport, it was his life.

Fast-paced literary skater Pat Hughes showed that she is comfortable on the ice of writing and definitely a senior member of the varsity team
in her latest book Open Ice. She deftly negotiates the delicate edge-of-the-blade teenage dialogue while skating backwards and making it look easy. This sports reader's attention was glued to every page-turning play of her game even ruining his planned Sunday afternoon nap which was replaced by reading the last 160 pages of Open Ice.
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>I loved this book. Hughes placed me directly in the midst of these people and their thoughts. I feel like I know them and, the ultimate sign of great writing, I wonder what they are doing now that I've finished reading the book. Not only does Hughes think like a teenager but, as she's done in her previous books Guerrilla Season and Breaker Boys, she comes across like an authentic teenage guy! This book felt like it was told to me by Nick himself, a little wiser, more mature, but definitely by the guy who lived the experience.
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>And then the layers...When Devin was distancing herself from Nick and
>urging him to pressure his parents to play again I thought I was SO smart that I could see right through her motives. I had her pegged for what she was. Then I smiled as it occurred to me that I get NO credit for my revelation. Hughes had me right where she wanted me. Seeing only what she wanted me to see. But then at the after-game party when the details about her and Ramsey came out I stopped hating her and felt bad for her instead. Her intentions were not as clear as I had been ready for them to be earlier in the book. Hughes didn't take the easy literary route and stop at Devin being a hockey groupie. She had deeper problems and insecurities. I rode the roller coaster that Hughes laid out for me and what a great ride it was!
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Every family of a traumatic brain injury patient should read this book. My heart skipped a beat when Nick accidentally sent the Instant Message to the wrong person knowing that he would never have done that prior to the concussion, and knowing that it was the tip of the iceberg of his problems. As he became more contentious and more aggressive and
impulsive I was scared for the fallout. And sure enough it came. The standoff between Nick and his Dad was stressful. Working around rehab I have seen the disintegration of many marriages and families because the TBI patient "isn't who he used to be". This book has the power to let others have a peek inside the mind of a person suffering from post-concussive syndrome.

Hughes is a talented, authentic and entertaining writer. With this one she's also done a great service to the community of families living with mild brain injury patients.

I thought Pat Hughes captured perfectly the politics of teenage life. Setting her novel in the world of school sports enhances its themes of relationships, friendship, love and personal growth. I truly enjoyed Open Ice.

I gave Open Ice to my boyfriend (24) who does not read often for fun. He was reluctant to start the book, but as a hockey player, he was intrigued. He read it in 2 days and then told me to start right away so we could talk about it. I read it the next day and it was great! It was so cool to be able to talk about the book with him.
I would recommend this book to anyone.
After reading it, I e-mailed the author to express my delight with the book and she responded within 24 hours. I was so excited to actually communicate with an AUTHOR!
Check this book out, even if you don't care about hockey, you'll get so involved with the characters and Nick's plight.

I am a 14 year old girl and I just finished reading Open Ice. It was by far the best book I have read in awhile. I am a hockey player so I know how important hockey was to Nick. This was an inspiring book for me because I appreciated how much Nick fought to play, if something like that happened to me I would fight too. I think all teens should read this book whether you play hockey or not, it makes you realize a lot of things. Nick is an inspiring character to me because I could completely relate to everything he was talking about. Overall this book was amazing!

This is a great book. The characters are very realistic. I felt I was right there going through everything with Victoria. You hope that there would be a happy ending but unfortunately many times as in real life there is none. I highly recommend this book to anyone that knows someone taking or considering going on any type of antidepressants. This book will make you think twice on taking any drug that a doctor prescribes without doing any research. Kerry is a great writer and I will continue to read more of her books!

My heart ached for all characters. Life does not always have an happy ending.
This is a gut truth tale of great joy and even greater devastation.
You make an immediate connection to the characters. You go on the yoyo ride from the first kiss to the never ending heartache. And in the middle is a true medical condition out of control.
You will ask yourself: What would I do?
For those of us who have been there or still are, we know there are no words to ease the pain on either side.
Kerry A Jones you have put into words what we couldn't. Thank You!

I have been on antidepressants for 8 years and I really related to the experiences of the characters. It is so hard for the person on this "medication" to realize how much it really does change your personality. The depersonalization causes you to act so bizarre that even your closest friends and family members do not recognize you.

Do not let the one negative review keep you from buying this book. If you are on antidepressants or know somebody who is, then this book is a must read. It puts a face and a story to the side effects listed (and not listed) on the back of the prescription.

When I saw the review that said, "The poor girl couldn't see that the guy didn't want her anymore. She wanted to blame the drug withdrawal," I just had to write a review of my own. I couldn't help but think if the Gerri "The Rip" character were a real-life person, this is exactly the evil interpretation of events she'd use to keep Derek from realizing what really happened.

The truth is, Orion in the Winter Sky is a realistic portrayal of how the loved ones must adapt to the changing world of those addicted to prescription drugs, both those affected because of love and those affected by taking advantage of those who need help.
This is a good book and I recommend for people who may want to be able to relate to someone going through this type of situation. Keep writing Ms. Jones you have great talent.

This is the second book I have read from this author and I can honestly say its a GREAT read. I went through this myself being that my boyfriend went through the bad effects while on the meds and especially after. He is still working through it. I identified with book and understand the story. Great job, I felt the pain of main character. I can't wait for your next book Kerry.

Authoritative and well written. Pretty broad coverage of a complex subject, not real deep in parts, but very useful nonetheless. An essential text for anyone interested in recent developments in hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The Oxygen Revolution is a dynamic book about HBOT. It is a must for anyone interested in HBOT therapy. The first three chapters are critical readings for anyone and then you can pick the chapter that deals specifically with the aspect you are researching such as stroke victims.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is researching solutions for medical problems.

No, the insurance physicians are paid to perscribe drugs, office visit costs, etc. Doctors are in business for themselvels too. They have to bring in patients to get paid by insurance companies. Make Sense?

Without drugs, what would they offer that the insurance companies would pay for. Nothing. Pharma has a headlock and a tight one on the AMA. What can we do? They donate hundrends of millions to medical schools - Speak out and discuss so the word revolves around the world.

This book is a must read for everyone. Many people could improve their quality of life with a few treatments of oxygen.

Dr. Harch is truly the strongest advocate for people to recieve help who have had brain injury. Including individuals who have had brain injury in Iraq.

A must, must , must ready. For EVERYONE.

I have personal knowledge of individuals who have been treated and have had great sucess. I whole heartedly support everything Dr. Harch has written about.

Finally a book on hyperbaric oxygen therapy that is written in terms that are understandable for someone without advanced medical training! Really explains how oxygen helps heal, very informative and truly well written! Thanks to the authors!

David's other works are very good, but this book is quite different. It is a great inspiration and motivator for anyone.

Even if the reader hardly remembers how to ride a bike, the story is special.

Good luck Saul!!

I was in a collision with a vehicle while I was riding my bike. I went through the same hospital that Saul went through, and had a great visit by him before I knew of the book. I'm currently taking therapy while reading this book and each word is inspiring for me to push for my own personal goals. Even if you aren't going through personal hardships as Saul, myself, and too many others have gone through, this is a story of extreme inspiration. A great read for anybody, cycling fans or not.

I have long been a cycling fan, and have had the pleasure of meeting some of America's foremost cyclists at and around the Tour de Georgia. It's been of significant excitement to have met and been around both Saul Raisin, his family, and Dave Shields and to see in person the commitment to life, clean cycling, coupled with the courage to make the comeback Saul has; and the ability to make his recovery live in each of the reader's minds by Dave Shield's extraordinary story telling ability.
Read the book whether you're a cycling fan or not!

Although the center of this story is a cyclist, the book is an inspiring story about a family's courage and an individual's recovery from a traumatic accident. I read it over the Thanksgiving weekend and it is a wonderful reminder of all the things for which we should give thanks.

This book would be a great gift for the family of anyone recovering from a brain injury or any other injury requiring extensive rehab. It shows the toll that an accident can take on the family and the individual, and shows that many "lows" are a part of the recovery process. But it is also a inspriring story of life and love.

This is an engrossing and inspiring book that is written in such a way that it can be enjoyed by anyone not just cyclists. The book is broken into two parts. The first half of the book is told from Saul's parents' perspective. Dave Shields does an impressive job of conveying the emotions that his family goes through as Saul struggles to stay alive in a foreign hospital. It is almost like you are walking through each day's events with them. The second half of the book is told by Saul. He talks candidly about his struggle to relearn the simplest task such as feeding himself. He tells how the people that stood by him like his mother, father, girlfriend and teammates gave him courage and strength to meet the challenges he faced. This is more than a book about cycling and a man's road to recovery. This is a book about courage, family, hope, determination and prayer. Saul and David tell a story that inspires and encourages. Well worth reading.

My kid is only 3, and she loves this book. When she gets a "boo-boo," she explains to me what's happening during the scabbing process. Wonderful!

Thought I would be ahead of the game and got this book along with "The Holes in My Nose". Just wanted to be prepared for skinned knee season.

Liked the other books of this genre, but this one misses the mark. Better for older kids than the 3 yr. olds.

I bought this book for my nephew and he absolutely loves it! He learned why he shouldn't pick his scabs and wht can happen if he does.

Surreal, and incredibly entertaining.
A great coffee table book

This was an enjoyable book to read (considering the topic), but it didn't offer much in the way of specifics for care giving or rehabilitation. Much of the book is dedicated to telling the author's story, and it also heavily references the 12 step program. Although I didn't get the specifics I was looking for, I did get a few ideas for additional research, such as eye exercises for regaining balance. Additionally, the book did provide me with a sense of hopeful optimism about my care giving situation.

I do not remember the excrutiating pain I was apparently in when I had my brain aneurysm. Nor do I recall my months of recovery in hospitals and the nursing home. But I am very grateful that my friend and caregiver never gave up on using her emotion-based approach to brain rehab. I typed the manuscript for Brain, Heal Thyself. I also proofread it. I believe all caregivers and stroke patients (who can read) SHOULD read Brain, Heal Thyself. This caregiving method saved my life. I give this book seven stars!
Eve

Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach To Recovery From Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries is one of the most important self-help books on the market. The author's good friend experienced a near-fatal brain aneurysm and recovered: her title blends memoir and medical insights and will appeal to any caregiver who wants a blend of `how to' and biography.

I am a caregiver for someone recovering from a stroke - so I read the second part of the book first, where Madonna takes Eve home and begins her common sense and using-everything-she-ever-learned-in-life approach to helping her friend recover. Every occupational therapist in America should be required to read this book. It's a great book, an easy read, by a wonderful, creative, funny, honest human being. Madonna will cause you to start thinking creatively about how you can help your loved one in your daily interactions with them. A must read for anyone helping someone recover emotionally and/or cognitively, because relating to them as if they are still a competent human being is vital for rebuilding their confidence to keep trying, and by continued trying they recover.(that's a bit of knowledge that our medical community has failed to pick up on)

This book was interesting, but not particularly helpful in terms of information. I sincerely hope the caregiver has stopped smoking since this is one of the number one causes of stroke and I can't imagine smoking around a stroke victim. The degree of care provided to the stroke victim by the author is interesing as it certainly did not impress me as what would be provided by someone in a true caretaker role--no mention of attending PT sessions, meeting with physicians, etc. Also no real information on what was helpful and what wasn't in terms of care. There's a big deal made about the link between the author's experience in advertising and her ability to motivate/inspire the victim, but this was not evident to me at all in the actual text of the book.

Complete handbook; very usefull for your examinations or to use for a teaching program.

Loved the book. Great study tool for the Hand Therapy Exam. Full of all sorts of great tidbits and clinical applications.

Lots of sample questions which challenge and then the explanations are given with the answers. It is easy to use. Just make sure you cover the answer up if self testing.

This book ROCKS! I thought the first edition was great but this one is even better. I love the products that these two therapists put on the market. They have great courses and teach in a way that is not intimidating. I think Nancy and Susan teach what therapists need and want to know in a way that sticks. I would also recommend this book and their course if you are studying for the hand exam.

Great information, but I was hoping for a book that I could use in the clinic as a quick reference quide. This is more of a study guide - which maybe it stated that somewhere and I just didn't notice.

Chapter after chapter we hear about how "winning at all cost," over-competitiveness and how kids specialize in a sport way too soon (before high school varsity level), the author goes against every piece of advice she's given. She admits that when her young sons were faced with a soccer league that was competitive and *gasp* co-ed, instead of allowing them to play, she started her own league! What? It took away the credibility of the entire book. I just can't listen to "do as I say, not as I do."

(Note: this review was based on an uncorrected publishers' proof.)

I heard author De Lench talking on NPR national radio last week about this book and all of the work she has done (is doing) with preventing catastrophic injuries and death of kids in youth sports. I had no idea what I was in store for when I read the book. In fact her advice may just save my kids lives. And, the chapter on Preventing Child Abuse in youth sports is another must read. Again, I now know that the hollering that one coach does to my 6 year old and his team mates is downright abuse. Better yet, I know (from her lessons) how to advocate for my kids to keep them emotionally safe and physically sound. I found her chapter on how to start a new team to be FABULOUS! Bravo-De Lench-You go girl! Kids were being excluded so she rallied her parent pals and started their own all-inclusive group with rules that we all would die for--no bad mouthing eachother, open dialog with the coaches, all kids play the same amount of time (coaches kids included), etc.

The chapter on Politics is a must read! And, the one on parenting/coaching girls and theother on how to parent boy athletes is very interesting.

The only folks who won't love this book are the bad coaches who are nervous that we all will become so well educated that they may lose their coaching jobs.

This book is a "must read" for any parent whose child is involved in youth sports at any level. It is really like a survival guide and was full of some great advice and ideas that made alot of sense. It makes life easier too when you know that you are not alone in a particular situation, as there obviously needs to be some serious reform in high school sports in my opinion. Ms. de Lench deserves alot of praise for tackling this difficult issue head on and gives many of us parents out there a much needed voice!!

I am raising five sports active kids and was intrigued enough to suggest and select Home Team Advantage as my book clubs (five fellow female attorneys) November read. Between us we have 21 children ages 6-19, who have been or for the most part are, in sports programs. We are each litigators practicing outside of Philly.

I speak for the group: If you are a mother or a father and you have children in sports you really ought to read this book. It may help save a kid's physical and emotional life if you do. We each agreed that the author is incredibly forward thinking in the way she synthesized her first hand in-the-trenches information, data and research to provide us with the big picture, especially with the chapters on politics, abuse, injury prevention and how to improve the culture of youth sports. Her depth of information and breadth of knowledge quite frankly is pretty brilliant and damn gutsy. We could not put the book down. Well written and ample interesting first hand stories. As a collective group we could relate to just about everything she wrote about. We talked for hours on each of her chapter topics. de Lench has the answers for all of our questions and concerns.

One negative; we each agreed that the phrase "hardwiring" (the new Politically Correct term for hormones) was used in place of hormones too often and gets a bit old. It did, however, inform us to the empirical data out there on the fact that boys in sports are very different than girls. Something we knew but could not confirm until reading this book.

Very enlightening read for anyone raising athletic children.

We all hear about the sports moms who spend most of their time chasing after and picking up their kids. But what IS the role of all those mothers of kids in youth sports?

In HOME TEAM ADVANTAGE: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MOTHERS IN YOUTH SPORTS, Brooke de Lench looks beyond the minivan-chauffeuring, frazzled women behind children's athletics. In this culmination of experience and research, de Lench examines everything from when to register kids for sports to how to handle bad coaching situations.

This wonderful resource is divided into three major sections: "Part I: The Role of Sports Mothers in the Family"; "Part II: Sports Mothers, Coaches, and Other Parents"; and "Part III: What Mothers Can Do to Reform Youth Sports."

Part I steps mothers through the process of getting children started in sports. Knowing what sport(s) to register your child in is just as important as determining a good age to begin. Also discussed are differences between boys and girls, the need for balancing family schedules, preventing abuse, and dealing with injuries and injury prevention.

Part II addresses the ever-growing concerns over abusive coaches and parents, as well as ways to handle such situations.

Part III gives great tips for mothers (and fathers) to advocate for their kids. Mothers can and should take active roles in their kids' sports. Besides driving and providing snacks, there are many more ways to contribute, even if a mom is a busy professional.

The material in this book is concise and well written. Some themes are repeated throughout the book, but these are important ideas that cannot be expressed enough (such as whether the kids are having fun, safety, and so on).

While this book is directed at mothers, this is a valuable resource that all parents of youth athletes should have, and it should be required reading for coaches and staff. Do not miss out on Brooke de Lench's wonderful contribution to the world of youth sports.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
9/26/2006

I've read dozens of articles and/or books on the subject, and this one is the best. It is user friendly, simple to understand, and easy to follow with clear instructions and illustrations -- photographs not drawings. This is not a book for carpal tunnel sufferers. It is for anyone who wants to use a computer to maximum effect and minimal strain and damage to the body overall. Linden's credentials include two black belts in the martial arts and a Ph.D. in physical education. He offers a unique way of improving posture while sitting at a computer with an item that costs about two dollars, and I found it to be far more effective and comfortable than the famed aeron chair.

and the man is the real thing. He's a small man and I've seen him throw guys twice his size with no effort, and I've felt him throw me too. I haven't read his book but I've given this five stars because after being on the mat with him and having the chance to talk to him about the book afterwards, you couldn't meet a nicer or more unpretentious guy. He *definitely* knows what he's talking about when it comes to body movement and if you *actually follow* what he's telling you to do instead of dismissing it like the person above who gave it 1 out of 5 did, I'm sure it'll work. I'm damn sure his aikido works, so I'd like to recommend this just on those grounds alone :-)

I completely disagree with the review below from 1/29/01. The most important tool to overcome repetitive strain injury is awareness of how you are using your body & how you may be injuring it by the way you move (or by not moving enough!). The exercises in this book help you become much more aware of your posture, body tension, & awkward movements that may be causing your problems. Learning how to relax your body is essential to recovery.

Even better, the guidance on how to sit has changed my life. I can finally work at my computer without back pain!

BTW, I also recommend Pascarelli's excellent book. These two complement each other nicely.

I've developed intense pain from using the mouse (both on right and left hands). I was doing a lot of graphic work, lots of double clicking and dragging. Going weekly to the chiropractor relieved 20% of the pain. After one session with a Feldenkreis practioner, 80% of the pain was gone. She lent me the 1st edition of this book, which is what the review is based on.

I've taken Feldenkreis lessons before, but never noticed much difference. I now realize that this pain has raised my awareness levels of my body in a way I didn't know before. Now I can do simple Feldenkreis lessons at home and feel a definite difference in muscles being looser and moving better. This book is great on raising my body awareness while I am at the computer.

I've professional training in safety and ergonomics. I learned more from this book that was not covered in previous professional training. Understanding about the proper pelvis position while sitting and how it affects your arms was an eye opener. The general public has a misunderstanding of what good posture is supposed to look like.

The only thing I would recommend is a more in depth chapter on the different types of mice (pointing devices) and keyboards available out there, their pros and cons. Having to choose a new pointing device and keyboard for myself has been a daunting task. I've already returned 2 keyboards with centrally located touchpads that relieved some of the pain, but not all. I'm now considering a vertical mouse and the comfort keyboard, which would keep my hands in the vertical position. Maybe this is covered in the new book edition or maybe this topic is too individual to be covered in a generic book.

As the author mentioned to me in an e-mail:

If you sensitize yourself to feelings of balance and ease in your body, you will be better able to detect which ergonomic devices are actually helpful.

I particularly enjoyed having him respond to specific questions I posed.

Highly recommended!

This book is a mushy worthless waste of reading time. I stopped reading after 4 chapters of stuff like, "Now close your eyes and imagine stretching your fingers. Feel the difference. Visualize a butterfly...blablabla"

The "It's not Carpal Tunnel" book was much better; full of stretches and useful advice.