Physical-Therapy Books

I ordered two weeks before classes started and I received my book the following week! This book is great, the graphics are more than helpful... they are insightful! Recommend highly!
Thank you for your prompt delivery and great quality!

I purchased this book when I was half way through massage therapy school. I wish I would have had it right from the start! It is a great book with amazing real pictures of muscles. I brought this book to class and about 1/2 the class wanted to order it! The instructor saw it and was going to look into getting it for future classes. Just get it; you won't be sorry you did. Money well spent!

This book is fantastic for all the reasons the other reviewers gave, but oh that's not all...the CD-ROM is fantastic really amazing. It's a great way to see the muscles again in another view. The images are of computer generated models to show the attachments and then there is a video of a therapist massaging the muscle. It took me months to watch this CD-ROM because I had no idea it was going to be this great. Buy this book it's well worth the money. Plus, it's a business expense!

This book is so beneficial as reference material. The images are unreal and so specific. At least four therapists I know have bought the book since flicking through my copy.

This is the most practical and informative book that teaches what you need to know and what is relevant...not filler material.

The principles of Somatics absolutely address all your aches and pains whereby you take control to put yourself back in place by training your muscles. Best if you can locate an instructor for class instruction to enhance the illustrations as well as add new exercises. It is most unfortunate that Thomas Hanna did not continue on earth to realize his contribution for so many.

The Somatic exercises have given me more fluidity and ease of movement that anything I've tried - Yoga, Pilates, Egoscue, physical therapy. I actually felt an amazing difference the first time I did these exercises. I continue to do them every day, I enjoy doing them because they allow me to move with far less discomfort and pain. The book may be a little challenging, but well worth the effort. Be sure to read it and then begin the exercises so you have a complete understanding of what the exercises are about and why they work. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know that has lower back/hip issues. The exercises have also been helpful in increasing the range of motion of my shoulder which was beginning to 'freeze up' for me. This book can change your life.

A friend recommended this to me after I had been incapacitated by back pain. I just woke up crippled by back pain one morning - the first time in my life. After weeks of doctors and little relief, I read the book and tried out the exercises. I immediately felt the benefits.

The book is organized as first, a series of case studies, which the author uses to illustrate his theory of muscle amnesia, followed by a series of illustrated exercises with detailed instructions. Anyone reading this book should first read the case studies before doing the exercises.

The author's objective is to help you reacquaint you with parts of your body that you have lost touch with - and therefore lost control of. He believes that much back and body pain is due to involuntary actions of muscle groups that we have forgotten how to control. By doing exercises and focusing on how they feel, we can regain sensation and control of our muscles. We can replace painful involuntary muscle actions with graceful voluntary ones.

All I can say is, the exercises - and theory - helped me, and I do the short version of the exercises most days. The exercises are not strenuous or painful - they are pleasurable and relaxing, leaving you feeling invigorated.

Hanna Somatics is very beneficial for all people. It really blows the "your just getting old" myth and is an easy method to feel better in your body at the same time as doing something to make it work better. It is easy reading and the pictures of the exercises at the end are helpful. However, the simplicity of the exercises does not translate well in the explanations, so it would be very helpful to find a Somatic Educator to go over the exercises with you once or twice. Well worth the price of the book.

I had severe chronic abdominal pain for the best part of a year. I had to quit my sport (rowing) and it really affected my studies. Truth is I was already beginning to realise that my problem was somatic and had begun to release the abdominal tension just by thinking about it. I discovered somatics after that. Personally I have found it an effective approach to releasing tension. It has worked for me but what I would like to know is whether it has worked for others?

The thing about this sort of book is that it is likely to attract positive reviews. We only see the successes and the failures are forgotten about thus distorting the reviews. Indeed this is a failure of the book itself. As a practitioner of somatics Hanna must have had people he could not help. What was their situation? How long did he work with them? As such the first part of the book which discusses case studies and its philosophical basis cannot be regarded as scientific. We can learn as much from failure as from success.

The only critical review at the time of writing is right to criticise the poor visibility of the skeleton diagrams. Others have criticised its lack of mention of the fact that there are people trained in somatic education. If you decide to take on the program then I advise you to go to someone trained in the movements otherwise you risk doing it wrong and wasting your time or at worst making your problem worse.

Somatics is not an alternative to Pilates or Yoga rather it takes certain aspects of those disciplines and refines them as well as adding some additional ideas not found in either. Pilates is about core stability, yoga is about... well yoga and somatics is about muscle tension. The book also fails to adequately put itself within context of other related disciplines.

Anyway, Somatics is a great discipline. I hope that the next edition works out these criticisms.

I agree with the reviewer that said that this book could have just as easily been written for women as well as men. I have several books on Pilates, but this one emphasizes strength development more than the others, while not at all downplaying the flexibility aspect. For instance, I had not seen the pushup in any of the other books I have on Pilates. For the number of pages, and exercises contained in this book, it is a great bargain!

This is an excellant guide to pilates with clear illustrations and directions that help show pilates moves.

My wife does pilates and she looks at this book also from time to time, so women can also use this.

This book is exactly what I needed. Exercises are well explained. No boring stuff around, goes straight to the point. I already feel better...

So worth the money. The cover and layout of the book are attractive, and the content does not disappoint. The language is clear and intensely helpful, and the sketches of the movements, which actually depict every essential step of each exercise, are some of the most useful I've encountered in books like this. The author really gives you everything you need to progress on your own, at your own pace, and finding new depths to each movement as you go. My body has never looked better. If your kinesthetic sense is such that you can learn well from a book, and you have an interest in Pilates, you should own this.

I've been practicing and teaching Pilates for years, and although I continue to be challenged by the original mat exercises, there are times that my students crave different exercises. I, too, have been increasingly curious about the Reformer on the Mat exercises, and though I've seen bits and pieces in other workouts, I haven't seen one that offers them in a cohesive system. This one does, showing not only the sequence the exercises should be performed in but also the different levels for each exercise (although most of them are quite challenging).

I do still have to shake my head and laugh at the need to market the system for men- anyone who has ever tried the Pilates pushups, Side Bends or Leg Pull Ups should already know that classical Pilates demands- and builds- upper body strength. However, in the text where Lyons notes that some of these exercises are exclusively for men- or individuals with significant upper body strength- I mostly agree. I happily cede the very tricky Headstand variations to male practitioners and instructors, although I will note that they are very similar to a number of movements from the Ashtanga Primary Series.

This is an excellent resource for male or female practitioners and instructors, and if it finally gets people to realize that Pilates is a real workout and not just a souped up abs and stretch routine, so much the better.

A truely amazing book. I found the illistrations easy to understand and the dialogue easy to read. A must for the body therapist

Tons of info. Takes a few extra minutes to process it all but worth the extra time for the added perspective.

I've had this book for a few years, and always take it with me when I go on retreat, and am still trying to absorb... though I've read and re-read the earlier chapters numerous times. I'm a yoga teacher and dietitian, so am fascinated by the science of movement at deeper levels and it's certainly here! Bless you, TM for your focus and perseverance to communicate at the level you do. Inspiring.

A must for any soft tissue therapist. This completes an understanding of how the body is affected by a series muscles.

A huge topic with tons of minutia that is broken down in an easy reading format. I really liked the way the book is set up. Great way to look at the body as a whole and to start thinking about alternative and complimentary modes of treatment up the kinetic chain that you may not think about before reading this book.

I believe that every Christian should read this book. It explains God's healing power in a very understandable and down to earth manner.

This book was extremely helpful to me. I never gave much thought to the healing ministry, mainly because it all seemed so foreign and so over-the-top. I thought all faith healers were a bunch of kooks and that miraculous healings were few and far between. It's sad that I thought all of that because I am a Christian and I grew up in a Christian home. Then I started dating this guy who felt called into the healing ministry. I was really troubled by this (and so was my family). So I started doing research. I didn't want to just bail out on anything if the healing ministry is valid, if it's real and it's of God. I came across this book and it explained it all for me. If you have doubts about the healing ministry, or you just need some more information... Read this book. It's amazing. There are some things in it than I have doubts about, but those are just small issues; trivial things that probably aren't that important. I like this book because Dr MacNutt isn't some radical, holy-rolling, throw-the-spirit-at-all-people kind of person. He is down to earth and he lays out the facts like they are. He doesn't claim to know the mysteries behind healing and even confesses that he, in no way, has all the answers. But this guy is experienced and it is well worth your time to read this book.

This is a very informative and helpful book. I recommend it for anyone striving for an understanding of hands-on healing. The book is written for any Christian, Catholic or Protestant, not just clergy.

This book has become the model I use for the healing ministry I lead.
Practical & Spirit led.

MacNutt has compiled the definitive work in Christian healing. Any church with or without a healing ministry would profit from a study of this book

Part one walks us through the usually explanations and rationale that a lot of people need as preparation for healing if they've grown up in naturalistic, materialistic educational systems. We need to be reminded of the plausibility that the transcendent God we believe in really does transcend. The only thing I might have found interesting that isn't included here would be a brief background of the philosophical foundations of modernity and rationalism, although it might not have been appropriate for MacNutt's intended audience.

Part two is an essential reminder of the necessity of faith and loving when it comes to healing. The book strikes a good balance between the theological, the practical, and the exhortative.


Part three is perhaps the most useful part of the work. It divides healing into four categories: forgiveness, emotional healing, physical healing, and exorcism. It gives careful analysis of each situation and practical approaches to prayer. I appreciate that when he comes to exorcism, he is neither dramatic nor shy.

Part four is a bit of a mishmash of last details. He gives twelve reasons why people may not be healed, talks about the presence of healing in the (seven) sacraments, and gives due consideration to the importance of secular medical care in addition to prayer.

Having watched a healing ministry be established and flourish at a church, I now wish retrospectively that this was the foundational text. Pragmatically, it is at least the notes on the growth of a healing ministry in a well-written, complete, and balanced form.

Rothschild does a great job of explaining the relationship between trauma and its impact on the body/mind and how listening to the body can play an important role in recovering from traumatic experiences.

It's quite technical and not the type of book I enjoy reading in sequence. I found it much more interesting to read different sections on a "need to know" basis. I was sometimes amazed at how well it applied to my own experiences.

Shipped quickly and in wonderful condition. A perfect book for anyone studying about trauma.

This book gives a very good explanation of trauma and some excellent examples of how to work with it. The information may not be new to those working in the field, but it is the clearest description of brain functioning and trauma that I have read and the treatments she offers are very usable. I highly recommend this book especially for those just learning about trauma or new to working with the clients body.

I read this book cover to cover. I found it extremely easy to read. I have recommended this book to several of my colleagues that assist patients with trauma. I feel like this book could be also given to patients. I felt it contained enough biological data to assist persons to understand the basis for the trauma response.

This book is wonderful. It is the best of many books I have read on trauma's effects and the treatment of trauma survivors. As a survivor myself, I found the book immensely calming. It illuminated many things I did not notice and explained so many parts of myself that I have lost touch with or no longer understand. Most importantly, it gave truly effective ways of communicating with myself and my body in order to calm myself and learn effective coping mechanisms.

Aside from all that, the book is just plain interesting. The mind-body connection is a fascinating thing. Wow!

When this book showed up I was a bit overwhelmed. It is more of a reference manual than practical reading, but this volume has SO MUCH valuable information! I will consult this often!

I have used this book for everything from looking up recipes to researching diets, cleanses, learning about vitamins, minerals and diseases. Every household should have this book!

Delivery was immediate and product was in the condition as described. I would buy from this vendor again!

This is exactly the book I've been looking for! Objective, to-the-point facts on nutrition, vitamins, eating habits, and other topics such as preservatives, toxins, etc. I've seen too many "fad" nutritional books that are biased toward either vegan/vegetarian, low carb, low fat, high fat-low carb, etc. This book seems to be objective enough to allow the readers to decide on their own what diet path to take. This book, a good diet, and exercise can stand on their own and I feel this book can last a long time as a good reference book. Personally, I prefer a well-rounded diet (including some red meat), chicken, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts. I lean toward organic or natural foods. Should readers decide to focus on another particular diet, they can supplement this book with one that follows their philosophy. I highly recommend this book as a stand alone or as a starting point to other diets.

This is an awesome book for anyone interested in nutrition. Very indepth text book style reading but worth every miniute!

I just heard this author speak at a teacher's conference. The material presented was excellent, and reflected the fresh and new approach of this book. I am so pleased that finally there is a book that treats the subject of body mechanics in a functional and practical way. This book is exactly what our profession has been waiting for. Buy it and enjoy!

If you are a massage student, therapist, or teacher of massage therapy, you should buy this book. It's the best book written on body mechanics. It provides all the information needed to sustain a healthy massage career. The burn-out rate for massage therapists is too short; this book will help to eliminate it.

I've been teaching massage for over 15 years, and in all that time I've never come across such a wonderful book on body mechanics. This book is a gem. As a teacher I find its content up-to-date and concise. The photos are clear, the exercises are brilliant, and the tips for students are an extra bonus. My students have learned an incredible amount from this book, and I see it in their work with each other. I wouldn't be without this book in the classroom, and my students will be so thankful for it after they graduate.

I was recently at a massage convention. This book was by far the best one there on the subject of body mechanics. Its functional approach, illustrations, layout, and overall format not only make it easy to use, but a pleasure as well. All others fail to brighten up an otherwise historically dry subject. It will relight your fire and renew your, perhaps neglected, promise of self-care!

If you are a therapist, of any kind, you must buy this book. I use mine almost everyday to help keep myself injury free - and so far, so good. I also use the "client education tips" regularly to education my clients. The book also has helpful "practice tips" which help me to remember good body mechanics when at the table. I love this book - so will you!

I have watched Dr. Jampolis on Tv for years and was excited when she wrote this book. It is very informative and helped me greatly!

Thank you Dr. Melina for this incredibly user-friendly book. I have always been interested in nutrition, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight, and I became very frustrated when, after having my kids, I couldn't get rid of that last 5-7 pounds despite perfectly adhering to Weight Watchers and calorie counting etc.

I finally met with a nutritionist who helped me create a lifelong way of eating that didn't involve counting calories or obsessing about points etc. I was able to lose the last 5 pounds and have kept it off. After seeing Dr. Melina on local TV, I was curious and bought her book. I was so pleased to find that her guidelines and principles are very similar to those that my nutritionist laid out to me. She presents these very sound principles in such an easy-to-follow way that I have been recommending her book to friends and patients in my practice.

Her principles will be helpful to anyone, whether you feel like you know everything about nutrition (I thought I did) or whether you're starting from scratch and want to start leading a healthier lifestyle. Dr. Melina is a physician who has dedicated her practice to nutrition, which engenders so much confidence in me as I read through her book. And this is also a way of eating that you will take with you for the rest of your life.

This book/diet is wonderful and very easy to incorporate into your busy schedule. Not to mention is small enough to carry around on vacations and to the office. Highly recommend it to anyone!!

I found this book to be very useful. It was a pleasure to read, fun actually. It helped me to finally take off the last few pounds I was trying to lose. I am a physician and found Dr. Jampolis's approach so easy, that I have recommended it to many of my patients. I like the simple recipes. Her tips on traveling and eating out are great. The information about cholesterol and diet is teriffic, too. Keep at it Dr. Jampolis.

For any one who has fought or is fighting the battle of the bulge ,The No Time to Lose Diet by Dr Jampolis is a MUST READ. It emphasizes permanent life style changes addressing behavior, exercise and nutrition. It gives realistic and attainable ways for not only losing weight but most importantly maintaining weight loss. It's doable for those who have hectic lives, are always on the go,juggling work, family and community responsibilities and still want to feel and look good. It deals with daily challenges faced in the real world and has strategies to over come them that can be incorporated into your life to achieve a healthier better you. I highly recommend it.

This book is great- between the detailed illustrations, the extensive lists of muscle functions and the breakdown of why the muscle does what it does, it really helped me to learn. The only think I didn't love is the order the muscles are listed in, in my brain they would have been logically grouped together a bit differently, especially when it comes to trunk muscles.

I bought this book after attending one of Dr. Muscolino's cadaver lab workshops. I highly recommend this book and, if you are thinking about a cadaver workshop, I recommend that as well. Dr. Muscolino is very knowledgeable, caring and sensitive.

It is nice to find a book dedicated to the muscular system. Although the graphics are simple (not photographic), the information and the lay out are great for learning and understanding of the muscles. The best pages in this book are those that lay out the muscular attachments of a region of the body.

Highly recommended for anyone that works in any field where the muscles are the focus!

Dr. Joseph E. Muscolino truly compiled the ultimate Musculoskeletal system anatomy textbook.

I esspicially found the Latin and Greek derivation section's to be very helpful in understanding the origins of the muscle names.

This author's logic and approach is unmatched.

Kudos to Dr. Joseph E. Muscolino!!!

This book is comprehensive in nature, scrupulous in detail, and the product of an obvious passion for the wealth of information to be found in our musculoskeletal system. As a massage therapist and perpetual student of the human body, I am glad to add this book to my library. It is well organized which makes it easy to reference whether I know the muscle, the bony landmark, or the general anatomical area of the body. Having so much information about an individual muscle in one book makes it easy to enhance or refresh my existing knowledge. I have opened the book just to refresh my knowledge of what an individual muscle looks like and found the illustrations clear. I have used the cross reference to find other muscles that might be adding to an existing muscular problem in a client. I have refreshed my awareness of an individual muscle by using the easy to follow palpation information. And I have added to my knowledge of individual muscle actions when helping a client isolate a muscle's tightness. Every time I have opened the book I have not been overwhelmed by what I do not know but rather come away feeling smarter.