The American Physical Therapy Association Book of Body Repair and Maintenance: Hundreds of Stretches and Exercises for Every Part of the Human Body by Marilyn Moffat, Steve Vickery

Synopsis

The new standard in fitness books, featuring hundreds of at-home stretches and exercises. At last, the first complete, fully illustrated compium of stretching and exercises for every part of the body, backed by the experience and medical and scientific authority of the American Physical Therapy Association. Each exercise in the book has been prepared and reviewed by a special editorial board, chaired by Dr. Marilyn Moffat, president emeritus of the APTA, and widely considered to be the preeminent expert in the field.

Broken down into three major sections, the book first offers illustrated descriptions of the structure and mechanics of each major body part, explaining what can go wrong and how to properly care for that area. A middle section provides general information on posture, body mechanics, weight control, aerobic conditioning, and maintenance programs. Each chapter references the main part of the book, the catalog of exercises.

Annotation

"...a fully illustrated compendium of stretching & exercises backed by the American Physical Therapy Association...covers structure & mechanics of each major body part & provides information on posture, weight control, maintenance, etc."

Kirkus Reviews

From the profession that sets the standards for injury prevention and rehabilitation, a well-laid-out, thorough guide to avoiding musculoskeletal injury and diagnosing and treating it when it does occur. Physical therapist Moffat (president emeritus of the APTA) and co-author Vickery's emphasis is on the casual athlete over 30 years of age: "as midlife approaches, the aging process and increasing inactivity can transform many every day activities into minefields of pootential aches, pains and injuries" (and serious athletes work at a higher level intensity than is addressed here). Looking at the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and related structures, the authors first cover nine body areas most often affected: back, neck, jaw, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, hip, knee, and ankle/foot. For each, there is instruction on preventing injury, diagnosis of problems (from mild soreness through strain, sprain, and worse), what self-help measures to take, and when to go for professional help. In part two, the authors cover muscle, tendon, and ligament fitness and injury prevention in general, especially the importance of incorporating the three elements of fitness—strength, flexibility and endurance—into any exercise endeavor. Finally, part three offers a comprehensive menu of specific exercises from which readers can design a regimen that meets their needs. The language is easily understandable, and readers are put straight on many commonly misused terms (for instance, whiplash). The same ground as Feldman, then (see p. TKTK), with more extensive background information and a more serious tone. (500 line drawings)