Physiotherapy March 2000/vol 86/no 3

161

Book reviews

American Council on Exercise, San Diego, California Distributed by Windsor Books International, Oxford1999 (ISBN 1 890720 00 3). 514 pages

edited by R T Cotton and R E Andersen £35This interesting book provides a comprehensive understandingof exercise prescription for those with chronic conditions. It isaimed at the American market, specifically for clinical exercisespecialists (CES) who complete the American Council ofExercise training. However, it would be of use to all whoprescribe exercise for those with chronic illness or disability.

Section 1, in four chapters, details the scope of practice of the CES, his/her interaction with clients and the medicalcommunity and screening procedures. Section 2 coverscardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary arterydisease, peripheral vascular disease and selected disorders, suchas pacemakers. Each chapter presents case studies to illustratethe exercise prescription as well as information on the pathologyand medical management. Pulmonary disease (asthma and

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), metabolic disease(diabetes mellitus, obesity, blood lipid disorders) andimmunological/haematological disorders (cancer, arthritis,AIDS) are represented by separate sections (and chapters). Theneurological section includes discussions on fibromyalgia, gaitand balance, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease andtraumatic brain injury. Section 7 considers exercise followingorthopaedic rehabilitation musculoskeletal challenges (low back pain, osteoporosis, soft tissue injury). The chapter onmusculoskeletal challenges focuses on soft tissue injury andwould not be challenging reading for a qualified physiotherapist.The final section includes chapters on visual impairments,intellectual disability, psychological disturbance and frailty.

Each chapter is well written by experts in the fields ofmedicine, sport and exercise science and athletic training.Careful editing makes the book easy to read. Brief referencing atthe end of each chapter reassures the reader that some of thecontent is evidence based.

As a practical guide to exercise prescription this book is good,but for students/academics engaged in postgraduate activity itmay be a little elementary. Despite this it would be a usefuladdition to university and hospital libraries.

Jane Hall MPhil MCSP

Clinical Exercise Specialist ManualACE's source for training specialpopulations

Illustration from the ‘Gait and balance’ section of ‘Clinical Exercise Specialist Manual’: Vertical green bars are periods of double-limb stance (right and left feet). Horizontal stippled bars represent single-limb support (single stance). Total stance includesthree intervals: initial double stance, single-limb support and next (terminal) double stance. Swing is the clear bar that followsterminal double stance. Note that right single-limb support is the same time interval as left swing. During right swing there isleft single-limb support. Third vertical bar (double stance) begins the next gait cycle.

SwingRight

SwingLeft

InitialDouble Limb

Stance

Single LimbStance

TerminalDouble Limb

Stance

Swing Double LimbStance

SwingRight

SwingLeft