Stroke Rehabilitation - Two Views Treatment with lnterferential Current, bv

Restoration of Motor Function in the Stroke Patient, by Margaret 'Johnstone MCSP. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 3rd edn, 1987 (ISBN 443 033 986). Illus. 128 pages. €9.95.

Written by Margaret Johnstone who has many years of experience treating stroke patients, this book is for team members, however with little or no significance given to the patient's family, doctor, social worker or clinical psychologist. This book is easy to read with a clear layout and illustrations, individual chapters being devoted to the role of the nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist.

Some ideas are controversial, making the author's views very individual, such as the method for getting a patient out of bed by nursing staff or the possible use of hyperbaric oxygen (quite likely to be contra- indicated for a patient with high blood pressure or after any thrombotic/embolic event). An emphasis for physiotherapists is given to weight bearing, particularly on the arm, however few of the precautions to be taken in relation to these techniques are mentioned, particularly where changes in tone around the scapula are evident,

Controlled walking shown in 'Restoration of Motor function in the Stroke Patient'

possibly leading to a painful shoulder. Newly qualified staff and students should

take particular care in their interpretation of 'resistance', a term frequently used but easily misused, leading perhaps to increased spasticity and abnormal patterns of movement.

The author's conclusions attempt to indicate a timing of recovery. However, this does not demonstrate an integrated team but a two-week period of bed rest supervised by nursing staff after which physiotherapy has a prime role to play.

This is a possible addition to the depart- ment library for the junior therapist who is able to discern the appropriate use of the recommended techniques.

M SIMPSON MCSP

The purpose of this book, as described by the author, is to 'present a treatment concept based on handling the brain damage of stroke in such a way as to control the distribution of the patient's muscle tone, at all times, in order to give back to the individual patient inhibitory control over abnormal patterns of movement, restoring postural control, and leading to a re-learned more normal response'.

The concept has been developed by the author, over forty years in the clinical field. Her yardstick is 'if it works, use it'!

The contents of the book include chapters on controlled movement, positioning, sensory loss, broad treatment plan, assess- ment and postscripts by the author and a patient.

The third edition of thistitle discusses the author's opinions on methods of manage- nient which include the use of inflatable splints for maintaining limbs in inhibiting positions and rocking chairs for re-education of sensory loss.

Each section finishes with a concluding paragraph, summarising the important points again. However, it was not sufficiently clear to me what the author meant by the use of resistance in her treatment programme.

There is a good glossary, appendix and ideas for further reading. This book makes interesting reading for an experienced neuro- logical physiotherapist and could be a useful addition to a physiotherapy department I i brar y.

8 SYMONDS MCSP

Lilyana Nikolova MD DSc, Churchill Living- stone, Edinburgh, 1987 (ISBN 0 443 031 72 X). Illus. 190 pages. €22.50.

Professor Nikolova writes with consider- able authority on the use of interferential currents, being supported by 23 years of practical experience treating hundreds of patients.

This edition, the first in English, is an up- dated and expanded version of her second Bulgarian book, and includes some new clinical and research material.

The applications of interferential currents in the UK have been limited primarily to the relief of pain, stimulation of circulation, stress incontinence and the treatment of musculo- skeletal disorders. The techniques which form the major part of this book cover a much broader spectrum, and include gynaecological problems, the treatment of sterility, diseases of the urinary, cardiothoracic, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. This is followed by a final section, forming nearly half of the book, on surgical conditions. These range from Buerger's disease to chilblains, delayed bony union and Sudeck's atrophy, to ruptured tendons, frozen shoulder, chrondromalacia and open wounds.

Explanation of the physics is kept to the basic essentials, with space devoted to the comparisons between interferential, ultra- sound and magnetotherapy. There is also some discussion on the use of combined treatments in which ultrasound and inter- ferential are used together.

The book comes with a plasticised hard- back cover, and is well laid out to enable readers to find the various sections with ease. It provides a much-needed insight into the way interferential therapy works and can be applied to beneficial effect in a very broad spectrum of diseases and conditions. Without doubt it will considerably expand the intelli- gent use of this modality.

An excellent buy, and recommended to all who are involved in the thoughtful application of electrotherapeutic measures as part of their treatment routines.

CHRISTOPHER R HAYNE FCSP

Redundancy: IDS Employment Law Handbook 37. Income Data Services Ltd, Subscriptions Dept, 193 St John Street, London EClV 4LS (tel01-250 34341, 1987. 131 paws. Available to IDS subscribers only..Trial subscription €1 5

Reminiscence with Elderly People, by on the confused elderly, where reminiscing Andrew Norris. Winslow Press, London, proves to be helpful in identifying and 1986 (ISBN 0 86388 041 X). Illus. 72 pages. sometimes eliminating causes of their €7.95. confusion.

The author has had a lot of experience Occupational therapists will find them- with the elderly, and particular interest in selves more at home with the formal use reminiscence based work, H~ explains of the technique suggested, but the applied clearly how this technique provides a means use of the PhilosoPhy of reminiscing will by which the contact between elderly people enhance Contact between any therapist Or and others can be increased, both in quantity carer and the and quality. I would, therefore, recommend this book-

The book is divided into brief practical let as a very worth-while contribution to a chapters, each with their own precise mt.ans of increased quality in the care of the summary, After identifying the role of elderly. It is useful enough to be owned by reminiscing, the following chapters provide individuals, but should, I feel, be available

for use of this technique in hospitals in geriatric units and honies for the elderly.

and homes for the elderly, and with groups and individuals. I especially like the section GISELA CREED MCSP

This handbook replaces a previous publica- tion, 'Handbook 24'. Written by lawyers for non-lawyers it goes through the steps involv- ed in redundancy situations and examines who is entitled to redundancy pay, how it is calculated, what steps should be taken by employers if there is a recognised union, and aspects which could make a redundancy dis- missal unfair.

The book aims to convert a complicated and ever-changing area of law into everyday terms and language. The book also uses practical examples of redundancy to illustrate legal points, and so attempt to facilitate understanding. The handbook is written for employers, and may be useful for physio- therapy managers, District physiotherapists and anyone involved in a redundancy situation.

50 physiotherapy, January 1988, vol74, no 7