Main description:

Combining 25 years of clinical, research and teaching experience, Dr Lisa Harvey provides an innovative 5-step approach to the physiotherapy management of people with spinal cord injury. Based on the International Classification of Functioning, this approach emphasises the importance of setting goals which are purposeful and meaningful to the patient. These goals are related to performance of motor tasks analysed in terms of 6 key impairments. The assessment and treatment performance of each of these impairments for people with spinal cord injury is described in the following chapters:

training motor tasks
strength training
contracture management
pain management
respiratory management
cardiovascular fitness training

Dr Harvey develops readers' problem-solving skills equipping them to manage all types of spinal cord injuries. Central to these skills is an understanding of how people with different patterns of paralysis perform motor tasks and the importance of differentmuscles for motor tasks such as:

transfers and bed mobility of people
wheelchair mobility
hand function for people with tetraplegia
standing and walking with lower limb paralysis

This book is for students and junior physiotherapists with little or no experience in the area of spinal cord injury but with a general understanding of the principles of physiotherapy. It is also a useful tool for experienced clinicians, including those keen to explore the evidence base that supports different physiotherapy interventions.

Contents:

Section 1: The Bare Essentials

Chapter 1: Background information

Chapter 2: A framework for physiotherapy management

Section 2: Understanding how people with paralysis perform motor tasks

Chapter 3: Transfers and bed mobility for people with lower limb paralysis

Chapter 4: Wheelchair mobility

Chapter 5: Hand function of people with tetraplegia

Chapter 6: Standing and walking with lower limb paralysis

Chapter 7: Training Motor tasks

Chapter 8: Strength training

Chapter 9: Contracture management

Chapter 10: Pain management

Chapter 11: Respiratory management

Chapter 12: Cardiovascular fitness training

Section 3: Environmental factors

Chapter 13: Wheelchair seating

Section 4: The way forward

Chapter 14: Evidence-based physiotherapy

Appendix: Innervation of muscles