Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Practitioner's Manual

This is one of the most comprehensive texts for rehabilitation of the spine I have seen in over 10 years of practice. As a physical therapist, I've learned that spine rehabilitation requires a broad knowledge of techniques, since every spine patient is different. The modern practitioner needs to have an ecelctic approach to rehabilitation since no 2 patients are alike, even with the same diagnosis. Dr. Liebenson has done a great job in providing the scientific and clinical application of a variety of spine rehabilitation principles with a multidisciplinary approach including a virtual "who's who" of physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and researchers from around the world. Of particular interest to me is the Czech approach to spinal rehabilitation based on contributions from legendary physicians Vladimir Janda and Karel Lewit. Top researchers including Bogduk, McGill, and Hodges also present the latest evidence-based interventions. I was quite pleased to see the amount of photographs and diagrams illustrating specific techniques and exercises, which is even further enhanced with videos on the enclosed DVD. Long gone (I hope) are the days of "hot packs, ultrasound and massage" as the treatment of choice for low back pain. We know that exercise is the most important component in back rehabilitation, but we must first be able to accurately assess the patient and prepare the tissues for exercise programs specific to the patient needs and goals. Dr. Liebenson and his contributors have given us the tools do do just that... they have captured a virtual paradigm shift in the way we approach the assessment and rehabilitation of the spine. I highly recommend this textbook for any healthcare professional treating spine patients.

For any clinician that works with the spine, this is a must have. Dr. Liebenson is a pioneer in manual therapy and chiropractic and this book shows it. It is loaded with tons of information from many of the leaders in their fields. Whether you want to learn about the functional paradigm in manual medicine or want to learn how to diagnose low back disorders, this book has what you need. This is one of the few books that is based on the biopsychosocial model. My chiropractic education was mostly founded on the structural paradigm, so this book expanded my knowledge base quite a bit. I have read this book cover to cover, and I frequently reference this text as it has so much information. I would have loved to see a little more pain physiology included, but that's just me wanting more information. Like I said in the beginning, this is a must have for anyone in the chiropractic or physical therapy professions working with spinal patients.

Great book. Easy to follow and a great tool for supplementary learning.

Good book, huge emphasis on literature review. Information isn't groundbreaking but does a very good job of establishing the basics and offering treatment options

An excellent collection of ideas from many different approaches. Understanding the core ideas in this book is essential for any therapist or doctor treating spinal conditions conservatively.

This is the seminal book on spinal rehabilitation today. This book should be in every single physical medicine practitioners library.

this is just the book I needed for my class. It fulfilled the requirements of the class I just completed.

I am not a practitioner. I was told by my graduating son this book was number one on his list. I purchased it for his graduation gift. Very pleased.