Freedom to Move: Movement Therapy for Spinal Pain and Injuries

by Josephine Key

Overview

Freedom to Move offers an exercise blueprint for rehabilitating back and neck pain and the spinal dysfunction associated with many 'injuries'. This practical, evidence-informed resource is suitable for movement therapists of all disciplines, including physiotherapy, Pilates, yoga, Feldenkrais, and somatics.

In essence, Freedom to Move describes what goes wrong in the spine and what to do about it.
The 'deconstruction of movement patterns' helps the practitioner better understand both the healthy and the pathological movement patterns associated with all spinal pain disorders. It integrates the applicable contemporary neuroscience around spinal movement and pain and the related role of the fascial system with the author's clinical knowledge and her exploration of various movement approaches and their contribution - or otherwise - to spinal well-being. It explains the author's model of spinal dysfunction - the remediation of which forms the basis of the author's model of care for a healthier spine, The Key Approach®.

The book's main focus is on a therapeutic exercise/embodied movement approach, which addresses the common movement faults and dysfunctions seen in all people with spinal pain. In particular, the Fundamental Patterns of Control are reintroduced as important, innate 'key' movements which naturally provide the necessary foundations for healthy spinal control - but which have commonly been 'lost' in the movement repertoire of those with chronic spinal pain. These are re-established and reincorporated into various poses, movements and stretches by way of specifically directed mindful embodied movement explorations. The client is helped to regain more optimal function and move out of chronic pain with more efficiency and freedom.

This tailored approach to prescribing exercise for the spine is applicable within all industry models - for the rehabilitation of back and neck pain and stiffness, injury prevention, health promotion and fitness - and optimising spinal health in exercise programmes in general.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781909141933
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	09/01/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
File size:	27 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Josephine Key is a neuro-musculo-skeletal physiotherapist with over 45 years in clinical practice - of which the last 30 years or so have been devoted to seeking a better understanding of the spine in health - and its dis-ease. She gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy from Sydney University in 1984.

The evolution of her model of care, The Key Moves® Programme of Therapeutic Exercise and Movement, is the result of evaluating and integrating the available movement and neuroscience; the ample evidence gleaned from clinical practice; the exploration and evaluation of various movement disciplines (Body Mind Centering; various forms of Yoga; Somatics; Feldenkrais; Pilates; Gyrotonic, streams within the fitness industry) - for what they offer in terms of healthy spinal control - or otherwise. Josephine is increasingly exploring the felt sense of movement and the ability to exploit neuro-plastic change - 'retraining our brain' to organise healthier movement patterns and better biomechanics.

She has developed and continues to refine classes for spinal health - to help clients move without pain and gain enhanced function. Presently, her practice conducts over 40 'Key Moves'® classes a week. This unique programme has been running for over 16 years. Central to it is the re-establishment of important key Fundamental Patterns of Control - which also provide a vehicle to access restrictions in the fascial system, help to rebalance the muscular and nervous systems and restore optimal joint and soft tissue loading, It represents a paradigm shift for exercise therapy for the spine - both therapeutic and preventative.

Josephine has had a number of papers published on her work in the international peer reviewed journal, Bodywork and Movement Therapy. Her paper "The Core: Understanding it and retraining it'd dysfunction" was one of the journal's five most downloaded papers in 2014.

She is the author of the text book BACK PAIN: A movement problem. A clinical approach incorporating relevant research and practice - published by Elsevier, Edinburgh in 2010.

She has presented at the International World Congress on Low Back and Pelvic Pain in 2007, 2010&2013; the Fascia Research Congress in 2009, 2012&2015; The Physiotherapy New Zealand Conference 2014. She conducts workshops nationally and internationally for physiotherapists and interdisciplinary manual therapists and movement teachers.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Veronica C. S. Foster, MS, BCTMB, CHES, CSCS, CES (Northwestern Health Sciences University)
Description: This book is a synthesis of clinical and scientific evidence about the functional movement of the spine and movement therapy treatment strategies for spinal dysfunction and pain. Many exercises are provided to be used as part of the spinal rehabilitation model presented by the author.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide clinicians with an innovative strategy for rehabilitation of spinal disorders, dysfunction, and pain. This is a worthy objective and the book is needed in the field of movement therapy because of the high prevalence of spinal disorders and idiopathic back pain. This book meets its objective by exploring the topic at a high scientific level and offering many solutions for commonly encountered dysfunctions.
Audience: This book is written for movement educators and bodyworkers of all kinds who are interested in reinforcing good movement patterns, re-educating areas with dysfunction, and refining movement. The author meets the needs of clinicians by offering a strong scientific foundation for the ideas presented, and many ways to apply the principles in clinical practice. The author is highly credible and qualified as the founder of Edgecliff Physiotherapy Sports and Spinal Centre in Sydney, Australia, among other relevant credentials.
Features: A glossary of terms and abbreviations at the beginning of the book ensures that readers are familiar with the basics of what will be discussed. The rest of the book is divided into two sections. The first explores the movement patterns, biomechanics, and pathomechanics of the spine to lay a foundation for executing a treatment plane. The second section offers strategies for working with an individual to assess and treat the spine. This section includes detailed information about assessment of the spine and spinal movement, many exercises that may be applied clinically, and ideas about how to construct a 10-week class for spinal pain and injuries.
Assessment: This is a worthwhile addition to the field of movement science because of the detailed, scientific focus on the proprioception, motor control, and movement of the spine that inform the multitude of options for movement therapy treatment. This is a unique book and there are no others like it that offer this depth of information about these topics. As a movement therapist, I plan to study this book in detail and integrate the principles it teaches into my practice moving forward.

Doody's Review Service