Right in the Middle: Selective Trunk Activity in the Treatment of Adult Hemiplegia

What is it that characterises Pat Davies' second book about hemi­ plegia and makes it so special? It is a book which committed ther­ apists can really use in their practical work with patients. We ther­ apists need such books. The engagement and enthusiasm must come from us. It is similar to a good cookbook. Admittedly one has to know something about cooking but when learning the secrets of haute cuisine - not just the expensive frills but the real refinement- then theoretical dissertations are not very helpful. In practice com­ ments like "you just have to have the right touch" are useless. Many books are disappointing because the reader cannot learn how to put theory into practice, as the author does not disclose the true secrets of his success, perhaps not really wanting the eager stu­ dents to "bake a good cake" for example. Such is not the case with this book. In the first theoretical chap­ ter "The Normal Trunk - Evolutionary and Anatomical Consider­ ations" the reader is given information about the significance of the normal anatomical relationships in the development of the body segments: the pelvis, thorax and head. The second chapter, "Aspects of Trunk Control", deals with the muscular control of movement within each of these inherently mobile segments. In the terminology of "Functional Kinetics" the different types of muscle activities are described, defining the importance of the selective use of the musculature in reaction to the pull of gravity.