Is manual spinal adjustment on its own enough? With a focus on active care and patient-oriented treatment, we, as doctors of chiropractic and manual medicine providers, may augment our treatment plans with patient instruction. Are we doing the right thing? Was what we were taught in college current and researched?
These questions and more are answered in Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Dr McGill, professor of Spine Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada, provides research and applicable information to properly implement exercise programs tailored to our individual patients. “Always consider the objective of the approach and technique. There is no such thing as a safe or dangerous exercise only an ill-prescribed exercise for the individual.” This motto drives the text, directing us to individualize patient exercise regimes for success.
Dr McGill's writing style is succinct with the personable inclusion of various pieces of information including the author's thoughts, experiences (both personal and professional), case studies, and his scientific research. His writing delivers results. I gained the feeling that the author was speaking to me as I was reading. Another highlight was the good anatomical referencing without being rudimentary, but rather lending support to the text. I gained further appreciation for Dr McGill's delivery style when specific steps and instructions with applicable scientific research were included but without scientific jargon; this is a highly readable text.
What I found most helpful was the information regarding measurement of capabilities of athletes, tips on how to understand the particular sport requirements, and how to correlate this information. Included: Stage 1—Motion patterns, motor patterns. Stage 2—Build whole body and joint stability. Stage 3—Increase endurance. Stage 4—Build strength. Stage 5—Develop power, agility. An overlay for all stages, including the position of performance, aids in synthesis, and application of this material.
Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance does not present as glossy as Dr McGill's first book, Low Back Disorders. For example, the photographic quality is a little “home studio” but clear enough to understand with the adjoining text descriptions. Unfortunately, the text presents with a bit of the feeling of a work in progress. However, this is overridden by the fact that there is inclusion of Dr McGill's previous work, which serves as well-needed review, and delivers state-of-the-art material from one of our best physiological researchers.
One last drawback was the lack of website or up-to-date references by which I could further study state-of-the-art information of which Dr McGill would approve. Excellent referencing was included in each chapter, for which I will have to do a bit more legwork.
With the guidance of this text we are able to provide support in our patient's ultimate performance, whether they are high-level athletes or office workers attempting to maintain a healthy, pain-free spine while working. “Ultimate performance is achieved when all components (biomechanical, physiological and motor control systems together with the technical and mental ‘skill’ variables) are optimally functioning and peaking together.”
This well-founded information allows our offices to provide programs which best prepare our patients to be the ultimate performers in their undertakings.
Dr McGill's book may be purchased on his website http://www.backfitpro.com/, for about $35, along with Low Back Disorders, about $46.
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