Prevention Practice: A Physical Therapist's Guide to
Health, Fitness, and Wellness
Mary Jean Gelsomino
PHYS THER. 2008; 88:410-411.
doi: 10.2522/ptj.2008.88.3.410
The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, can be
found online at: http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/88/3/410
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Book, Multimedia,
and Software Reviews
Prevention Practice: on pregnancy, and the chapter on ficial attention to the examination
A Physical Therapist’s Guide older adults focuses on prevention and intervention tools that physi-
to Health, Fitness, and special considerations related cal therapists need to engage in
and Wellness to aging. Chapter 10 discusses re- best prevention practice.
Thompson CR, ed. Thorofare, NJ 08086, sources to optimize health and well-
The information presented in this
Slack Inc, 2007, hardcover, 296 pp, ISBN: ness. Chapter 11 discusses health
978-1-55642-617-9, $47.95. text is current and up to date.
promotion and addresses injury
Examples of screening tools for
Holistic and preventive approach- prevention from a broad perspec-
health, wellness, and fitness are
es to healthy living are important tive, including sections on violence,
provided, but validity and reli-
aspects of health care and main- falls, alcoholism, and prevention of
ability of the instruments are not
tenance. This book combines the hearing loss. Chapters 12 through
discussed. The measures present-
nation’s health care goal of in- 15 address prevention practice for
ed, however, are readily available
creasing access to, and improving musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary,
and the psychometric properties
the quality of, health care with the neuromuscular, and integumentary
are obtainable elsewhere. Refer-
American Physical Therapy Associ- conditions. Chapter 16 specifically
ences from primary, peer-reviewed
ation’s (APTA) Vision 2020 goal of addresses prevention practice for
sources are provided and supple-
extending the scope of preventive people with developmental dis-
mented with government resourc-
care through direct access. The ed- abilities. Advocacy is promoted
es and appropriate Internet sites.
itor and her contributors introduce and discussed in chapter 17, and
key concepts of health, fitness, and the chapter includes sugges- This book is well written. The
wellness to the intended audience tions for advocacy at local, state, editor and her contributors present
of physical therapist clinicians and national, and global levels with the information in a sequence that
physical therapist students. guidance for developing advocacy builds from the basic introductory
skills. Chapters 18 and 19 provide information to applications and on
The first 3 chapters present an
overviews of marketing health and to healthy and special populations
overview of a holistic perspective of
wellness and a business model for across the lifespan. The book’s
health and the physical therapist’s
managing a prevention practice. usefulness to physical therapists in
relationship to health and wellness
different practice settings is con-
promotion, related Healthy People This book provides an overview of
veyed in the system-specific chap-
2010 goals, and all aspects of fit- prevention practice that addresses
ters. Those who want to establish
ness. Chapter 4 addresses fitness the needs of physical therapists
a prevention practice to promote
training and summarizes types who would like to develop and
health, fitness, and wellness will
of exercise, activities for special expand their practice to include
find the last 2 chapters especially
populations, and screening and health, fitness, and wellness pro-
helpful. Chapters that are writ-
preparation for exercise. It also motion. Although the scope is
ten with contributing authors are
presents a formula for exercise comprehensive, physical therapist
consistent in format and style
prescription that includes the students will find that other text-
with the rest of the book. Tables
element of enjoyment. Precau- books cover this content more
and figures are used effectively to
tions and special considerations thoroughly than this book. The
complement and supplement the
are discussed, and models re- text refers superficially to many
text. Additional resources provide
lated to preparedness for exercise, aspects of physical therapist ex-
links to a comprehensive array of
sustenance of exercise, and fitness amination and intervention as
information designed to promote
programs are presented. The need components of prevention prac-
health, fitness, and wellness. The
for community support for physi- tice. Students in physical therapist
exercises in the downloadable
cal activity is strongly supported. education programs will need to
instructor’s guide are appropri-
obtain in-depth information about
Screening for health, fitness, and ate and provide opportunities for
those procedures through instruc-
wellness is reviewed in chapter students to explore and apply the
tion and from other texts. For ex-
5. Chapters 6 through 9 address principles of health promotion in
ample, in chapter 3, many exami-
issues related to health, fitness, all aspects of physical therapist
nation procedures are presented
and wellness for children and practice.
without discussion of validity and
adolescents, adults (specifically
reliability or indications for selec-
women), and older adults. The
tion of procedures. The greatest
chapter related to women focuses
weakness of this text is its super-
410 ■ Physical Therapy Volume 88 Number 3 March 2008
Downloaded from http://ptjournal.apta.org/ by guest on December 13, 2014
Book, Multimedia, and Software Reviews
Prevention Practice appropri- the preventive component of their recent graduates with a desire to
ately describes the topic of health, practice will find this book very specialize in prevention practice
fitness, and wellness promotion helpful. It provides a focused in- should use this text as a primary
and provides guidance to develop, troduction to the topic, and many resource.
establish, and maintain such a resources are provided with the
practice. The editor intended this editor’s expert guidance on those Mary Jean Gelsomino
book as a complement to the resources and how best to use
MJ Gelsomino, PT, DPT, is Assistant Professor
Guide to Physical Therapist Prac- them. Instructors in physical thera- of Physical Therapy, Utica College, Utica,
tice, and the book provides links pist education programs may find NY.
to the Healthy People 2010 goals: that this book is a useful primary
to improve health and access to text, as it is currently the only text [DOI: 10.2522/ptj.2008.88.3.410]
health care for all Americans. available that addresses the topic
specifically in relation to physical
This book is meant to be used as
therapist practice. The instructor’s
a resource for physical therapists
manual provides effective exer-
across practice settings. Physical
cises for each chapter. Students or
therapists who wish to develop
YOU’VE WORKED HARD. YOU’VE PUT IN LONG HOURS. IT’S TIME
TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR EXPERTISE. IT’S TIME TO GET CERTIFIED.
“NYU’s Physical Therapy Department has recognized the importance of making its physical therapy graduates highly competitive
in the practice arena by becoming Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists. Holding this credential says a lot about their
level of strength training and conditioning knowledge.”
— DR. MARILYN MOFFAT, CSCS
PRESIDENT, WORLD CONFEDERATION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY
FULL PROFESSOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Take your career farther as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® or
NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer®. Find out more and view preparation materials and
exam locations online at www.nsca-cc.org. GO FARTHER
See Reader Service No 3 at www.apta.org/adinfo
March 2008 Volume 88 Number 3 Physical Therapy ■ 411
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Prevention Practice: A Physical Therapist's Guide to
Health, Fitness, and Wellness
Mary Jean Gelsomino
PHYS THER. 2008; 88:410-411.
doi: 10.2522/ptj.2008.88.3.410
Subscription http://ptjournal.apta.org/subscriptions/
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