Book Review: Rehabilitation in Movement Disorders

Authors: Robert Iansek and Meg E. Morris
Cambridge University Press (2013)

Review by Victor McConvey- RN MACN
(Note: Mr. McConvey is a co-contributor for a chapter on nursing)
Clinical Nurse Consultant, Health Information Team Manager
Parkinson’s Victoria Melbourne, Australia

October 2013

This newly published text edited by Melbourne-based Health Movement Disorder Neurologist Professor Robert Iansek and Professor Meg E. Morris, a specialized physiotherapist, is an excellent representation of the need for a multidisciplinary approach to providing best practice care for people living with Movement Disorders. The book its self represents a team approach and has contributions from movement disorders professionals from around the world.

This reference is well set out combining pictures, graphics and tables with well written text to provide a succinct introduction to the field of movement disorders.

The first two sections of "Rehabilitation in Movement Disorders" provide a sound foundation clearly explaining the neuroanatomy and pathophysiology of movement disorders. The medical and surgical treatment options are clearly explained further complementing this sound foundation.

The subsequent chapters are dedicated to a comprehensive discussion of the roles of individual disciplines have in managing movement disorders. These chapters provide insight into the specialized work of the individual disciplines and how they related to each other and the value of taking an interdisciplinary approach to managing these complex conditions.

The approach taken where the focus is on movement disorders, with comments on specific conditions as needed, is particularly valuable, recognizing that often the interventions required are similar across movement disorders, and that professionals providing the support will encounter people living with the range of movement disorders in specialist clinics.

In addition to the comprehensive information in regard to movement disorders, Section 4 provides a synopsis of the principles of rehabilitation of specific movement disorders, including Dystonia, Parkinsonian conditions, Huntington’s Chorea, Friedreich's ataxia. Also included in this section are two chapters dedicated to rehabilitation in development disorders and in children with cerebral palsy post surgery, again reflecting the practice areas of most movement disorders clinicians.

An elegant summary of the outcome measures used to evaluate rehabilitation in movement disorders provides a fitting conclusion to a textbook which is comprehensive and is sure to be invaluable to clinicians working in movement disorders and those encountering people living with movement disorders in their clinical practice.