Dr. Pascarelli's Complete Guide to Repetitive Strain Injury : What You Need to Know About RSI and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Rating:
Summary: An author with authority, knowledge, a book that is helpful
Review: In a publishing climate and a culture where behind every commercial publication, you just know lurks some author and editor with $$$ in her or his eyes--particularly in such how to books like become rich in real estate, write a best selling novel, how homeopathy cured my pet anaconda, I found this book extremely informative, passionate about its subject, sincere, clearly written yet precisely and expertly penned. Dr. Pacarelli has taken a lifetime of experience (he says he's treated 6,000 cases of RSI) and provided a clear explanation of the many causes of the disorder. I had suffered from it for about a year, had gone to specialists to no avail. I scanned the entire book the evening I got it, and so many things became clear to me. I went to another specialist and knew just the questions to ask and I started improving in three days. You will learn that "carpal tunnel" syndrome, which is the media's and layperson's term for disorders arising many from keyboarding (in the past typical sufferers were more likely to be musicians, sewers, sign language interpreters, etc.) is the diagnosis in only EIGHT percent of the cases of hand and arm damage. After reading this book, you won't go around telling people you have CT without informed opinion. Dr Pascarelli explains it all: there are anatomical charts of the muscle system, the nerve system, photographs of hand & arm anomolies among sufferers, diagrams & photos of the wrong way and the right way to sit at a computer station (I spent about an hour and a half readjusting my seat and computer and bought a split keyboard). The latter is a godsend to my hands. You will learn why your average doctor, even orthopedists don't make proper diagnoses, even treatment plans, and often lack the knowledge of the big picture of RSI that affects not just nerves, but soft tissue, musculature, mood, and a lot more. You will be given a chapter of illustrated exercise routines. You will learn (and understand through experience)that splints are basically worthless and often harmful (except perhaps for sleeping). You will learn a host of treatment modalities--some described in detail, lesser mainstream ones like Alexander Technique, Feldenkreis, and Rolfing--which he is not adverse to trying. He also is up to date enough to discuss ergonomic devices like voice activated software and the like. To sum up, this book is written in a compassionate, authoritive, supportive tone. The author doesn't show any indication of wanting to make big bucks. As an Emeritus Professor of medicine at a major hospital, I'm sure he has made all he needs at this point. Most self-help books give me the feeling the self being most helped is the author. Here is a book that is full of wisdom in the tradition of transmitting knowledge the old fashioned way--from a "tribal leader" offering a method of getting along in the world. It is truly a book where you won't doubt the author's intentions and judgments.