Customer Reviews

The Massage Connection: Anatomy and Physiology (Lww Massage Therapy & Bodywork Series)

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

A previous reviewer stated that this textbook was clearly thrown together as the "the only A & P text written for massage therapists" and I couldn't agree more.

Not only is the text unclear, but it's often simply wrong regarding common aspects of anatomy and other terms. One entry lists medial epicondylitis as tennis elbow (the correct common name is golfer's elbow, as tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis). Later in the text, it lists "lumbrosacral" as one nerve plexus...up until this book, I've never heard of these two separate nerve plexuses (the lumbar and the sacral) listed as one item. These are just two of the larger, more obvious errors I found during my time with this textbook.

I understand that as students, there isn't much choice as to what text you have to use. But for all the instructors out there, stay away from this text. There are literally hundreds of other A & P texts out there that may not be specifically targeted at MTs, but are simply far superior texts. I'm certain that students would get far more from those texts than they'd ever get from this hastily thrown together mess.

I used this book as one of my references for learning anatomy and physiology in massage school. The book is pretty easy-to-understand and I think it definitely helped me through school. I also loved Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations Volume 1 and Volume 2 by Patrick Leonardi. These had great questions to review for my A and P tests. There were lots of pertinent questions that were needed for preparing for my exams. These three books made learning A and P much easier for me.

I was attracted to this book because it seemed specific to massage therapy. But there are many, many typos and a few careless mistakes of the golfer/tennis elbow sort mentioned in an instructor's review elsewhere. There is also a more serious matter of what I can only describe as seeming intent to bias the student with regard to her or his understanding of HIV/AIDS . The copy I have is the 2004 Second Edition.

On Page 528 is a box with the title "Food For Thought..." The information in it details, among other things, the large cost of treating a person with AIDS, the secondary infections that persons with AIDS may transfer to others, and the suggestion that because persons with AIDS use multiple antibiotics over a long time, the risk of microorganisms developing that are resistant to antibiotics is increased.

What is the purpose of singling out AIDS in this way? The costs of organ transplants and cancer treatments, which also involve suppressed immune systems, secondary infections, and antibiotics - are not highlighted in this way or indeed at all. As infectious agents, Clostridium difficile, MRSA, and a host of others, leave HIV far behind. Nor is the reader encouraged to ponder these in like manner. I was shocked to think that the author, a physician and an educator, would be anything but neutral in the presentation of her material.

Gerald Tortora's texts are, I think, better in every way. For one thing, they are co-authored; he is not out there on his own with only graduate students helping him. Tortora's "Anatomy and Physiology for the Manual Therapies", for example, is written with anatomist and massage therapist Andrew Kuntzman. It too has typos and I believe at least two, although small, errors: the insertions for the tibialis anterior muscle are shown in a diagram on P 390 on the dorsum of the foot and in a diagram on P 399 decreased muscle tone is labelled "hypertonic". But many textbooks contain such errors; I think the reason is high production costs, the use of color for example. What I appreciate in Tortora is clear information presented without bias, as you have every right to expect.

I curently teach Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Kinesiology and various bodywork modalities at three separate, well known massage schools. This is the worst A & P text I have ever come across. I do not make this statement lightly. For 12 years I've recieved countless complimentary copies from major publishers and nothing compares to this mess.

It was obviously thrown together in a hurry to get it out there as "the only A & P text written for massage therapists".

It is poorly written. In most chapters, it offers little more than lists of terms and definitions. It has no consistency in text, nor in use of pictures. This text offers few examples, nor analogies, and it rarely explores the hows or whys of A & P. Its weaknesses are endless. My current students find it completely innaccesible. Heck, I can barely read it.

Prior to the start of the school year the owner of one school asked my opinion on switching to The Massage Connection. My opinion to him - don't do it! He decided to use it anyway. As luck would have it, he has ended up teaching portions of A&P. The result: The Massage Connection will not be our A&P text next year. He hates it as much as I do.

Sure, my review is harsh, but fair.
I just do not understand what Williams & Wilkins was thinking when they allowed this text to go to print?

I got this book because it was the required text for my anatomy class in massage school. I thought I'd like it, but I'm going to sell it back and get the Trail Guide to the Body instead, as we don't use this book in class, much, but instead use it as a reference.

Several students have found problems and errors in the book already, including some pretty big ones that a regular editor should have caught (images are labeled incorrectly--for example one joint image is labeled with the wrong type of joint). Since I'm totally new to anatomy, this is disasterous--I just don't have the knowledge to know if what I'm reading is right or not, and I certainly need to be able to trust my textbook!

Also, I don't find it helpful for me. While I enjoy the illustrations, the written parts of the text have not helped me either memorize the muscles, nor have they given me given me a better understanding of the body that will help me become a better massage therapist. Mostly, I read the chapters and don't retain a lot, and we mostly don't use much of the info. in our class. We also use the Seig and Adams Illustrated Essentials of Musculoskeletal Anatomy, and while I'm not crazy about that book either (I find the drawings not as good as other book's illustrations), at least it makes sense to me.

Apparently, our school used to use Trail Guide to the Body, and I've decided that I'm going to get that book, as I really need help in anatomy, and this book is not doing it.

I am so very pleased with the way this book was written and is put together. Thank you Kalyani :)

Makes A&P simple...doesn't cover A&P like a regular A&P text would, but a great for understanding if you don't have a science background, like I did. With an arts background my class A&P textbook was like Greek, so I need a book to help break it down. Pulled my grades.......waaaayyyyyyyy up after starting badly :)

I have taught from this book for one semester and like the other reviewer found many errors. This by far is not my favorite book! But its what the department decided on and gave me so I try and make the changes and explain the information that is incorrect. other than that it is not bad for a quick anatomy and phys course but dont expect to pass the medical boards using it!!! Having never taken the massage boards I do not know if this book is geared specifically to them but have a feeling it is.

REW MD

I am considering using this book for the A&P at our massage school. I have read about half of it and find that it is clear and helpful. I am going to review all of the books in this series.

the book has a lot of photos/good and the seller sent this bood immediately which was great also it was in awesome shape again great