Customer Reviews

Muscle Energy Techniques with DVD-ROM, 3e

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the best book I've come across for introducing a novice to the concepts and practice of MET. Chaitow's other books tend to go into very minute detail about the nervous system component of these techniques. This book is very well ordered and the assessments and techniques don't get lost in the minutae. HIs very clear presentation of the far-reaching effects of dysfunction in one part of the body is excellent. If you are interested in these techniques, this is the book! You can then follow up with his other books on the subject, especially Soft Tissue Manipulations. I'm using this book in a medical massage program in which I am an instructor.

I teach massage therapy here in Australia. Often, students will ask about books they should buy in order to become better therapists, and this is one that I always happily recommend. The techniques are well explained and relatively easy to apply. What's more they are safe, as well as beautifully effective. Anyone interested in improving their results with bodywork should have a look at this (and most of Chaitow's work, as far as I am concerned!).

What a fantastic book! I am a massage therapist in Australia and wish I had known about this book whilst I was in training. The content is written in a way that makes it very easy to understand. I have also found techniques that work much better than the ones I was taught in class. Well done Leon!

This book is an excellent resource and the techniques within are commonly used within the physical therapy arena. MET, although not a panacea, is a valuable tool that should be included within a comprehensive treatment plan for numerous neuromusculoskeletal conditions. To the layperson; this isn't a book to be bought for self-treatment nor for trying out on family members. Seek advice only from a qualified physician (MD, DO) and then, if the physician deems outpatient therapy is an option for your care, inquire with your physical therapist about muscle energy techniques as part of your treatment plan.

I just finished Dr. Chaitow's book, Muscle Energy Techniques, and found the book quite informative. The text itself was very good and explains the theory as well as techniques necessary to use this body of knowledge. I was quite disappointed with the DVD that was included with the book. I tried it on one DVD player and got a message on the screen that said "DVD Incompatable." Another DVD player allowed me to see a few pictures and that was all. I returned the DVD to its jacket and put the book on the shelf. The book itself will make a good reference, but I'll probably never try the DVD again. Even though the book was good, I believe I could have gotten another book on the topic for less money without having to pay for a non-functional DVD. The lesson here is to be sure of what you are purchasing before spending your money.

This is a well written, clear book, but as a massage therapist I found there was a steep learning curve for osteopathic theory and jargon. It took a lot of time to read through to find out that the techniques used were actually very similar to ones I had already learnt, just with a much bigger physiological theory base behind them. Also, it is coming from the perspective of osteo/chiro where apparently they always tend to do manipulations, not massage, so a lot of time is spent on the apparently revolutionary viewpoint that working on muscles helps pain and dysfunction. Duh!

In short, a great book for osteos, but not so great for massage therapists.

Leon Chaitow offers a great deal of information into the neuromuscular components of our bodies and bodywork. This is a time of investigation into what drives our bodies, rather than imposing our external ideas of how a body should look or behave. Research in this area is clipping along, but Chaitow's work offers foundational concepts as the basis for an overwhelming amount of new theories produced today. Detailed, informative.

For many this book is thought to be the bible for Muscle Energy Technique (MET). And quite honestly I can well understand why. The book is simple to read, with very nice pictures which make it easier to understand the content and it shows uses for MET for every possible (and you would think impossible) situation. This book is very informative and yet practical at the same time.
I would also like to recommend this book for athletic trainers and strength coaches who are interested in prehab protocols which is always getting more and more popular within the athletic and strength training profession. With understanding of MET principles shown in this book the stretching sessions with clients will be brought up many levels in professionalism and effectiveness and will have a profound prophylactic purpose on athletes.
The accompanied DVD will make it easy to learn all the techniques, all is needed is a clinic table (or just about anything you can lie on), a willing model and the enthusiasm to learn.