Thursday book notes: Functional Movement

Functional Movement in Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, edited by Bruce Brownstein and Shaw Bronner may go into more detail than the general reader might want.  I read these things so others don’t have to, but I would not dissuade anyone from going for it.

In the Preface, Mark Morris is quoted on the subject of whether grace can be taught.  He says, “…It’s not just a physical thing; it’s a mental thing—to know what one part is doing while the other part is happening, to have that happen seamlessly and efficiently.  I think efficiency has to do with grace, in employing the most direct action to accomplish a task.  Like picking up a pen, or folding a piece of paper, or talking on the phone, or tying your shoe, or putting groceries in a sack:  functional things.”  That relationship between body and mind, between movement and function, is what amazes me about fitness in all its forms.

The book goes on to discuss topics such as biomechanics, neuroscience, and functional outcomes.  There are chapters on various body parts (shoulder, spine, etc.).  I found the chapters on sports, dance, and geriatrics to be particularly interesting.

Again, not exactly a page-turner, but an engrossing read with lots of useful information and food for thought.