John Gibbons - The Vital Nerves

The Vital

Nerves

The Vital

Nerves

A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists

John Gibbons

Copyright 2020 by John Gibbons. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the written permission of the publisher. For information, contact Lotus Publishing or North Atlantic Books.

First published in 2020 by

Lotus Publishing

Apple Tree Cottage, Inlands Road, Nutbourne, Chichester, PO18 8RJ, and

North Atlantic Books

Berkeley, California

Illustrations Amanda Williams

Photographs Ian Taylor

Text Design Medlar Publishing Solutions Pvt Ltd., India

Cover Design Chris Fulcher

Printed and Bound in Malaysia by Tien Wah Press

The Vital Nerves: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists is sponsored and published by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences (dba North Atlantic Books), an educational nonprofit based in Berkeley, California, that collaborates with partners to develop cross-cultural perspectives; nurture holistic views of art, science, the humanities, and healing; and seed personal and global transformation by publishing work on the relationship of body, spirit, and nature.

North Atlantic Books publications are available through most bookstores. For further information, visit our website at www.northatlanticbooks.com or call 800-733-3000.

Medical Disclaimer

The following information is intended for general information purposes only. Individuals should always consult their health care provider before administering any suggestions made in this book. Any application of the material set forth in the following pages is at the readers discretion and is his or her sole responsibility.

British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 913088 18 7 (Lotus Publishing)

ISBN 978 1 62317 560 3 (North Atlantic Books)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Gibbons, John, 1968- author.

Title: The vital nerves : a practical guide for physical therapists / John Gibbons.

Description: Nutbourne, Chichester : Lotus Publishing ; Berkeley, California : North Atlantic Books, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: A must-have book for understanding one of the most fundamental areas of physical therapy: the nervous system and its relationship to musculoskeletal painProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020012594 (print) | LCCN 2020012595 (ebook) | ISBN 9781623175603 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781623175610 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Nerves, PeripheralHandbooks, manuals, etc. | Physical therapyHandbooks, manuals, etc.

Classification: LCC QP365.5 .G53 2021 (print) | LCC QP365.5 (ebook) | DDC 612.8/1dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020012594

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020012595

Dedication

T o all the students I have ever taughtwithout you, none of what I do would be possible, and for that I want to truly thank you!

Contents

Acknowledgments

J on HutchingsPublisher : I like to think that the professional relationship I have with my publisher, Jon Hutchings, is going from strength to strength. After writing for many years, I still feel honored to have the privilege of being asked again to continue my dream of writing and influencing therapists throughout the world. Without your input and guidance, none of this would be achievable, and I truly thank you for allowing me that opportunity.

Ian TaylorPhotographer : Ian has become a good friend over the years, and with my hand on my heart I honestly believe he completely understands what being an outstanding photographer is all about. He achieves amazing results with the photos he takes because he is a true professional, and its all about the finer details to get the best results.

Amanda WilliamsIllustrator : I reckon I must give my medical illustrator a headache every so often, especially at certain times of the year when I am in constant contact with her regarding the illustrations. Im sure she doesnt know exactly what it is I want to be drawn sometimes, as I can be a bit vague I hope that, after many years of being involved with the way I work, she now understands me. I must say, Amanda, you are an amazing medical illustrator, and I truly thank you for all of your hard work.

Stephen BrierleyEditor : Thank you to Steve, who has done an exceptional job yet again of editing this book. He has done a few of my books in the past, and I personally like the way he edits them. Steve is very methodical and precise in his work ethicthanks for trying your best by modifying and improving my Welsh grammar.

Denise Thomas : Denise has been the model for all of the books to date, which is brilliant, as it shows consistency. She is also my partner (and has been for many years) and especially tolerant of my being grumpy and not particularly nice to be around. I applaud you for sticking with me through the recent difficult times and for being by my side for all these years.

Lee Thomas : Thanks a million to Lee, who has been instrumental in the filming and editing of all the educational videos that are linked via QR codes in this book. You are a true professional in your field and for that I genuinely thank you.

Margaret Gibbons and family : To my mother, Margaret Gibbonsthank you for being there when I have needed you in my life. I wish you all the best and good health in the forthcoming years. I also extend my wishes for a happy and prosperous life to my sister, Amanda Williams, who is approaching 50, to her husband, Philip, and to her son, James, and daughter, Victoria, who are both doing exceptionally well at university and just starting out on their own career pathways.

Lastly, I wanted to say that not a day goes by without thinking about my son, Thomas Rhys Gibbons, who left my world on February 28th, 2017. I would like to think he is looking down on me, feeling proud of what his dad has achieved in his life and knowing that he is changing lives throughout the world. I miss you so much, Tom-Tomone day, we will be together again.

Introduction

I n a nutshell, the neurological testing course at which I lecture at the University of Oxford is, by a considerable margin, the most undersubscribed of all the courses that I currently offer, and this appertains to all the individual practitioners of manual therapy, such as osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists, sports therapists, and even medical doctors. I am not sure why this is, as I always put forward to my students the following statement: out of all of the courses at which I lecture, I feel that the subject area of the nerves and their relationship to the musculoskeletal system is by far the most vital and rewarding. Hence the name of this book.

Nevertheless, basically no matter what I say and what I do in terms of promotion for the course, the attendance is still poor. In reality, I think the reason is because of the words nerves, nerve testing, or neurological. Moreover, whenever I mention to therapists that I am lecturing this particular subject, most of them have the familiar bewildered expression on their faces and answer along the lines of thats a difficult subject or mmm maybe next time for that course, as it sounds pretty intense.