Prevention Practice: A Physical Therapist's Guide to Health, Fitness, and Wellness

The all-encompassing Prevention Practice: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Health, Fitness, and Wellness successfully details the impact health promotion, health protection, and the prevention of illness and disability have on increasing the quality and length of a healthy life for individuals across the lifespan.

Dr. Catherine Thompson along with eight contributors, all with diverse backgrounds in physical therapy, rehabilitation, and healthcare, present the fundamental health, fitness, and wellness concepts that are critical for providing preventive care to healthy, impaired, and at-risk populations as outlined in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and Healthy People 2010.

Prevention Practice includes screening tools for determining risk factors associated with common medical problems as well as resources for implementing prevention practice in clinical and community-based settings, including planning and marketing a prevention practice. Additionally, this unique guide offers suggestions for providing appropriate interventions (consultation, referral, education, resources, and program development).

Some topics covered include: • Overview of holistic versus traditional medicine • A comparison of isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic exercises • Comprehensive physical health screening • Musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary impairments and developmental disabilities • Tips, letters, and

Perfect for clinicians, students, allied health professionals, rehabilitation specialists, physical medicine specialists, and recreation therapists, Prevention Practice is a valuable resource for everyone in the areas of health, fitness, and wellness.

Additional features: • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance table • Lifestyle Behaviors Screening questionnaire • Pathology-specific signs and symptoms • Women’s health issues • Risk of injury based upon age, gender, and race • Nutrition screening for older adults

Catherine Rush Thompson, PhD, MS, PT, was born in Kansas City and attended the University of Colorado Medical Center, graduating with distinction with a BS in physical therapy. With support from the William Hillman Medical Student Fellowship, she attended and graduated with distinction from the University of Kansas Medical Center with an MS in Special Education with an emphasis on Children with Illness and Other Health Impairments. With support from the Arthur Mag Fellowship and the UMKC Community Scholars Fellowship at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, she completed her Interdisciplinary PhD, incorporating studies in physiological psychology, biochemistry, neuroscience, exercise science, and education. While her primary clinical practice focuses on pediatric physical therapy and neurological rehabilitation, she has worked in practice settings in acute care, outpatient care, long-term care, school-based therapy, home health, and private practice. Currently she is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy Education at Rockhurst University, and she presents her work at state, national, and international meetings.

Dr. Thompson’s travel to over 50 countries gives her insight into global health care disparities and the need for multicultural education. Her research interests focus on pediatric growth and development, the use of motor imagery in physical therapy practice, and prevention practice across the lifespan. She hopes that this book will contribute to realizing the goals of Healthy People 2010 with physical therapists playing an integral role in prevention practice.