Fascial Manipulation® - Stecco® method The practitioner's perspective

by Julie Ann Day

Overview

This book highlights the impact that the Fascial Manipulation® - Stecco® method for fascial dysfunctions, developed by Italian physiotherapist Luigi Stecco, has had on the clinical practice of 16 well-established practitioners from a total of seven different countries and from different disciplines, including physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy and massage therapy. It gives voice to some of the experienced practitioners who have acknowledged Luigi Stecco's work and have played an important role in the diffusion of this method in their respective countries. The knowledgeable 'clinical eye' of these practitioners will have immense value for their peers.

An introductory chapter outlines the theoretical models underlying the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method and the clinical reasoning process applied in this method. Each subsequent chapter presents the application of the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method in detailed case reports. Chapters are divided into three main sections (Musculoskeletal, Internal Dysfunctions and Other Perspectives) and they provide useful information either for other practitioners of this method or for colleagues who are interested in approaching this type of fascial work. Furthermore, the personal accounts presented here provide ulterior historical background to the development and spread of the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method, which has generated and continues to generate numerous areas for research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781912085019
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	07/23/2018
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	7.48(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Julie Ann Day is an Australian trained physiotherapist with over 35 years of clinical experience. In 1998 she began studying Fascial Manipulation® with Luigi Stecco, the Italian physiotherapist who developed this method, and she has translated four texts by Luigi Stecco from Italian to English. An authorized teacher of Fascial Manipulation® since 2002, Julie has taught Level I and Level II courses of Fascial Manipulation® in Italy, Canada, USA, UK, Poland, Finland, Denmark, and Australia, as well as presenting numerous workshops and presentations on this subject at International conferences. She is one of the founding members of the AMF (Associazione Manipolazione Fasciale) and has been an active part of its Executive Council.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Joanie Holst, MS, BCTMB, CNMT (Northwestern Health Sciences University)
Description: This book begins with a thorough history of the evolution of the manual therapy technique, Fascial Manipulation-Stecco Method, starting with its development in the 1970s up to the present day with its current use in several different countries. According to the author, this book highlights the impact this method of fascial manipulation has had in the clinical practices of chiropractic, massage therapy, osteopathy, and physiotherapy. The book is a compilation of case studies from these various practitioners.
Purpose: The purpose is not to teach the Stecco Method of Fascial Manipulation, but rather to encourage therapists to learn this particular approach to working with fascia. This book uses case studies to present individual practitioners' viewpoints about the impact this approach has had on their clinical work; in other words, their experience of this technique when working with their patients/clients. It seems there could be three objectives that this book meets: to introduce readers to results of this work; to have case studies on record that strengthen the portion of the evidence-based medical model triad representing the best available research; and to provide this group of practitioners a way to be able to share their experiences of this work.
Audience: The author hopes to engage practitioners who want to learn this particular method of fascial manipulation. The book appears to be written for any practitioner of manual therapy who is interested in knowing more about this method. The author is a 35-year practitioner of physiotherapy and began studying this work in 1998. She has taught this work since 2002 and has presented at international conferences.
Features: The book is divided into three sections: musculoskeletal dysfunction, internal dysfunctions, and other perspectives. Within each section are several case studies, one per practitioner, and most studies cite one experience. Overall there are nine physiotherapists, three physical therapists, two massage therapists, and two chiropractors who represent many different countries. Each case study follows a consistent format of introduction, hypothesis, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. In addition, practitioners wrote their own sections citing their personal journey with the method. Each chapter includes an editor's comment box that includes a short introduction to the practitioner(s) as well as a brief overview of the case study. The book is very well done and includes color photographs as well as charts or tables when appropriate. The book is heavily weighted toward physiotherapy; it would be nice if there was a more equal distribution of different types of practitioners. Perhaps there are not as many in the other disciplines practicing this technique as of yet. From an organizational standpoint, one improvement would be to include on the table of contents page not just the chapter title and the name of the practitioner, but also the style of manual therapy, to make it easier to find a specific modality.
Assessment: This book fills a unique niche because it's not trying to teach a technique, but instead entice readers to want to learn the technique. This particular fascial approach is more popular in other countries and is just starting to be introduced in the U.S. One of the strengths of this book is that it documents clinical experience, which is one-third of the evidence-based medicine triad. Those of us who practice manual therapies know the importance of clinical experience and the ability to integrate it as we care for each of our patients, as well as the value of documented research about the efficacy of what we do.

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