report. I would certainly recommend that lay people with an intereet in

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Video reviews

day care centres, sporta complexes, hotels, etc, where video screens are used to relay information. I am only sorry the final p d u c t is not in keeping with commonly accepted standards dpresentation seen a y .

Your Back An owner’s guide to its care and maintenance presented by Professor Di Newham. Exercises by Sarah Prince AIPTI. Pubtished by Eye Eye Ltd. Wesfgate House, 149 Romrvr Way, London N78XH. Running time approximately 60 min. 1994. €10.99 + €1.45p&p.

The stated aim of this video is to help prevent back pain. It is aimed at lay people who do not have particular problems with their backs. There are two sections; the fvst presented by Professor Di Newham on advice (25 min) and the second presented by Sarah Prince on exercises (35 mid. I found that the second section on exercises was too long and did not hold my attention. Nowhere on the cover or on the video is there any indication of what professional background Professor Newham or Sarah Prince has, and I feel that this would have been a useful addition.

The first section on advice was excellent. It started by presenting some statistics on the incidence of back pain and then moved on to discuss the structure and function of the spin& Following this was a sequence that presented images of people, of a variety of ages, performing everyday tasks both correctly and incorrectly around the home, the garden and the office. The use of a split screen showing both methods simultaneously may have been useful. Each section was short and broken up by some lively music. Because it moved on at a reasonable pace there was no chance to get bored.

At the end of the h i o n there was a summary of the principles of back care presented in a different visual format that was very aective. There were one or two slips of the tongue but these did not affect the overall quality of this section.

The second section on exercise was not so impressive. I felt that it was too long and that there were too many exercises. The order of the exercises and the suggested number of repetitions did not seem very logical. For example, some exercises in the advanced M i o n were easier than some in the first section. If the exercises had been divided into three sections - beginners, intermediate and advanced - I think the section would have been improved. I also

very timely in view of the recam- mendations of the recent CSAG James Selfe GradDipPhys MCSP

Physiotherapy in the Community APsoclationofCharteredPhysiotherapisis in the Communiw 15 min. W l s frwn Ms P p8lwr. H- secrebary. 34 Alberi Bridge Road, London SWll4py:

This video consists of a series of still photographs with voice over, showing the wide range of work covered by community physio- therapists, and illustrated by some typical clinical situationa

The commentary begins by saying that community physiotherapy is a growing service for the whole of the community and that community physiotherapy is one of the many specialisma within the profession.

The video continues by explaining what community physiotherapy entails, where the physiotherapista work, and the range of patients they are able to treat. Examples of the types ofoonditions treated are given and mention is made of the liaison community physiotherapists have with other health care prof’ionale and those involved with the patients’ management regima

The video continues with further illustrations of conditions treated and explains the channels through which patients can be referred for treatment.

The eecond part of the video presents three case histories: a stroke patient, a patient recovering from a hip replacement, and a brittle bones

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I Jane Dixon GradDipPhys MCSP

patient d e r i n g h m bnck pnin. The three patients and their carers contribute to the commentary by discussing their treatment protocola and outcomes.

The video concludes with stilk of health education prdecta and the preventive role dcommunity pkpio- therapists in various settings.

~ l y t h i s v i d e o w i l l b e u e e d by the ACPC as an educational tool to promote community phyeiotheragy to the general public, and to give student physiotherapists a brief overview of treatments in the community.

Sadly the use of still photograph with voice over in this manner is now an outmoded way of producing educational and promotional videos, and does not encourage the attention of the viewer. In this presentation, many of the stills do not correspond to the commentary and the patient input gives the i m p d o n that a acript is being read. Someofthepkpiotherap~ahm

are not wearing any remgnisable uniform or badge, in fact some are wearing denim jeana If we are to promote our profession as one which gives a high standard, quality service then the image we portray to the outsider is all-important. I have no doubt at all that the physiotherapista involved in the making of this video are highly skilled practitioners but the fact remains that some of the photosraphe looked like ayoung man taking his granny for a walk!

The concept of producing this video to inform the general public of one aspect ofthe physiotherapy prafesaion is excellent. It has the wtential for