Foundations for Integrative Musculoskeletal Medicine: An East-West Approach

Author Alon Marcus surveys the science of pain from both modern biomedical and TCM perspectives, examines the foundations of integrative musculoskeletal medicine, explores biomedical and osteopathic clinical assessment, and outlines treatment options such as acupuncture, blood-letting, and meridian therapy. Other chapters analyse herbal medicine, integrative electrotherapeutics, manual therapy, and much more.

Alon Marcus received his licensed acupuncturist degree from the American College of Traditional Chinse Medicine in San Francisco, California in 1984, and his Doctor of Oriental Medicine degree from SAMRA University of Oriental Medicine in Los Angeles, California in 1986. He also trained in Japan and China, where he completed his internship at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Municipal Hospital in Guangzhou. He has published numerous articles in both Eastern and Western medical journals, as well as the book Acute Abdominal Syndromes and Musculoskeletal Disorders. He has lectured internationally and taught courses in complementary orthopedics for several years. Dr. Marcus is currently in private practice in Oakland, California.

"The new book by Alon Marcus is clearly the culmination of decades of practice, study, and deep thought on the treatment of musculoskletal disorders."
-David J. Zeiger, D.O., President of American Association of Orthopaedic Medicine

"This book is a continuation of superb scholarly work. Detailed material is presented in an easy-to-read format that includes the evaluation and treatment of common conditions encountered in the practitioner's office. A must-have for anyone wishing to take their clinical skills to the next level."
-Kevin McNamee, D.C., L.Ac., Directory, California Health Institute

Over the last ten years a number of excellent books have been published in the field of acupuncture that focus on the increasing integration of Western and Oriental medical approaches in the management of health. This book far outshines any other in its field. For physiotherapists who integrate Western trigger point acupuncture with traditional Chinese acupuncture and manual therapy, it will be evident that this author has undertaken a remarkable journey, the result of which is an effective and complete integration of both models. In particular the book comprehensively covers recent research on the physiology of pain, traditional Chinese acupuncture and Western physiological processes (e.g. yin-yang and neurotransmitter theory), manual therapy interventions, herbal medicine, osteopathic medicine and the integration of musculoskeletal disorders into the Oriental clinical framework.

For professional acupuncturists treating musculo-skeletal disorders and pain, this book should be an essential component of clinical practice, especially given that it includes a clear explanation of the stretching and strengthening regimes that are a necessary follow-up to acupuncture treatment. The book is divided into 11 sections, as follows: Foundations of Oriental medicine, Foundations for the integration of pain and physical medicine, Foundations for TCM and the biomedical model of anatomy, physiology and pathology, Foundations of orthopaedic and physical medicine assessments, Treatment principles for acupuncture and myofascial trigger point needling, The addition of acupuncture meridian and systems approach to root and branch, Foundations for herbal medicine, Foundations for electrotherapeutics, Integration of manual therapies, rehabilitation and orthosis therapy, The management of sprains, strains and trauma, An integrative approach to musculo-skeletal disorders. This book presents a lifetime’s work in developing an effective integration of Western and Eastern healthcare. It is superbly written and includes a vast amount of detail and up-todate references. The section on pain is probably the best I have read in an acupuncture text, and the section dealing with the integration of manual therapy is by far the most comprehensive on the market.

This is not a low cost book and nor should it be. I would suggest that it is a must for any MSc student undertaking a study of the integration of acupuncture and manual therapy. It has been a joy to read, and will become a life-long reference text for my clinical and academic practice. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as an excellent textbook for the integration of acupuncture and manual therapy.
Jenni Longbottom