Academic News August 2008

Welcome to the August issue of Academic News. This month is a BASES Special
We preview the forthcoming BASES Conference 2008 being held at Brunel University, West London in early September and invite you along to see us. We also take a look at research that suggests that the Alexander Technique brings relief to back pain sufferers. With the Beijing Olympics drawing to a close we pose the question, were the fears over air quality genuine or over hyped? And, as ever, we bring you the very latest information on the latest Human Kinetics titles.

Product of the month… Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Neuromechanics of Human Movement 4th Edition The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide 2nd Edition Come visit us at the BASES Conference 2008 An old cure for a modern malaise Italian Conference on Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity The effects of Beijing Smog – real or imagined? Careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics Academic News inspection copy requests Product of the month… Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Injury, Second Edition, presents clear, accessible explanations of the biomechanical principles of injury and how injuries affect the normal function of muscles, connective tissue and joints.Almost 10 years after the publication of the first edition, this much-needed second edition has been vastly improved. Packed with more than 400 illustrations, including graphs and anatomical art (nearly twice as many as in the previous edition), Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Injury, Second Edition, is an indispensable reference offering perspectives on and appreciation of the intricacies of injury mechanisms By providing an understanding of injury mechanisms in all body regions, this publication serves as a comprehensive resource to assist health professionals, researchers, and students with the proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. PRICE: £40.00 (54.00 Euros) Read more about the book!

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning

Now in its third edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most comprehensive reference available for strength and conditioning professionals. In this text, 30 expert contributors explore the scientific principles, concepts and theories of strength training and conditioning as well as their applications to athletic performance. Developed by the NSCA Certification Commission, the certifying agency of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most-preferred preparation text for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The research-based approach, extensive exercise technique section and unbeatable accuracy of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning make it the text readers have come to rely on for CSCS exam preparation. The third edition presents the most current strength training and conditioning research and applications in a logical format designed for increased retention of key concepts. The text is organised into five sections. The first three sections provide a theoretical framework for application in section 4, the programme design portion of the book. The final section offers practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities. PRICE: £45.00 (67.50 Euros) Read more about the book

Neuromechanics of Human Movement 4th Edition

Drawing on the disciplines of neurophysiology and physics, Neuromechanics of Human Movement, Fourth Edition, explores how the nervous system controls the actions of muscles to produce human motion in relation to biomechanical principles. This contemporary approach is much different from the traditional one, which focuses solely on mechanics and does not consider the role of the sensory system in the control of human movement.Neuromechanics of Human Movement, Fourth Edition, provides a scientific foundation to the study of human movement. The content is visually reinforced with more than 750 illustrations, many of which are new or upgraded from the previous edition and include specific illustrations of the neuromechanics involved in sport and rehabilitation movements. Finally, the text contains more than 1,500 updated references and suggested reading lists for each chapter. To encourage a comprehensive learning experience, this updated edition follows a logical progression where each part builds on the material from the previous section. Once readers have grasped the basic laws of motion, the text continues by considering the essential neurophysiological concepts that help to explain movement produced by the nervous system and muscle. Finally the text concludes by describing the ways in which the motor system adapts to various types of physical stress. PRICE: £44.50 (60.10 Euros) Read more about the book

The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide 2nd Edition

The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide, Second Edition, is the foremost reference for comprehensive patient assessment. Conveniently packaged and competitively priced, it provides techniques for accurate patient assessment and functional information about normal and abnormal static and dynamic motions. This second edition has a smaller format, streamlined layout, and lay-flat binding to make it an even more practical addition to your collection. Like the previous edition, the text takes a regional approach but now also includes material on the upper cervical spine, pelvis and sacroiliac joint, and information on the assessment of peripheral nerve injury and treatment techniques (adverse neurodynamics). The streamlined organisation of The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide, Second Edition, makes it simple to find the information you need. The book flows through a regional presentation of clinical assessments and functional tests (including 40 new tests that were not featured in the first edition), a section on gait and posture, and a new section on adverse neurodynamics. The regional sections are further broken down into specific joints and each joint-specific chapter follows a common layout so you can easily find exactly what you need. Additionally, a suggested examination sequence for the history, test and measures is provided for each peripheral and spinal joint. Many of the tests are also accompanied with sensitivity and specificity values to help determine test utility. PRICE: £26.00 (35.10 Euros) Read more about the book

Come visit us at the BASES Conference 2008

The British Association of Sport and Education (BASES) annual Conference and Exhibition is being held this year at Brunel University, West London between Tuesday 2nd and Thursday 4th September. Delegates to the Conference can take advantage of a packed programme of events and presentations covering a wide range of relevant topics presented by leading experts in their fields. Running in conjunction with the Conference is an Exhibition. Located in the Indoor Athletics Centre, it is here that the Human Kinetics display will be located. It is always gratifying to meet our customers face to face and to hear their views and opinions on both our existing products and how we might expand our ranges in the future. In addition to catching up with the latest titles on offer, visitors can also take advantage of a generous 25% discount offer to purchase books directly off the stand. We look forward to seeing you there. Find out more

An old cure for a modern malaise

A method of relaxation developed more than 100 years ago can help ease chronic back pain, researchers say. The Alexander Technique, formulated by an Australian actor after he lost his voice, has been proved to be effective in clinical trials. A study of almost 600 patients suffering chronic or recurrent back pain found significant improvements after a year among those having lessons in the Alexander Technique. They spent just three days in pain each month, compared with 21 days for those getting normal NHS care, with a short course of six lessons, combined with exercise, producing almost as much benefit as a full regime of 24. The technique has been taught in the UK since 1904, but until now there has been no thorough investigation into its long-term effectiveness and doctors have complained of the lack of evidence to support it. In the latest study, published online in the British Medical Journal, a team from Southampton and Bristol Universities recruited 579 patients with chronic or recurring back pain from 64 GP areas in the south and west of England. Daily Mail Read the whole article

Italian Conference on Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity

A conference aimed at starting a ‘Prevention Public Institutional Sports System in Italy’ is to be held in Castagnero, Verona in early November. It will take as its main topic ‘Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity in the primary prevention and after the L. Hayflicks Limit’. The main conference speakers will include Susan D Carter (Denver, USA), J. Modenese, Sport Counsellor and G. Bovo with P.E. Prampero (Udine). For further information go to http://digilander.libero.it/bovoginetto/ (Please note this site is in Italian) or email: bovoginetto@yahoo.it Find out more

The effects of Beijing Smog – real or imagined?

With the Beijing Olympics drawing to a successful close, fears that the air quality in Beijing would seriously affect the performance of competitors seem to have been largely unfounded as world and national records have fallen like dominoes. But were the warnings of serious health problems over hyped or did the organisers just get lucky? There certainly seemed to be a degree of hysteria in the media about the subject and who can forget the images of American swimmers arriving in Beijing wearing face masks? But the concerns raised by sports and health professionals around the world were genuine enough and had it not been for a combination of extreme measures taken by the Chinese authorities and favourable weather conditions then things might have been very different. However, once the spotlight of world attention moves away from the Olympics, will there be a lasting improvement in air quality for the ordinary citizens of Beijing or will it once again become the world’s most polluted city? We would appreciate your comments on any aspect of this article and we will try and publish a selection of them in the next edition. Send them to grahams@hkeurope.com

Careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics

A reminder that The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) has published a new and fully updated edition of A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences. The free, downloadable guide for prospective and current sport and exercise science students has been written in association with Human Kinetics, the leading information provider in the physical activity field. Complete with useful websites and practical information, this easy-to-read guide will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about careers in sport and exercise science, helping students on the journey to achieving their ideal job. The BASES A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences is free to download from the BASES website. For further information click here

Academic News inspection copy requests

If you wish to arrange an appointment to discuss our latest texts and your course needs, or you would like to enquire about an inspection copy of any book featured in Academic News, please call Sian Partridge on 0113 255 5665 ext. 204 or e-mail sianp@hkeurope.com

FitNews August 2008

 

Welcome to the August issue of FitNews.

For busy parents, the school holidays can be a mixed blessing. After the initial high of ‘breaking-up’ kids often become lathargic and bored. Finding ways to keep them active and entertained isn’t easy. Asking them what they would like to do often illicits a shrug of the shoulders and a mumbled ‘dunno’. But more than any other time of year the holidays give you a chance to touch base.

The kids aren’t alright

This month we get closer to generation XXL by looking at some of the social, cultural and political factors affecting their lives.

In FitNews this month…
	Featured product Fitness Swimming Complete Conditioning for Swimming The REAL health map of Britain: From the lowest life expectancy to the fattiest diet, how are you likely to fare? Fat reports on children to be sent to parents Children and healthy weight Food fables Healthy eating for kids on days out Primary ‘free school meals’ call Britain’s first live-in school for fat pupils UK Strength and Conditioning Association Seminar Series

Featured product

Now in its third edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most comprehensive reference available for strength and conditioning professionals. In this text, 30 expert contributors explore the scientific principles, concepts, and theories of strength training and conditioning as well as their applications to athletic performance.Developed by the NSCA Certification Commission, the certifying agency of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most-preferred preparation text for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The research- based approach, extensive exercise technique section and unbeatable accuracy of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning make it the text readers have come to rely on for CSCS exam preparation.The third edition presents the most current strength training and conditioning research and applications in a logical format designed for increased retention of key concepts. The text is organised into five sections. The first three sections provide a theoretical framework for application in section 4, the programme design portion of the book. The final section offers practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities.PRICE: £45.00 (67.50 Euros)Read more about the book…

Fitness Swimming

Want more from your workout? Whether you seek to improve your technique, trim your times, swim greater distances, or simply improve your fitness level, Fitness Swimming will help you achieve your goals, all in full-colour. Expert swim coach Emmett Hines has created 60 new workouts and 16 sample programmes, each arranged into suggested training zones to correspond to your fitness level and performance goals. Over a dozen cutting-edge technique drills help you progressively build an effective freestyle stroke. The text covers stretching, warm-up and cool-down methods, heart rate zone targets, expanded instruction for stroke efficacy, progressive drills, conditioning tips, and fitness assessments. Fitness Swimming has all the information you need to chart progress and maintain peak performance. “Emmett has done a great job of creating a resource for swimmers on the technique and conditioning fundamentals of the sport. No matter what level, the drills and workouts will help you become a better all-around swimmer.” Glenn Mills U.S. Olympic Swimmer and Founder of GoSwim.tv PRICE: £11.99 (17.99 Euros) Read more about the book…

Complete Conditioning for Swimming

From more powerful strokes to quicker turns, propel yourself to improved times with Complete Conditioning for Swimming. This multidimensional training programme uses fitness assessments to tailor strength, endurance and flexibility exercises to each swimmer’s individual needs. Dave Salo, coach of Olympic medalists Lenny Krayzelburg, Aaron Peirsol, Amanda Beard, Jason Lezak and Scott A. Riewald, performance specialist for the U.S. Olympic Committee, have teamed up to create a comprehensive program that provides you with the following tools to improve your times: Exercises and drills for each stroke Event-based workouts and programmes Dryland training Tapering for peak performance Year-round conditioning plans Nutrition before, during and after swim meets. In addition, the 80-minute DVD takes you to the pool and into the gym to demonstrate the drills and exercises used by the sport’s elite. Complete Conditioning for Swimming is simply the best guide to preparing your body for competitive success. Read more about the book

The REAL health map of Britain: From the lowest life expectancy to the fattiest diet, how are you likely to fare?

Where we live really does have an impact on our health, as this unique map reveals. Drawn from a variety of sources, including the Healthcare Commission, the Office of National Statistics and charities such as the British Heart Foundation, it paints a fascinating real-life portrait of the health of the nation. Some of the findings are predictable – but others are highly surprising. For as this map shows, it’s not as simple as a North/South divide, with some areas in the South, where you’d expect people to be healthier, faring worse than other parts of the country. Here, Good Health reveals the healthiest, and unhealthiest, regions and towns in Britain. So how are you likely to fare? Form the Mail online Read the full article

Fat reports on children to be sent to parents

Parents are to get school “fat reports” detailing their children’s weight as part of the fight against childhood obesity. Rules to be introduced at the start of the academic year in September will see the parents of all children aged between four and five, and 10 and 11 receive the reports, after Government-commissioned research suggested the weight problem among Britain’s children is worse than originally thought. The most recent figures available show that one in 10 children aged between four and five are obese and 13 per cent are overweight, with the figures rising to 17.5 per cent and 14.2 per cent by age 11. The research for the Department of Health reported that despite a well-publicised campaign to tackle childhood obesity and produce a comprehensive picture of the problem, the results “may underestimate the true population prevalence of obesity and overweight at national, regional and local level”. A Department of Health spokesman last night (SUN) said: “If you do not opt out and your child is measured at school you will automatically get feedback.”… Telegraph, July 27th 2008 Read the whole story

Children and healthy weight

Your child’s weight matters, and there are things you can do if you are concerned about it. You can also calculate your child’s height and weight to see if they are in a healthy range. Why your child’s weight matters Children are getting heavier these days and that is bad news for their health, especially as they get older. Children who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes or heart disease in later life and are more likely be obese as adults. But health is not the only issue. Overweight children could also be affected by: teasing or bullying low self-esteem embarrassment when playing games or sports difficulty in being active (for example, getting breathless quickly) Even if your child is not overweight or obese, it is important that they eat healthily and are physically active. The tips outlined on this page are relevant to all children, no matter what their weight is… Child height and weight calculator click here Adult height and weight calculator click here DirectGov website Read the whole story

Food fables

Leading food companies in the UK are still not doing enough to curb their marketing of less healthy food to children. While most now have impressive sounding policies on marketing to children, they still leave plenty of scope for less healthy promotions. Signs of improvement Some of the big food companies have stopped targeting young children, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Weetabix stand out for taking a more responsible approach. At the end of 2007 eleven leading food companies pledged to ‘change food and beverage advertising on TV, print and internet to children under the age of 12 in the European Union’. However, this only covers younger children where they make up at least 50% of the audience, it doesn’t include all types of promotion and the criteria for distinguishing healthier and less healthier foods have yet to be published. Our review of individual company policies has shown some improvement in self- imposed restrictions on advertising and promotion to young children. However we think they fall short of what is needed to help improve children’s diets… If you’d like to find out more about what we found for each company, you can read the full report Which? Campaigns Read the whole story

Healthy eating for kids on days out

From a veggy hotpot to fruity jellies; what to pick from children’s menus at some of our leading tourist attractions Summer outings will do the whole family good only if you know that the castle, zoo or park has a decent café. Otherwise, unless you got up early to make sandwiches, you risk feeling resentful as you shell out on rubbishy kids’ food in a cafeteria. A survey published last month by Lacors, the body that regulates council services, found that most theme parks, wildlife parks, museums, leisure centres, heritage sites and farm parks offered children fatty, salty and sugary food. Not one of the 397 meals for seven to ten-year-olds tested by environmental health officers and trading standards officers at 220 attractions met the nutritional guidelines for schools. The average children’s meal surveyed had 44 per cent more salt than the maximum 1.2g recommended by the School Food Trust, which oversees school dinners. A few sights, including National Trust properties, offer decent food for all ages. Elsewhere, even when salt- free nuggets are made from free-range chicken breast and ices are the creamiest of the local crop, children’s meals may not include vegetables… The Times, July 26 2008 Read the whole story

Primary ‘free school meals’ call

Ministers are being urged to offer free school meals to all primary school pupils in England. Currently, free meals are only offered to children from poorer families. But Labour-affiliated unions want the means test to be removed, so that all primary school children can receive a free healthy canteen lunch. A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said it was looking at the results of a free meals pilot in Hull, but had no plans to extend it. Delegates at Labour’s National Policy Forum in Warwick are understood to have tabled an amendment calling for the change. They hope it will boost the number of pupils taking the meals, which are now subject to strict nutritional guidelines… BBC News, 25 July 2008 Read the whole article

Britain’s first live-in school for fat pupils

Overweight children will learn dieting tips as well as the three Rs at a new private boarding facility Britain’s finest boarding school exclusively for overweight and obese teenagers is to open in the Lake District. It will take children aged 11 to 18 who are at least 9kg (20lb) too heavy and have had diet problems for more than a year. As well as being taught the national curriculum, pupils will learn food science and weight management. They will be encouraged to take part in intensive physical activity and consume just 1,500 calories and 12g of fat per day. The school will open in three years and will be run by the American company Wellspring Academies. Founded in 2002, Wellspring already runs two specialist boarding schools in the United States, attended by 20 British pupils. If the Lake District school is successful, there are plans to open more across Britain. Wellspring UK, the organisation’s British arm, already runs ‘fat camps’ at Lake Windermere for overweight and obese teenagers… The Observer, July 27 2008 Read the whole article

UK Strength and Conditioning Association Seminar Series

The UK Strength and Conditioning Association Seminar Series – 23 September 2008 in association with Sports Development Week at NEC Birmingham. Want to know the training secrets of the UK’s leading athletes? Learn from UK’s leading experts in this 3 hour seminar. For the second year running, the UK Strength and Conditioning Association will be presenting at LIW with three of the country’s leading experts in Strength and Conditioning. Both sessions last for three hours covering the key aspects of Strength and Conditioning with the option of attending a one hour practical demonstration at lunch time in the main arena. The morning session begins at 10.00 and runs until 13.00 and is repeated in an afternoon session from 14.00 to 17.00. The practical demonstration takes place in the hour between the morning and afternoon sessions. The programme is geared specifically for those looking to move into Strength & Conditioning. In particular: personal trainers and fitness professionals sports science/related degree students/recent graduates sports specific coaches related professions such as physiotherapy, sports massage, sports therapy It is essential to reserve your place for the session you want. Attendance costs £25 for UKSCA members, £40 for non-members. Book early, as last year’s event sold out in 3 weeks! For more information on the UKSCA please visit www.uksca.org.uk. Find out more