advances in exercise immunology

1
Physiotherapy July 2001/vol 87/no 7 385 Book reviews Wiley, Chichester 1999 (ISBN 0 471 98437 X) edited by Joanne L Fallowfield and David M Wilkinson £14.99 This book is in effect a scientific bible aimed at guiding the preparation of middle and long distance runners. It is the first in a series directed at ‘Improving Sports Performance’ and is specifically for athletes, coaches and sports science students. The authors have presented their subject in clearly defined sections, a thorough background introduction followed by specialist chapters covering the major areas that influence performance: physiology, psychology, training, physiological assessment, tissue damage, nutrition and environmental factors. This is a technical text and therefore highly scientific with supporting diagrams and well referenced. Each chapter is sub-divided highlighting the major subject areas and is summarised by a key points section at the end. An interesting and useful addition is the introduction of technical boxes throughout the text. These emphasise and highlight a specific point of importance to the reader. The book as mentioned is highly scientific and unfortunately like most texts of this type is quite heavy reading, especially for those of us without a sports science background. For a physiotherapist or sports medicine practitioner this would not be a cover-to-cover read; it is more suited as an on-the-shelf reference guide. I do not see it having a place in the average physiotherapy department, however it would be a useful addition to a specialist sports clinic library. In summary I feel that the editors have achieved their objective in providing a comprehensive text appropriate for their identified target readership. Martin Rennison MPhil BSc MCSP Improving Sports Performance in Middle and Long Distance Running A scientific approach to race preparation Human Kinetics, Champaigne, Illinois 1999 (ISBN 0 88011 562 9). 364 pages by Laurel T Mackinnon £40 The preface of this book places the topic of exercise immunology in context – based on increased interest in exercise, first as a strategy for disease prevention, secondly as an adjunct therapy for certain diseases, thirdly in diminishing/delaying the effects of ageing and immobility, and finally as a means studying the stress response. After an opening chapter which explores the relationship between exercise and resistance to infectious disease, the author provides an overview of the immune system – a chapter which attempts to simplify the complexity of the immune system, and presents a large amount of information in a very accessible manner. Chapter 3 explores the effect of exercise on the number and distribution of circulating leukocytes, noting that while most leukocytes increase dramatically during exercise and remain so for several hours, lymphocyte numbers may decrease after exercise. The next four chapters discuss the effects of exercise on different immune systems (innate and humoral) and on different aspects of immune function (cytokines and cytoxic cells). The penultimate chapter focuses on potential clinical applications of exercise immunology with specific reference to cancer, human immunodeficiency virus, ageing, space flight and dietary intervention in athletes. The final chapter summarises the current state of knowledge, and identifies future directions for investigation. The book is extensively referenced, and each chapter concludes with a summary paragraph, followed by bullet points summarising research findings, possible practical applications, and a ‘yet to be explored’ section on areas/topics for further research. While all chapters of the book are obviously linked to the general topic of exercise immunology, each chapter has been presented as an individual review on a specific element of immunology, and can be read in isolation. The book includes some excellent summary tables and useful diagrams, but on the whole the visual impact is not particularly attractive. However, the extremely complex topic of exercise immunology has been presented in a clear and accessible format. While not recommending this book as an essential text for physiotherapists, it will make a useful reference book in departmental libraries, particularly for those interested in sport and exercise medicine and therapeutic exercise. Kate Kerr PhD BA MCSP CertEd PGDipHE Advances in Exercise Immunology Books on Sports Medicine

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Page 1: Advances in Exercise Immunology

Physiotherapy July 2001/vol 87/no 7

385Book reviews

Wiley, Chichester1999 (ISBN 0 471 98437 X)edited by Joanne L Fallowfield and David M Wilkinson

£14.99This book is in effect a scientific bible aimed at guiding thepreparation of middle and long distance runners. It is thefirst in a series directed at ‘Improving Sports Performance’and is specifically for athletes, coaches and sports sciencestudents.

The authors have presented their subject in clearlydefined sections, a thorough background introductionfollowed by specialist chapters covering the major areas thatinfluence performance: physiology, psychology, training,physiological assessment, tissue damage, nutrition andenvironmental factors. This is a technical text and therefore

highly scientific with supporting diagrams and wellreferenced.

Each chapter is sub-divided highlighting the major subjectareas and is summarised by a key points section at the end.An interesting and useful addition is the introduction oftechnical boxes throughout the text. These emphasise andhighlight a specific point of importance to the reader.

The book as mentioned is highly scientific andunfortunately like most texts of this type is quite heavyreading, especially for those of us without a sports sciencebackground. For a physiotherapist or sports medicinepractitioner this would not be a cover-to-cover read; it ismore suited as an on-the-shelf reference guide. I do not seeit having a place in the average physiotherapy department,however it would be a useful addition to a specialist sportsclinic library.

In summary I feel that the editors have achieved theirobjective in providing a comprehensive text appropriate fortheir identified target readership.

Martin Rennison MPhil BSc MCSP

Improving Sports Performance inMiddle and Long DistanceRunningA scientific approach to race preparation

Human Kinetics, Champaigne, Illinois1999 (ISBN 0 88011 562 9). 364 pages

by Laurel T Mackinnon £40The preface of this book places the topic of exerciseimmunology in context – based on increased interest inexercise, first as a strategy for disease prevention, secondly asan adjunct therapy for certain diseases, thirdly indiminishing/delaying the effects of ageing and immobility,and finally as a means studying the stress response.

After an opening chapter which explores the relationshipbetween exercise and resistance to infectious disease, theauthor provides an overview of the immune system – achapter which attempts to simplify the complexity of theimmune system, and presents a large amount of informationin a very accessible manner.

Chapter 3 explores the effect of exercise on the numberand distribution of circulating leukocytes, noting that whilemost leukocytes increase dramatically during exercise andremain so for several hours, lymphocyte numbers maydecrease after exercise. The next four chapters discuss theeffects of exercise on different immune systems (innate andhumoral) and on different aspects of immune function

(cytokines and cytoxic cells).The penultimate chapter focuses on potential clinical

applications of exercise immunology with specific referenceto cancer, human immunodeficiency virus, ageing, spaceflight and dietary intervention in athletes.

The final chapter summarises the current state ofknowledge, and identifies future directions for investigation.

The book is extensively referenced, and each chapterconcludes with a summary paragraph, followed by bulletpoints summarising research findings, possible practicalapplications, and a ‘yet to be explored’ section onareas/topics for further research.

While all chapters of the book are obviously linked to thegeneral topic of exercise immunology, each chapter hasbeen presented as an individual review on a specific elementof immunology, and can be read in isolation.

The book includes some excellent summary tables anduseful diagrams, but on the whole the visual impact is notparticularly attractive. However, the extremely complextopic of exercise immunology has been presented in a clearand accessible format. While not recommending this bookas an essential text for physiotherapists, it will make a usefulreference book in departmental libraries, particularly forthose interested in sport and exercise medicine andtherapeutic exercise.

Kate Kerr PhD BA MCSP CertEd PGDipHE

Advances in ExerciseImmunology

Books on Sports Medicine