The Head and Neck: Theory and Practice

Editors: Roger Kerry and Barbara Cagnie

Series editor: Jeremy Lewis

Publisher: Handspring

ISBN: 9781805010593

Non-discounted price: £75

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This book is going to be the mainstay of the assessment and management of head and neck disorders for many years to come!

It will be one of those books that sits on every physiotherapy department or clinic bookshelf and is the go-to point of reference for information. It contains everything that you’d need to know in order to manage pretty much any patient with a neck complaint.

While it is a weighty tome at more than 500 pages, the information within is presented in a real world, practical way that doesn’t feel too cumbersome to read. Some seminal textbooks can be heavy going, but that is not the case with this book. It carries a consistent quality of writing – even though there is a myriad of contributors from all over the world.

‘Staggering breadth and depth of information’

The list of contributors is a ‘who’s who’ of experts who have been skilfully edited by Roger Kerry and Barbara Cagnie to bring some of the complexities of dealing with patients with neck pain into a manageable and very readable format. The book contains many helpful illustrations and, in particular, invaluable tables to summarise aspects of the assessment and management options for a quick reference to clinicians who are looking for assistance.

The sheer breadth and depth of the information in the book is staggering. Each chapter is thoroughly referenced and contains about as much knowledge as it is possible to cram into the pages.

One inclusion that stood out was the table describing the risk factors for a first episode of neck pain. The ‘odds, risk or hazard ratio’ for many factors was listed and included individual, physical, workplace psychosocial, social, protective and modifying factors. It was interesting to see the less obvious factors and how they may impact on a patient’s chances of developing neck pain.

The chapter on vascular pathologies was great. It offered in-depth understanding that went far beyond the generalistic approach to vertebral dissection and non-dissection vascular events. Discussions about neurological examinations and patient focussed advice were included and informative.

The book is edited into three parts

• Part 1: Musculoskeletal problems of the head and neck

• Part 2: Assessment and management

• Part 3: Case studies in contemporary practice

A fascinating chapter for me was on the effectiveness of manual therapy for head and neck pain. It discussed the ongoing debate relating to manual therapy utilisation with evidence and practical advice. This was followed by a chapter about soft tissue techniques, which was equally compelling to read.

‘The sheer breadth and depth of the information in the book is staggering. Each chapter is thoroughly referenced and contains about as much knowledge as it is possible to cram into the pages’

Within the case studies, there are numerous tables and flowchart to aid clinicians assess whiplash-associated disorders. Evidence supported by clear references includes when to (or not to) request imaging – and which type. The case studies help to illustrate different clinical management options and brings a realism to the detailed information presented regarding this topic.

There are many prognostics and rationales for management options. These offer validity of options via evidence and allows the clinician to consider treatment modalities and when to use them with their patients.

The variety of contributors from around the world adds to the international flavour of the book – even though there are a few interventions that in the UK we may see as ‘out of vogue’, such as a collar for acute neck pain (in one chapter). This highlights that across the world, head and neck conditions are managed differently but the sharing of knowledge and experience in this book goes a long way to bringing expertise closer together.

Conclusion: a ‘must-have’ reference book

The overall feeling that this textbook takes the reader well beyond the ‘need to know’ and into the thought processes of the true physiotherapy experts in the field of head and neck disorders.

To sum up, this is a must-have reference book for every physiotherapy department or clinic.

Nick Worth is a physiotherapist who runs a private practice. He is the chair of the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM). For more information about SOMM, click

X: @Nickworthphysio

Nick also recommends The Musculoskeletal Practitioner’s Handbook: An essential guide for clinical practice by Jonathan Kenyon and Giles Hazan.

To read his 2024 review for PhysioUpdate, click https://physioupdate.co.uk/nick-worth-2/