Victoria University Press in Wellington, New Zealand have just published a new book by Stephanie de Montalk which has been very well reviewed here in New Zealand. de Montalk is an accomplished writer and documentary maker in New Zealand and she has lived with chronic pain for more than a decade. She tackles questions like 'why is it so hard to measure and describe pain? and 'why are health professionals well equipped to manage acute pain, but less capable at helping people manage unremitting chronic pain.' de Montalk's approach would be perfect for UG and PG physiotherapy students. It's accessible and readable, but comprehensive, diverse and erudite. Here is a link to an interview … [Read more...] about How does it hurt: Narrating pain – new book from Stephanie de Montalk
Phantom limb pain and embodiment
An extract from a recent book review of Cassandra S. Crawford's, Phantom Limb: Amputation, Embodiment and Prosthetic Technology. New York: New York University Press, 2014. Pp. vii + 307. £15.99. ISBN 978 0 8147 6012 3. 'George Dedlow, a fictional nineteenth-century amputee said: ‘About one half of the sensitive surface of my skin is gone, and thus much of [my] relation to the outer world destroyed …’ (p. 110). 'This quote, like much of this book left me thinking. Some of those thoughts flitted around being fascinated, surprised, but also a bit depressed. With that maelstrom of impressions, if you are interested in thinking about the nature of bodies and how our (supposed) relationship … [Read more...] about Phantom limb pain and embodiment
Embodiment, pain and disability – the latest edition of Qualitative Inquiry
Hot on the heels of yesterday's @physiotalk Tweet-chat about philosophy and physiotherapy, comes the latest edition of Qualitative Inquiry. For those of you who don't know it, QI has a strong focus on innovative and experimental qualitative material (follow this link to visit the journal's website). This month's edition focuses on the life and work of Laurel Richardson - a major force in areas like autoethnography (where the researcher's experience becomes the data) and creative writing as a research process. The papers are all about embodiment, pain and disability and have real application to physiotherapy practice. Ronald J. Berger, Carla Corroto and Julie White (2014). … [Read more...] about Embodiment, pain and disability – the latest edition of Qualitative Inquiry
A memoir of chronic pain
Courtesy of my good friend and colleague Dinah Bradley (Breathing Works), a new phenomenologically-inspired non-fiction work on the lived experience of chronic pain. How Does It Hurt?, is a memoir of chronic pain––a condition which, despite advances in the science of pain and alleviation of acute or temporary pain, remains little understood and poorly communicated, while silently reaching epidemic proportions. The narrative aims to bring visibility and a measure of clarity to the lived experience of continuing physical pain. In particular, it confronts the paradox of writing about personal pain, notwithstanding pain’s resistance to verbal expression, and reflects on the ways in which other … [Read more...] about A memoir of chronic pain