Jill Holroyd

published in Physiotherapy, April 1993:

Arthritis at your age?

An arthritis sufferer herself from a young age has written this book to provide a wealth of information for other young (under-65) arthritis patients. The book begins by discussing some of the different rheumatic conditions and the various treatments available.

The rest of the book is devoted to all aspects related to 'living with arthritis' - ie employment, further education, socialising, holidays, relationships, marriage, etc.

The information provided is frequently interspersed with quotes from other people with arthritis, thus giving a genuine feeling of 'I know how you feel' or 'I know what it is like to...' rather than thoughts and ideas written by non-arthritic people who can only imagine what it must be like to have arthritis.

The overall bias of this book is that patients need a good working relationship with their healthcare team and that they are the people who are central to that team and they need to find out how to help themselves using medical professionals as advisers.

At the end of each section there is a bibliography and list of useful contact numbers and addresses.

I feel that the right balance has been achieved in expressing the more depressing aspects of these potentially very disabling diseases and the endless possibilities for leading a fulfilled life provided patients have a strong will and good support from others.

Though primarily written for patients, this book is an invaluable source of information for anyone involved in the management of people with arthritis.

The layout makes it easy to dip into and use, as intended, as a reference book. The ring binding instead of a traditional solid spine makes handling the book much easier; especially for arthritics who often have poor hand function.

Overall I would say it is excellent value for money and a must for all departments including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and the wards, as it provides quick and easy access to information for patients and their relatives as well as members of staff.

Elizabeth Hall MCSP