Athletic Injuries and Rehabilitation.

Zachazewski J, Magee D, Quillen W, eds. Philadelphia, PA 19106, WB Saunders Co, 1996, hardcover, 1051 pp, illus, $95.

The successful care and prevention of athletic injuries requires current input from many areas of specialization. Drawing on the knowledge of various practitioners will help clinicians identify and manage the multifaceted needs of athletes. A coordinated team approach should provide appropriate information that addresses an individual's specific needs and helps maximize outcomes. This book effectively merges a wealth of sports medicine information and provides the reader with a clinically meaningful resource.

This book's purpose is to provide the reader with a comprehensive resource on the care and prevention of athletic injuries. The book is written for health care practitioners who manage patients with athletic injuries. The contributors are experts from the fields of medicine, physical therapy, athletic training, exercise physiology, nutrition, and psychology. The authors' clinical expertise and insights establish a strong foundation for Athletic Injuries and Rehabilitation.

The five major sections of the book are organized in a logical progression from basic science to clinical practice. The first section, "Arthrology and Tissue Physiology," contains 10 chapters that describe the relationship between normal physiology, injury, and healing in ligaments, tendons, muscles, bones, cartilage, and nerves. Section 2, "Physiology of Rehabilitation," highlights exercise considerations in athletics. Its five chapters cover the physiological principles of conditioning and resistance training, functional rehabilitation, environmental considerations, and ergogenic aids. The third section. "Applied Sport Biomechanics in Rehabilitation," discusses the relevant biomechanics of throwing, swimming, running, and cycling.

The remaining tow sections focus on clinical practice. Integrating basic science with clinical practice, section 4, "Clinical Considerations and Management," provides an overview of the surgical and rehabilitative management of athletic injuries. The 17 chapters within this section examine the surgical and rehabilitative issues in major anatomical regions, including the head, spine, and upper and lower extremities. Additional chapters cover emergency care, psychology, dermatology, and general medical problems in athletes. The final section provides an overview of special topics in sports medicine including the female athlete, the child or adolescent athlete, and the athlete with disabilities. Other chapters in this section discuss preparticipation physical examinations, nutritional concerns, protective equipment, and pharmacology and drugs in sports.

Throughout the book, the authors use a team-oriented approach. In several chapters, surgeons collaborated with physical therapists to discuss a diagnosis from the surgical perspective and from the rehabilitative viewpoint. Information in each chapter is presented clearly and concisely. Tables, illustrations, and photographs augment the presentation of material within each chapter. The references in the book provide the reader with citations to the most recent scholarship available.

Athletic Injuries and Rehabilitation contributes to physical therapy practice by providing worthwhile, comprehensive, and clinically pertinent information about sports medicine. With the goal of providing a safe and effective outcome for the athlete, this book highlights the team-oriented approach, as evidenced by the input from a variety of specialties. Students, beginning and experienced physical therapists who manage and prevent athletic injuries, and other practitioners who work with athletes will find this book a valuable reference. It is a welcome addition to the sports medicine literature.

Dr Keskula is Assistant Professor in the physical therapy program and has research interests in the reliability and validity of clinical measurements with a specific focus on functional outcome measures.