Inman's Joints of the Ankle, 2d ed.

The editor and contributors for Inman's Joints of the Ankle, ed 2, have provided an updated version of Inman's fir-st book, which was published 15 years ago. This text, more properly referred to in the preface as a monograph, offers detailed information on the topography of the articular surfaces of the ankle and subtalar joints, as well as proposed axes for both of these joints as researched and presented in the original text by Inman. Updated and corrected information on these topics from more current literature is also integrated into this text. There is an attempt to add more clinical relevance to this edition, but it appears to fall short of its goal. Orthopedic surgeons are the targeted audience; however, the text has relevance to anyone interested in details, of ankle and subtalar structure. Whereas an overview of the function of each joint is included, there are other sources that deal with function far more comprehensively.

Detailed coverage of individual variations in bony topography and in the joint axis of the ankle is excellent but will probably be of interest to more knowledgeable readers only. Those who are interested in research will find in the appendixes reasonably thorough descriptions of how Inman made his measurements and the instrumentation he used. I found that the chapters on the ankle begin abruptly, are choppy, and lack cohesiveness. Chapters I through 4 could easily have been integrated. Chapter 6 laboriously uses 13 mechanical models to make its point. The end of this chapter adds brief facts on topics not covered in the first edition. The emphasis in the chapters on the ankle appears to be on presentation of findings rather than on an integrated understanding of ankle joint structure and function. The concepts and conclusions presented on the ankle are treated in a more brief, succinct, and comprehensible manner in other texts. The superb summary illustrations, including mean, range, and standard deviation of normal values, and many of the mechanical models found in this text should not be missed, although the reader is likely to find them reproduced, at least in par-t, in any major treatise on the ankle joint.

The two chapters on the subtalar joint are substantially different in approach than those on the ankle. A review of the anatomy of the subtalar joint precedes a readable and cohesive presentation of past and more recent data, leading to current concepts in subtalar function. The same emphasis on individual variability is retained, whereas the mechanical models are more brief and are more appropriately used to enhance understanding.

The last two chapters of the text are written by two additional contributors. Chapter 8 includes not only human locomotion, as indicated in the chapter title, but also a brief, but well-stated, review on the angles of inclination of the ankle and subtalar joints. The section on gait does an excellent job of identifying how ankle and subtalar joint function affect, and are affected by, lower-limb rotations. Chapter 9 describes classification of ankle injuries. Clearly targeted for surgeons, the terminology could be useful to physical therapists if the underlying assumptions or definitions critical to the classification system were available to the novice. Both chapters 8 and 9 could stand alone. Neither chapter makes any assumptions that the reader has not seen in the first seven chapters. Chapter 8 might be considered redundant if it were not for the strength of its presentation; chapter 9 is a substantial depar-ture from, and is unrelated to, the remainder of the text, except for its topic of concern, the ankle.

Inman's Joints of the Ankle, ed 2, is a good value and can be best appreciated by the reader who already has a fairly good understanding of ankle and subtalar joint function and is seeking additional background information. The text's drawbacks in style and organization will not seriously handicap this group. The figures and mechanical models may be of value to the sophisticated reader and novice alike. Whereas the novice may require more assistance than the text gives in interpreting the figures and models, the illustrations can assist anyone in understanding some of the more complex aspects of ankle and subtalar joint function. For that reason alone, anyone teaching ankle and subtalar joint function should have this text as part of his or her library.