Orthopedic Assessment and Treatment of the Geriatric Patient.

The primary purpose of this textbook is to present a variety of alternative strategies for the management of orthopedic conditions occurring in elders. In particular, the book presents the views and approaches to evaluation and treatment of physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. There is an opening section of the textbook wherein various authors outline universal concerns regarding elders, namely cardiovascular, physiological, and psychological benefits of exercise; neuromuscular considerations for elders, and motivation considerations.

Common orthopedic conditions are addressed according to the following format: A physician describes the medical approach to be considered in the condition, after which a therapist describes the rehabilitation perspective of that same condition. This format is used throughout the textbook, except for the chapters on amputation and prosthetic training, and the management of osteoporosis. For the most part, the conditions are addressed in a regional fashion keg, cervical spine: an orthopedic perspective, followed by cervical spine: a rehabilitation perspective). This pattern continues for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, and leg and ankle.

Not all chapters are uniformly written or informative. For example, the medical perspectives of leg and ankle injuries and of foot injuries are brief overviews. The associated therapists, chapters on these topics are more thorough, however, and will be very useful to the clinician in practice. There is a considerable overlap of authors in describing the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Some authors do not make the clear distinction that osteoarthritis is not an aging process.

The clinician should be able to derive from this text evaluation techniques and treatment applications to be used for the orthopedic conditions of elderly patients. The text is what the editors intended it to be, a working handbook for the practicing clinician. Although research is referred to when describing treatment, the authors are reporting it in concert with their recommendations for managing the orthopedic condition of the elder. This book could be useful for those who are working with elders and are unsure of the specific needs or considerations that should be given to this clientele.