Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation, ed 2.

Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation, ed 2 Lusardi MM, Nielsen CC, eds. St Louis, MO 63146, Saunders, 2007, hardcover, 903 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-7506-7479-2, $89.

This comprehensive text on the use of orthoses and prostheses is designed for physical therapists and occupational therapists. Contributors include physical therapists, occupational therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, and physicians.

The book provides learning objectives for each chapter. Each chapter is well referenced and provides the current evidence, where available. A variety of case studies that use an evidence-based approach are interspersed in many of the chapters to demonstrate various concepts.

The text is divided into 3 parts. Part I lays the framework for the remainder of the text. Topics include the roles of the various health care professionals who interact with patients requiring orthoses or prostheses, the materials used in the design and construction of the devices, a comprehensive description of clinical assessment of pathological gait, and the effects of aging and activity tolerance on the use of orthoses and prostheses.

For the reader who is not versed in evidence-based practice, chapter 6 presents an in-depth discussion of the process. Using case examples to facilitate understanding, the chapter takes the reader through the process of developing a clinical question. A comprehensive list of sources, including textbooks, journals, and systematic reviews, is provided. To get the reader started in the search for evidence, search terms pertinent to the use of orthoses and prostheses, including rehabilitation, are provided. Electronic databases also are listed.

Part II addresses the use of orthoses in rehabilitation. The reader is provided with an in-depth description of the use of orthoses for a wide variety of neurological, orthopedic, and congenital disorders. Again, case studies illustrate how orthoses are used to treat a variety of disorders. Each case prompts the reader with questions.

Part III addresses amputations and the use of prostheses in rehabilitation. The reader is provided with an in-depth discussion of etiology, amputation surgeries, and rehabilitation. The components and design of various types of prostheses are described. As in the previous sections, a variety of case studies take the reader through clinical decision making.

This text is a well-written, comprehensive discussion of the use of orthoses and prostheses in rehabilitation and provides extensive background information relevant to an understanding of the principles of design, construction, and application. Numerous illustrations, photographs, and tables are provided to enhance the material. This text is an excellent resource for both students and practitioners in physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Byron Russell

B Russell, PT, PhD, is Professor and Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, Eastern Washington University, Spokane, Wash.

[DOI: 10.2522/ptj.2007.87.4.480.1]