Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: State of the Art Reviews, vol 9, no 3.

This book is designed to cover the breadth of physical medicine and rehabilitation, a demanding and daunting task. To reflect this broad perspective, 60 chapters were written by 114 authors. The authors include physicians, nurses, psychologist, therapists, and related specialists, such as a biomedical engineer. A chapter on achieving functional independence is co-authored by a physical therapist and an occupational therapist, and three additional chapters have been co-written by occupational therapists.

The book is well written and easy to read. The editors and authors worked together to present the material in a uniform manner that is designed to circumvent the unevenness in style and quality usually encountered in books written by multiple contributors. They have succeeded admirably at this task. The book is well illustrated with tables, drawings, and photographs that help to clarify the content.

The book is divided into four sections: "Evaluation," "Treatment Techniques and Special Equipment," "Management of Special Problem," and "Management of Specific Diagnoses Encountered in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Practice." Although the text consists of all encylopedic approach to physical medicine and rehabilitation from the pathologic and medical perspective, physical therapy, and occupational therapy approaches to evaluation and treatment are given brief mention. For instance, in a 34-page chapter on rehabilitation of patients who have had a stroke, therapeutic interventions merit only one page. On this page the author lists passive, active, and resistive exercises and functional training as possible avenues of intervention. Other approaches such as proprioceptive neurofacilitation and those of Bobath, Rood, and Carr and Shepard are briefly described, in addition to the concept of forced-use and electrical stimulation. This information may be generally useful to a referring physician but is clearly inadequate for therapists.

The author indicates that the text contains state-of-the-art knowledge that is designed to provide practical help to many different types of practitioners. This goal is accomplished more in some chapters than in others. The chapters on spasticity, osteoporosis, and swallowing disorders are good examples of the truth of the author's assertion. There are three chapters devoted to electro-diagnostic medicine, providing excellent coverage in this area.

This book is a useful reference for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, or physical therapy students concerning pathologic insights and medical guidance for conditions encountered in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Each chapter contains a relatively large selected reference list for additional investigation. From a physical therapy perspective, this book does not provide sufficient information to stand as a primary source or textbook for therapists.