Physical Rehabilitation: Assessment and Treatment, 3d ed.

The editors have published a third edition of their well-respected text on the rehabilitation management of adults. This book, which includes 32 chapters, is a comprehensive collection of varied topics that would be helpful reading to both students and experienced therapists. Many innovative treatment techniques are addressed and demonstrated through clear illustrations. The editors and contributing authors have produced a classic text for physical therapists.

In this edition, current research has been added to various chapters. There are also three new chapters in this edition, which are titled "The Rehabilitation of Chronic Pulmonary Dysfunction," "Chronic Pain," and "Communication Disorders." Each chapter has learning objectives, study questions, a glossary of terms, and an extensive list of references.

There are basic chapters covering vital signs, sensory assessment, wheelchair prescription, coordination assessment, and gait training. In the chapter of motor control assessment, new information on balance testing has been added along with information on testing muscle tone. A chapter on the assessment of home setups gives ideas regarding recommendations that the therapist or therapist assistant can give to the client and family. Diagrams of suggested home setups are included. There are good chapters on coronary artery disease, arthritis, burns, and biofeedback.

One particularly noteworthy chapter includes a section on stroke. The types of stroke are detailed, and the various sites of lesions and their manifestations are documented. Evaluation techniques for people who have had a stroke are looked at in a global manner. This chapter gives the reader many ideas for treatment progression.

Other excellent chapters include the chapters on lower-extremity evaluation and prosthetics. Pictures of various prosthetic devices are in this chapter, along with a table that lists the gait deviations that may be exhibited with the use of a prosthesis and probable causes for such deviations. The 7 chapter on orthotics is also very comprehensive and has many good illustrations.

The section on spinal cord injury is topnotch. It includes the in-depth sequelae of a spinal cord injury, plus the role of the physical therapist during the acute phase and the subacute phase. Also included in the text are two chapters on areas of rehabilitation that all physical therapists can benefit from. These chapters are titled "Neurogenic Disorders of Speech and Language" and "Assessment and Treatment Planning Strategies for Perceptual Deficits."

The book is written in a clear and concise manner and is well organized. I highly recommend this book to all physical therapy students, instructors, and experienced clinicians.