Pocket Guide to Musculoskeletal Assessment.

Pocket Guide to Musculoskeletal Assessment

Baxter RE. Philadelphia, PA 19106, WB Saunders Co, 1998, paperback, 203 pp, illus, $24.95

The purpose of this book is to help physical therapist students as they enter their clinical education experiences. It is small enough to be used in the examination room or kept in a lab coat. Although the book emphasizes orthopedic physical therapy, it contains chapters on inpatient cardiac and orthopedic evaluation, the examination of persons with lower-extremity amputations, and respiratory and neurologic evaluations. The orthopedic chapters are arranged by region of the body (ie, cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, hip, knee, and foot and ankle). The appendixes cover dermatomes, sclerotomes, auscultation, normal range of motion, the ligament laxity grading scale, capsular patterns and closed pack positions for selected joints, radiology, physical agents and modalities, types of traction, and normal values for commonly encountered laboratory results.

One of the book's strengths is the charts found in each chapter that illustrate the special tests and treatment options. The charts are region specific and describe the test and what it detects, the procedure, and the positive signs. The procedures are well described, but are not so lengthy that they would prevent the therapist from reviewing the procedure while in the examination room with a patient.

The charts include the condition, history and symptoms, signs and findings, and treatment options. The author gives the treatment options as a "starting point," but I feel that there was too much emphasis on modalities. For instance, in the case of a disk bulge in the lumbar spine, moist heat and ice and interferential electrical stimulation are recommended without any mention of manual therapy.

Overall, the book is well done and will be an asset to students during their clinical affiliation and to physical therapists who are resuming their careers.

Jeff Yaver, PT

Kaiser Permanente

Rancho Cordova, Calif

Mr Yaver is Clinical Education Coordinator for an outpatient clinic with an emphasis in orthopedics. He is Coeditor of Articulations, the newsletter for The American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.