The Hip Handbook.

The Hip Handbook

Fagerson TL, ed. Boston, MA 01801, Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998, paperback, 366 pp, illus, $45.

This book was written primarily for health care professionals who are involved in the rehabilitation of individuals with hip pain and dysfunction. The editor and 2 of the contributing authors are physical therapists; the third contributor is an orthopedic surgeon. Together they present a comprehensive text that covers the anatomy, the biomechanics, the pathology, the examination procedures, and the nonoperative and surgical approaches to the treatment of the hip joint. Each of the 8 chapters provides a thorough review of information, supported by research reports and clinical experts and supplemented by numerous illustrations, tables, and algorithms. The editor and contributors have provided not only contemporary information, but information that is broad enough to incorporate practice patterns in different parts of the United States and Europe.

With the exception of the chapter on diagnostic imaging, the chapters are sequenced in a logical progression that enables the reader to build on the information presented in previous chapters. Although the chapter on diagnostic imaging is well written and has excellent illustrations, the reader may wish to read it in conjunction with the chapter on diseases and disorders, rather than waiting until the end of the book. In addition, the inclusion of bone densitometry techniques to diagnose osteoporosis would have been a nice addition to this chapter. The final chapter of the book provides an extremely useful listing of instruments that practitioners use to measure the outcomes of treatment. Many of the instruments that the chapter covers are specific to patients with hip pain and dysfunction, whereas others are more generalizable. Not only are the validity, reliability, and scoring of these instruments sufficiently detailed, but the instruments are also appropriately critiqued by the chapter author. A bibliography containing more than 300 references is included at the end of the book, although additional references are provided for the tables, illustrations, therapeutic devices, and patient education information located throughout the text.

In summary, I highly recommend this book for any student or practitioner who is involved with the acute care or rehabilitation of patients of any age who have hip dysfunction. It offers a solid conceptual foundation for understanding the evaluation and treatment approaches used for these patients, and it is sprinkled with details and facts that reinforce the importance of these concepts. Readers of all levels of expertise, from entry-level practitioners to clinical specialists, will find this book to be a useful addition to their libraries.

Martha Hinman, EdD, PT

The University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Tex

Dr Hinman is Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy where she teaches courses in kinesiology, electrotherapy, and research design. Her research interests include factors that affect balance and mobility in older adults, reliability of various balance measures, and health promotion for older adults and individuals with osteoporosis.