The Physiology of the Joints, 5th ed.; Lower Limb, vol. 2.

The Physiology of the Joints, ed 5: Lower Limb, vol 2 By Kapandji IA. New York, NY 10036, Churchill Livingstone Inc, 1988, paper, 242 pp, illus, $22 This volume is part of a three-volume series; the other volumes are on the upper extremity and the trunk and vertebral column. According to the author, the "explanatory notes" and accompanying 690 diagrams are intended to explain the mechanics of the joints and the physiology of muscle action. The work will appeal to medical students and orthopedic surgeons; it also will interest physical therapists. Explanations for each of the lower extremity joints are offered, in terms of both osteokinematics and arthrokinematics. Considerable attention also is paid to the influence of motion on soft tissue structures and to the influence of soft tissue structures on motion. The figures, a highlight of the volume, offer explanations that accompany the narrative. In the foreword to this new edition, the author states that new material has been included in each chapter. These changes primarily have been incorporated into the section on the knee, where several new figures have been included in the text. Also included is one additional section on clinical examination of the knee. Generally the new version offers only minor revision, compared with previous editions. A fundamental criticism of the previous edition was that no references were included. The author did include references in this volume, but only 29. Of these references, only 4 have been published since 1983. All other references are to works published before 1974. Thus, the lack of complete references remains a primary deficiency of die volume. Those therapists who have not used this series would find it helpful for fundamental study of joint osteokinematics and arthrokinematics. it would be most useful for physical therapists who treat patients with disorders of the musculoskeletal system, but anyone who deals with patients with joint disorders could benefit. The limited examples of pathological conditions and subsequent movement disorders in the text would prohibit its widespread use in the clinical setting.