Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Physiotherapy Canada logoLink to Physiotherapy Canada
. 2012 Jan 31;64(1):107–109. doi: 10.3138/physio.64.1.107

Book Reviews

PMCID: PMC3280717
Physiother Can. 2012 Jan 31;64(1):107. doi: 10.3138/ptc.64.1.rev01

Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Extremities, Cervical and Thoracic Spine

Jeff Garrett 1
Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Extremities, Cervical and Thoracic Spine. Shirley Sahrmann, editor. & Associates, Editors;  Kathryn Falk. St. Louis (MO):  Elsevier Mosby;  2011 ISBN-13  978-0-323-05342-6. 547 p.  US$74.95.  

Dr. Shirley Sahrmann's long-awaited second book has finally arrived. This text is an excellent resource for all physical therapists—there is something for everyone, from the experienced clinician to the physical therapy student.

Her first book set out her theories of movement impairments using a kinesiopathological model; this text introduces broader concepts while updating the various movement-disorder syndromes. The importance of using diagnostic labels to define each movement disorder is emphasized.

The book is well organized and easy to follow. Each anatomic region is covered in a chapter; this approach makes it easy to understand the diagnosis as well as the staged management of each musculoskeletal pain syndrome.

Each chapter opens with a concise introduction; this is followed by discussions of alignment considerations, normal movement and muscle actions, and movement-system disorders. Each chapter concludes with a case study that includes a history, alignment movement analysis, and diagnosis and treatment protocols. A helpful clinical summary is provided for each movement syndrome, re-emphasizing the key concepts the authors wish readers to retain.

The clinical reasoning that accompanies the discussion is excellent and helps guide the clinician in a thought-provoking manner. The text is organized in a way that allows readers to analyze the mechanical cause of the movement impairment and plan appropriate clinical interventions. Explanations of the examination and corrective exercise are extremely detailed, and modifications of functional activities for patients are offered. An accompanying Web site includes video clips demonstrating the tests and procedures.

Once again Dr. Sahrmann has put together a remarkable text that will be a welcome addition to your personal or clinic library.

Physiother Can. 2012 Jan 31;64(1):107–108. doi: 10.3138/ptc.64.1.rev02

Primary Care for the Physical Therapist: Examination and Triage

Robyn Davies 1
Primary Care for the Physical Therapist: Examination and Triage,  2nd ed. William G. Boissonnault. St. Louis (MO):  Saunders Elsevier;  2011 ISBN-13  978-1-4160-6105-2. 418 p., illustrated  CAD$86.95

This well-organized book is an excellent resource for the physical therapist at a time when the role of primary care is expanding. The authors define primary-care practice as “the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs…”1(p.48) The highlights of this book are its comprehensive and readable style, the applicability of the content to both students and experienced clinicians, and the accompanying online resources.

All of the book's 21 contributors (including the lead author) are American, and, with the exception of one pharmacist (author of chapter 4, “Pharmacologic Considerations for the Physical Therapist”), all are physical therapists. Contextually, therefore, the book has an American bias. This is particularly noticeable in the initial foundation-setting chapter, which defines and provides a history of primary care for physical therapists in the United States. International readers, however, will find relevance in the content of this book, particularly those in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia where primary-care models of physical therapy currently exist and scopes of practice and roles are being expanded.

This second edition comes 6 years after the first. All chapters have been updated and expanded to reflect new evidence and the evolution of practice. The second edition also includes consideration of the healthy client. Chapters on health and wellness, screening for selected medical conditions, and differential diagnosis have been added.

The book is organized into three sections: “Foundations,” “Examination/Evaluation,” and “Special Populations.” In the first section (five chapters), topics include PT primary care models, an evidence-based look at diagnostic information, cultural competence, pharmacological considerations, and the patient interview. The chapters are clearly written and set the foundation for the remainder of the text. Useful tips and resources are offered by each of the authors.

In the second section (prologue and 10 chapters), the content turns more toward assessment, including symptom investigation, patient health history, review of systems, patient interview, quadrant screening, and diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests. The prologue provides a quick overview of the section and suggests how to sequence patient assessment. The flow of the content is deliberate and easy to follow. Case scenarios are presented in the laboratory chapter, which nicely links the content to clinical practice.

The third section (“Special Populations”) consists of five chapters, three of which address paediatrics (including adolescents), obstetrics, and geriatrics. Health and wellness and a “do not want to miss list” round out this section, which reviews the normal and abnormal conditions of the given population and highlights things to consider for the physical therapist. The “do not want to miss list”—effectively placed in the final chapter, and covering topics such as suicide risk, cauda equina syndrome, and atypical myocardial infarction—emphasizes that as primary care providers, physical therapists have a significant responsibility for patients' safety.

All chapters use clear, well-labelled tables, boxes, and figures to organize the information and provide further illustration and clarity. Photos are good-quality black-and-white reproductions. Appendices, where present, are clear and are good resources for the reader. The index is comprehensive, which makes searching for information easy.

Additional resources for both instructor and student are available through the publisher's online learning system. Student resources include some copies of printable appendices, references for each chapter linked to Medline, and additional Web links; buttons labelled “case studies” and “image collection” currently lead only to a “coming soon” page. Instructor resources are available only to individuals who can be verified as instructors.

This book is not intended as a stand-alone resource but, rather, should accompany other texts that describe detailed regional assessment and treatment. It will appeal both to students and to clinicians who either are in a primary-care role or are considering moving into one. For students, it will lay a strong foundation for clinical thinking and will continue to be a resource once they are out in practice. For clinicians, it will reinforce a systematic approach to patient review, offer some practical tips, and develop their thinking and knowledge in areas where PT education has traditionally been fairly superficial (e.g., pharmacology, lab tests).

References

  1. Institute of Medicine. Primary care: America's health in a new era. Washington (DC): National Academies Press; 1996. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Physiother Can. 2012 Jan 31;64(1):108–109. doi: 10.3138/ptc.64.1.rev03

Physical Management for Neurological Conditions

Angie Andreoli 1
Physical Management for Neurological Conditions,  3rd ed. Maria Stoke, Emma Stack. Amsterdam:  Churchill Livingstone Elsevier;  2011 ISBN-13  978-0-723-43560-0. 448 p., illustrated  CAD$60.46

Formerly titled Physical Management in Neurological Rehabilitation, the third edition of this well-known textbook offers physiotherapists an overview of the basic principles of neurological rehabilitation. The book offers a non-prescriptive problem-solving approach to physical management, insights into collaborative decision making, and suggestions for outcome measures applicable to everyday practice.

New to this edition is Dr. Emma Stack, a senior research fellow in the area of Parkinson disease. She joins co-editor Dr. Maria Stokes and 11 other U.K. physiotherapists and researchers who bring a wealth of expertise to the text. In addition to refined content, this edition also includes four new chapters on rehabilitation in practice, respiratory management, self-management, and falls. Since the previous edition, published in 2004, there have been advancements in research in the areas of physical activity and fitness that are also reflected in this new edition.

The book's three complementary sections together offer a comprehensive approach to the challenges of rehabilitation. Section 1 focuses on neurological and neuromuscular conditions, ranging from Parkinson disease to Huntington's disease to motor neuron disease and including everything in between. Section 2 examines tools, techniques, and treatment approaches in the context of neuro-rehabilitation. I particularly appreciated this section's emphasis on neuroplasticity, neuropsychology, and relearning of functional movement. Section 3 focuses on skill acquisition and new learning. At only 50 pages, this is the shortest section, which is unfortunate, as it covers three relatively new areas: the impact of exercise on recovery; concepts of self-management, including the active involvement of patients and families in decisions about their care; and the assessment, prevention, and management of falls. The three sections are meant to work synergistically: for example, practitioners seeking information about the return of functional mobility after brain injury will find relevant details in the chapters on acquired brain injury (section 1, chapter 3), abnormal movement (section 2, chapter 14), and physical activity (section 3, chapter 18).

The book maintains its scientific and research base with extensive use of evidence-based references as well as pointers toward further resources and reading. Chapters are frequently cross-referenced: readers seeking information about self-management, for example, will find additional information in the condition-specific chapters of section 1 that complements the information in section 3. There is ample use of figures and diagrams, and the text is well illustrated. As well, boxed sections titled “Key Points” are used throughout section 1 to summarize take-home messages. Although there is some emphasis on paediatrics, particularly in the area of motor disorders, this text focuses primarily on an adult neurological population. Most chapters conclude with well-crafted case studies illustrating how therapists can adapt assessment, goal-setting approaches, and clinical management to a patient's social context, medical history, and functional presentation.

Another feature of this text is Pageburst, an ebook service that offers electronic access to the complete book content. Pageburst allows you to search the entire book, make notes, and add highlights to text. Also unique to Pageburst is the ability to copy and paste a section of text and bring all of the reference information along with it. I downloaded the title directly to my computer for easy offline use, and found the concepts easy to navigate and the search function particularly useful. Currently available e-readers do not support Pageburst, but the bookshelf application from VitalSource, downloadable from the Apple App Store, will play titles on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. If other Pageburst titles are purchased, all the ebooks can work together as an electronic “bookshelf,” allowing you to search across your entire library of ebooks.

Physical Management for Neurological Conditions provides a comprehensive introduction to the key concepts of neuro-rehabilitation. While this book claims to target students in the health professions, it is primarily geared toward students of physical therapy. Although this is a basic resource, therapists at all levels will find it useful, particularly for conditions that they see only rarely in practice. As a one-stop shop for neurological care, this is an excellent choice!

Articles from Physiotherapy Canada are provided here courtesy of University of Toronto Press and the Canadian Physiotherapy Association

RESOURCES