Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach

A resource describing the theories and practices of the late Dr. Vladimir Janda was lacking until three of his disciples came together to fill this void and provide a look at the man who helped develop the ideas of muscle imbalance and sensorimotor training. The descriptions of physical examination and treatment provide cursory overviews of many tests and treatment techniques that are not detailed enough for new students of manual therapy to fully grasp, but work as an overview for more experienced practitioners. Janda’s own movement pattern examinations are included, but the authors do a poor job of describing their execution and implementation. Diagrams, illustrations and charts are used extensively to help summarize key information in a succinct manner. The text is well referenced, but they are all in-text, and many sections include more references than information. The authors have done a commendable job of summarizing Dr. Janda’s work into an accessible, easy to read text. It is most useful for students who have basic practical and theoretical background knowledge in manual therapy, and practitioners looking for more information on Janda’s theories. Overall, it is a good evidence-based look into the mind of one of the most well-respected physical therapists of our time.