Publisher:
ELSEVIER, Philadelphia, PA

Editors:
G. A. Malanga MD and K. Mautner MD

Foreword:
F. G. O’Connor COL., MC, USA, MD, PhD

This book was a pleasure to read over the course of a few days. It is concise and adequately detailed as a quick review book. It won’t replace the standard reference textbooks for detailed information and anatomical knowledge, but it provides the essentials in a format that is easy to read and understand.

The illustrations and layout provide an easy-to-follow arrangement with clear explanations about the most important aspects of physical examination. The text provides excellent, clear descriptions on the ‘how to’ and ‘why’ of conducting certain manoeuvres.  These are easy to follow and understand. The chapter layout clearly demarcates the different muscular systems with more-than-adequate referenced evidence within each chapter. There have been clear improvements made to the layout and illustrations compared to the previous version.

The book also comes with a free link to its equivalent e-book. This can be accessed from most electronic devices, once the PIN code within the front cover is logged in. The e-book contains clear illustrations that can be manoeuvred for enhanced learning and clarification. There are also links to videos of the various examination techniques discussed in the book. Therefore e-book access is a definite bonus when considering the educational aspect of this textbook. I believe this option would greatly appeal to most healthcare professionals, especially those who are involved in providing educational sessions to other healthcare professionals.

The book’s limitation is its price which is closer to that of the larger reference textbooks. On price alone, it may be overlooked for the more detailed and extensive texts. However, automatic access to the electronic resource goes a long way to justify its price. Having had the opportunity to read and explore this book, I feel it may very well become my own initial reference text. It will undoubtedly appeal to a wide spectrum of healthcare professionals working within a musculoskeletal environment, prior to reading more detailed texts.

Reviewed by:

Dr. Jonathan Mamo MD(Melit) MSc (Melit) MSc (Nott) MRCP(UK) MRCP(Lond)

Specialist Registrar in Spinal Injuries and Rehabilitation Medicine

The Duke of Cornwall Spinal Injury Centre, Salisbury, United Kingdom