The JOSPT offers invited reviews of current titles. The October 2010 column includes 7 reviews of the following books: Orthopaedic Trauma Care; Mechanisms and Management of Pain for the Physical Therapist; Fundamentals of Musculoskeletal Imaging, Third Edition; Gait Analysis: Normal and Pathological Function, Second Edition; The Lumbar Intervertebral Disc; Spine Classifications and Severity Measures; and Physical Agents in Rehabilitation: From Research to Practice, Third Edition.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(10):668-673.

Physical therapists are becoming increasingly visible as contributing members of sports medicine teams. Secondary to this public awareness, many physical therapists with minimal athletic backgrounds may be called upon to prepare a seriously injured athlete for competition. It is the purpose of this paper to introduce the physical therapists to the construction, implementation, and benefits of functional progressions as utilized as an augmentation to athletic rehabilitation.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1983;5(1):14-19.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1983;5(2):78-81.

Patellar plical syndrome is a commonly reported, yet controversial entity. Arguments exist as to which component of the patella plica is most commonly involved clinically. The authors describe a plical structure which is seldom identified as a source of pathology. This structure, however, can be a primary source of pain accompanying extensor mechanism dysfunction. The aforementioned structure has been identified via arthroscopic technique, cadaveric dissection, and by palpation during clinical examinations. Conservative and surgical management is discussed.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1988;9(9):305-309.

Forty-eight, healthy, adult, volunteer subjects (20 males, 28 females) who ranged in age from 21-46 years were studied during isokinetic testing of the knee joint. The same knee of each subject was tested at speeds of 60, 180, and 240°/sec on both the Biodex Model B-2000^® and the Cybex II Plus^® isokinetic dynamometers. The following variables were compared: peak torques, angle of peak torques, peak torque to body weight ratios, and flexion to extension ratios. Analysis of correlation coefficients showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) relationships between several pairs of values. However, results of paired t-tests revealed many statistically significant (p < 0.05) and nonuniform differences. The nonuniform differences between data generated by the two brands of isokinetic dynamometers indicated that clinicians should exercise caution when attempting to extrapolate test data from one machine to another.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1989;11(3):108-115.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1992;16(1):25-29.

Key Words: Feldenkrais, cervical range of motion, effort

Increased use of athletic trainers in sports medicine clinics has created a need for information related to actual and ideal use of these professionals in these settings. The purposes of this study were to 1) describe the characteristics of sports medicine clinics and their personnel, 2) determine whether there were differences between opinions of certified athletic trainers (ATCs), physical therapists (PTs), and professionals with dual credentials (PT/ATCs) about the ideal role of the ATC in sports medicine clinics, and 3) determine whether there were differences in actual usage of ATCs between states with and without athletic training laws. Subjects included 46 PTs, 43 PT/ATCs, and 73 ATCs from six different states. A questionnaire ascertained opinions about ideal ATC utilization and about current practice of ATCs with respect to 28 different clinical procedures. For 27 of the 28 procedures, there were significant differences of opinion about ideal ATC utilization between individuals with the three credentials. No significant differences in actual athletic trainer use in sports medicine clinics were found between states with and without athletic training laws.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1993;17(1):36-43.

Study Design: Descriptive, ex post facto. Objectives: To determine the proportion of physical therapy outpatients with pain who exhibit various pain behavior profiles, and to determine whether there are differences in functional disability across the profiles. Background: Physical therapists treat many patients who have chronic pain. Research suggests that early identification and multidisciplinary treatment are effective and economical for these patients. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) and the Pain Disability Index (PDI) are potential screening tools that could be used in physical therapy clinics to determine which patients should be referred for multidisciplinary treatment. Methods and Measures: MPI and PDI data were gathered on 57 physical therapy outpatients (mean age 44.3 ± 14.5 years, 22 men and 35 women) with pain of 3 or more months duration. ANOVA was used to analyze differences in mean PDI scores across the MPI profiles. Results: Of all patients, 42.1% fit the Adaptive Coper profile, 29.8% fit the lnterpersonally Distressed profile, and 28.1% fit the Dysfunctional profile. There were significant differences in PDI scores among profile groups. Post hoc analysis showed that the PDI scores of the Adaptive Coper and lnterpersonally Distressed groups were different from the Dysfunctional group, but that there was no difference between the Adaptive Coper and Interpersonally Distressed groups. Conclusions: Many patients in outpatient physical therapy settings exhibit behavioral, affective, and cognitive characteristics associated with chronic pain. Thirty-three patients (57.9%) had MPI profiles (interpersonally distressed and dysfunctional) that suggest they might benefit from multidisciplinary treatment.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2001;31(2):90-95.

Key Words: chronic pain, Multidimensional Pain Inventory, Pain Disability Index

Contemporary shoulder rehabilitation programs emphasize scapular control in the treatment of shoulder pathology. In addition, scapular winging and scapular tipping are often cited as key components to both the evaluative and rehabilitative phases of treatment. However, the lack of objective measurement procedures makes clinical evaluation of these phenomena difficult. The purpose of this project was to develop a reliable technique to quantify posterior scapular displacement (direction of scapular movement for winging and/or tipping). Forty healthy subjects (21 males, 19 females) who reported no current shoulder pain participated in this study. A measurement instrument was designed to quantify, to the nearest whole degree of motion, the posterior displacement of the inferior angle of the scapula from the posterior thorax. Subjects' scapulae were each measured 2 times without holding weight (unweighted position) and 2 times while the subjects held 10% of their body weight (weighted position). During all trials, 2 testers were blinded from the measurement readings. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated based on a repeated measure analysis of variance to determine intertester and intratester reliability. The standard error of measurement (SEM) was used to determine the measurement error. Intratester within-day reliability ICCs ranged from 0.97 to 0.98, and SEM ranged from 0.6 to 1.1°. Intertester within-day reliability ICCs ranged from 0.92 to 0.97, and SEM ranged between 1.1 and 1.7°. None of the calculated p values for intratester and intertester reliability were statistically significant (p < 0.05). We conclude that this measurement technique is a reliable method to quantify posterior scapular displacement. Further research utilizing this measurement technique is recommended.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1997;25(5):336-341.

Key Words: scapular winging, reliability, measurement, motion

Current shoulder rehabilitation programs encourage scapular stabilization components although, to date, no scientific studies have evaluated changes in scapular position following such rehabilitation. Four different measurement methods of scapular position have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the intratester and intertester reliability of these 4 methods and also to examine if significant differences exist in scapular position between dominant and nondominant extremities. Thirty-two subjects volunteered for this study. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) revealed acceptable intratester reliability (ICC = 0.81-0.95) for all measurement methods. However, while one method also proved to be acceptable (ICC = 0.91-.92) for intertester measurements, the other 3 methods were unacceptable (ICC = 0.18-0.69). One tester reported significant differences in scapular position of the dominant and nondominant extremities when using the most reliable method. The second tester found no significant differences with either method. Future research is recommended to reexamine reliability of these methods of measuring subjects with shoulder pathology.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1995;21(2):100-106.

Key Words: scapular position, reliability, measurement