June, 1965 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y Page 13 B OOK REV IEW THE A .B .C .’s O F A T H LETIC IN J U R IE S A N D C O N ­ D IT IO N IN G . B y A . B . F erguson Jr., M .D ., and Jay Bender, B .S ., M .S ., P h .D . 1st edition , 1964, by the W illiams and W ilkins C o., Baltim ore, U .S .A . Price $9.25. Mr. F erguson is, interalia, Professor o f Orthopaedic Surgery at the University o f Pittsburgh, and D r . Bender is Professor o f P hysiology at the Southern Illinois University. The b o o k was written primarily for the coach , trainer and athlete in Am erica. T he term “ athletics” refers to sports, particularly Am erican footb all and baseball. The b o o k is divided into tw o sections, Section I dealing with athletic injuries and Section II w ith evaluation and conditioning. Section I contains statistics o n the incidence o f athletic injuries, e.g. in L ittle L eague baseball, follow ed by an interesting discussion on the type o f exercise the authors consider to be indicated and a lso contra-indicated for athletes, and the principle o n which these are based. Chapters 3 to 6 sh ould concern physiotherapists as they refer to the treatment advocated by the authors for ligam ent tears and contusion s, injuries o f the trunk, lim bs, head, neck and face, and the use o f physical agents after injury. It is not clear whether physiotherapists or unqualified persons are expected to carry out the treatm ents recom ­ mended— if it should be the latter, then on e is n o t surprised to read that one o f the factors which are considered res­ ponsible for delayed recovery is “ C om plications o f Thera­ peutic A gents” such as “blisters and burns due to the overzealous use o f heat” ! A lthou gh the treatments consist o f the m odalities used by physiotherapists (massage, exercises, ice, heat, etc.), the w ord physiotherapy appears about twice— once as being contraindicated in m yositis ossificans: “physiotherapy, diathermy or other such m easures should not be used”— and once as part o f a treatment (specified as whirlpool baths and active exercise) for finger- joint dislocations. As this b o o k was not written for professional reading it is not proposed to discuss here the various treatments a d vo­ cated. The chapter o n taping should interest those w h o often are called u p on to treat recent injuries. T he chapter on athletic equipm ent concerns m ainly the protective equipm ent worn by football and baseball players in Am erica. Section II starts w ith evaluation, i.e. tests o f m uscle strength and range o f m ovem ent— using equipm ent and techniques advocated by Jay Bender— and includes repro­ ductions o f elaborate form s on w hich the results are recorded. These are then used to determ ine the special exercise needs of the individual, and to pinpoint deficiencies which may lead to injury. T he subsequent chapters give exam ples o f strengthening exercises for all b od y parts, using static resisted work by a partner or se lf as well as self-resisted work throughout the range, and also w eight-lifting. The concluding chapters concern stretching and cardio-vascular (endurance) exercises, and a discussion on the use o f iso ­ metrics. It is felt that this b o o k could not be recom m ended for physiotherapists in general practice or for students o f physiotherapy, but it sh ould be o f interest to those w ho treat a large number o f soft-tissue injuries, particularly those who are attached to professional footb all and baseball clubs in this country. B.W . Vacancies T H E C A N A D IA N A R T H R IT IS A N D R H E U M A T IS M SO C IE T Y See Canada’s Northland Challenging w ork for experienced versatile therapists. H osp ital based co-ordinate rehabilitation program me for n, out and h om e patients, all disabilities. O utdoor life, winter sports, city conveniences in rapidly developing com m unity. C .P .A . salary plus increm ent for living allow ance. Further inform ation available from Mrs. John D ottrid ge, T he Canadian Arthritis and R heum atism Society, 900 Y on ge Street, T O R O N T O 5, O ntario, Canada. U P T O N H O S P IT A L , S L O U G H , B U C K S ., E N G L A N D T w o P hysiotherapists required for w ell-equipped depart­ ment o f an acute G eneral H osp ital w ith a friendly atm os­ phere and a w elcom e for overseas staff. T he hospital is situated in the Tham es V alley, close to historic W indsor and E ton , and is only 30 m inutes train journey from L ond on. A ssistance given in obtainin g residential accom m odation . Staff app ointed w ill be given the opportunity o f w orking in the new hospital at W exham Park, Slough, which opens later this year. A p plican ts sh ould be members o f the South African Physiotherapy A ssociation and eligible for State R egistration in England. C om m encing salary £623 p.a. for norm al 36-hour w orking w eek. A p plications to the Sec­ retary. H O N G K O N G SO C IE T Y F O R R E H A B IL IT A T IO N M ale Physiotherapist required for 80-bed adult in-patient M edical R ehab ilitation Centre, m ainly industrial and traffic accidents. W ork to include ou td oor activities, class- w ork in gym nasium and departm ental treatments. Staff o f four. Three-year tour w ith econ om y air fare paid. Salary and conditions o f service o n application. V acancy occurs July 1965. A p plications, giving details o f training, qualifi­ cation s, experience, age and tw o references to the H on . Secretary, R o o m 1437, U n io n H ou se, Chater R oad , H O N G K O N G . R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )