The Musculoskeletal Practitioner’s Handbook: An essential guide for clinical practice

Authors: Jonathan Kenyon and Giles Hazan

Publisher: Elsevier

ISBN: 9780702084911

Full Price: £37.99 (discount available: see below)

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Packed with information

If you work in the world of musculoskeletal (MSK) assessment and treatment, you should buy this book! Only rarely does a textbook live up to the title the authors gave it, but this really is an essential guide for clinical practice.

There is so much information packed into this handily-sized book that is formatted in an easily accessible format. Indeed, it appears to contain just about all the important assessment, diagnostic and management knowledge that practitioners need in their everyday clinical work.

The authors are both highly respected and renowned practitioners in the ‘MSK space’, but it is the combination of both physiotherapy and medical viewpoints that works across the professions so well. Physiotherapists are offered a medical opinion that will stretch their knowledge beyond their normal understanding – and vice versa – so that a holistic approach can be offered to your patients.

The textbook starts off with some simple anatomy and terminology as well as detailing many neurological findings and tests. These are often the type of techniques that you may remember learning many years ago but don’t always feel competent in performing that regularly! The simple writing allows you to grab a quick flick through the pages to offer a speedy reminder in those frantic few moments before a particular patient walks through your clinic door …

The anatomical illustrations are very clear and would be helpful to use when discussing something with a patient. Next comes a wide range of clinical tests and what would constitute a positive finding in most areas of the body. These include MSK and vascular tests as well as clinical classifications. This type of aide-memoire can be invaluable at the right time to ensure accuracy in diagnosing certain conditions.

This book will certainly be to hand in my clinic room from now on – even if it is to double check on something for my own reassurance at times. So, is it an ‘essential guide for clinical practice’? I certainly think so [Nick Worth]

‘Real magic’ comes to the fore

Most common MSK conditions are then described in detail throughout each body part that contains clinical findings, differential diagnoses, investigations and management. This is where the real magic of the experience between the two authors comes into its own. Conservative, medical and surgical management options are described with equal priority, enabling the practitioner to make an informed clinical decision with the patient.

No one methodology is favoured over another. Also, while the text overall is well referenced, these sections are not filled with reference notations, which ensures the information is offered in a clear and extremely easily readable format.

My only (very minor) criticism would be that the assessments are described, and it may be helpful to have had some photographs to clarify handling of the patient – but this would have added significantly more pages which may have detracted from the overall feel of the book (and its cost).

The authors are both highly respected and renowned practitioners in the ‘MSK space’, but it is the combination of both physiotherapy and medical viewpoints that works across the professions so well [Nick Worth]

MSK ‘shorts’ are useful

After a useful chapter with MSK ‘shorts’ that covers the variety of syndromes and pathologies that may not be featured elsewhere, systemic conditions dominate the second half of the book.

This section offers the key information that is vital in the world of first contact and advanced clinical practice. The authors look at recognition and test values for a wide range of conditions and their management.  The section includes recommendations on the investigations that may be helpful for diagnosis and any potential medication that should be considered.

Investigations such as imaging, nerve conduction studies and blood tests are then described. Blood tests are very well explained – as you might expect from Giles Hazan, who regularly runs courses for physiotherapists covering key tests and resulting interpretation.

A fairly comprehensive chapter going into detail about common MSK medications comes next, which has a no-nonsense ‘need to know’ feel to it. It has the essential bits of information a practitioner may need to check the medications a patient may be taking or when to consider prescribing an alternative.

The final section has a wealth of abbreviations, test values and other pieces of key information – such as suspected cancer recognition and referral tables.

Conclusion: an ‘essential’ book

Overall, this is a thoroughly well-thought-out textbook, which richly demonstrates the authors’ wealth of experience. It regularly covers areas that all MSK practitioners need to know about, as well as the information that might be needed only once or twice a year.

This book will certainly be to hand in my clinic room from now on – even if it is to double check on something for my own reassurance at times. So, is it an ‘essential guide for clinical practice’? I certainly think so!

Nick Worth is a physiotherapist who runs a private practice. He is the chair of the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM). For more information about SOMM, click

X (Twitter): @Nickworthphysio

To read Nick’s review of Knee pain in Sports Medicine: Essentials of diagnosis and treatment, 1st Edition, click