REVIEWS OF CLINICAL SPORTS MEDICINE

Review by Karl Landorf Dip App Sc (Pod), Grad Dip Ed

It has been 8 years since the 1st edition of this text, which sold over 20,000 copies and placed Australian sports medicine at the forefront of sports medicine around the world. This edition is not just a brief rehash of the 1st edition, but has a number of additional chapters, new illustrative photos and a radiological images. Most of these changes appear to have been well thought through and markedly improve this already substantial text.

The 2nd edition of Clinical Sports Medicine has continued using the format of the 1st, with six main sections including: 'Fundamental principles', 'Regional problems', 'Enhancing sport performance', 'Special groups of participants', 'Management of medical problems', and 'Practical sports medicine'. With respect to podiatry, there are chapters on knee, shin and calf pain, and more importantly, Achilles, ankle and foot pain. Although the foot and ankle receives adequate exposure, it is its coverage of the rest of the body that is impressive. While many other texts are often written for a particular audience, or have some sections poorly represented, Clinical Sports Medicine combines all regions of the body, plus the professions that deal with those regions, together without favouritism. It therefore presents the fundamental approach to caring for athletes like it should be - a thorough, multi-disciplinary approach.

However, one downside of covering so much of the body and so many professionals is that some of the chapters for specialist groups, like podiatry, are somewhat light on for information. Further, although the authors present a number of references at the end of each chapter, often good, recent references are omitted: cases in point for podiatry are some excellent randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews in areas such as hell pain and ankle sprains.

The 2nd edition has seven new chapter including: 'Beware: conditions masquerading as sports injuries', 'Biomechanics of common sporting activities', 'The Patient with longstanding symptoms', 'The disabled athlete', 'Joint-related symptoms without acute injury', 'Exercise prescription for health', and 'Ethics and sports medicine'. Two of these chapters will have particular interest for podiatrists: 'The patient with longstanding symptoms' and 'Joint-related symptoms without acute injury'. The chapter on 'The patient with longstanding symptoms' highlights the importance of making sure of the diagnosis; including going back to the beginning, appropriate and thorough examination and reassessing the results of investigation. Importantly, this chapter also discusses the need for multidisciplinary assessment and treatment, and consequently, the need to refer to appropriate practitioners. The chapter on 'Joint-related symptoms without acute injury' delves into some of the common and not some of the inflammatory forms of arthritis.

Continuing on from the 1st edition, the diagrams are generally excellent, with many drawings clearly illustrating certain points or clinical photographs to provide a real-life feel. As before, there is the unusual bevy of fit-looking specimens used for the photos, illustrating such areas as surface anatomy, examination techniques and treatments. The photos are generally appropriate, however there are a few exceptions, not the least is the overly dramatic photo on Page 479: the photo is supposed to illustrate a patellar stabilizing brace, however it is hard to get past the runner throwing her arms in the air as if to signal she is breaking the finishing tape - and thus coming first - even though it would appear she is running along a trail in a forest with no-one else in sight! These are distinctly out of character with the rest of the images, although some of them, in my copy at least, appear a little blurry and definitely not as sharp or with as much contrast as the 1st edition was so far in front of most other productions, we were spoilt. There are also some mistakes (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is called Regional Complex Pain Syndrome in the chapter dealing with the foot), however the text is generally tight and to the point.

Clinical Sports Medicine superbly illustrates the multi-disciplinary nature of sports medicine - the editors need to be congratulated for this. It will provide readers with many of the conditions they will encounter on a day-to-day basis, and therefore, is perfect for undergraduate students of those practitioners just entering the sports medicine arena. However, for detailed information on conditions such as tarsal coalition, tibialis posterior tendinopathy and Freiberg's disease, to name a few, podiatric practitioners will require other texts and journal articles as well. I can therefore recommend it as a text that places sports medicine in context, and one in which practitioners such as podiatrists can learn about areas outside of their area of expertise. The 2nd edition of Clinical Sports Medicine will not, however, provide a one-stop reference for sporting injuries related to podiatry.