The Thorax: An Integrated Approach is a thoroughly professional book, written
for professionals, but easily understood by curious students with some skeletal
anatomy background. This book has been written to such high standards that it
could easily be used as a technique book, a thoracics biomechanics book and
a supplemental anatomy book for the thorax.
The author, Diane Lee, is well respected within the physiotherapy community
and references the “heavy hitters” of the research, biomechanics and
anatomy worlds. She has a concise, but easy to read, method of explaining exactly
what the reader needs to know to better their knowledge and further their skills
in technique. Throughout the text, information is presented in such a way that
it is not daunting and not at all intimidating.
More so than any clinical/technique book that I have read, this one gives the
best explanation of “how to do” what she is striving to teach. Each
clinical technique she explains in the book is backed up by clear, easy to follow
directions and pictures. Though self-published, Lee goes the extra mile by providing
a wonderfully detailed compact disc that is attached inside the back cover.
On the disc, readers will find videos that work as moving demonstrations of
each figure located within the chapters.
One important section, contained towards the back of the book, is a list of
verbal cues to the patient when the doctor or clinician is attempting to explain
a particular movement involved with treatment. I think that the average doctor
or clinician can learn volumes from these verbal cues. They are a great conduit
for proper communication with the patient—something already tried and true,
not an area that the clinician needs to experiment with.
As its title claims, Lee’s text—a revised version of an earlier work—describes
and teaches an integrated approach for the thoracic skeleton and spine. It compares
well to the classic supplemental text for anatomy (and a primary text) for biomechanics:
Clinical Anatomy of the Lumbar Spine, Bogduk, N., 1997. Bogduk is one of the
most well respected researchers and clinical authors of our time. I mention
this because Diane Lee has come up with a book, that in my opinion, is easier
to read, better organized, and contains more useful information than Bogduk’s
book. That is not a criticism at Bogduk, but rather a tremendous compliment
to Lee, as I have used Bogduk’s work for three years as one of my primary
texts in teaching spinal biomechanics.
—Dr. Joe LaCaze,
faculty member, Life University
Copyright 2003
Publisher: Diane G. Lee
Physiotherapist Corporation
Available from OPTP at (800) 367-7393 or optp.com
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