Chris Tuckett enjoys a new edition of Petty's Principles of Musculoskeletal Treatment and Management

Petty’s Principles of Musculoskeletal Treatment and Management

Edition: Fourth

Authors: Kieran Barnard and Dionne Ryder 

Publisher: Elsevier

Price: £44.99 (publisher's website, 4 July 2023)

ISBN: 9780323872287

Receiving a copy of the latest edition of this book provoked some nostalgia in me as I remembered busily combing through earlier editions on my undergraduate programme years ago.

The book was a hugely helpful text back then and was considered indispensable by many of my student colleagues as it clearly and logically laid out the theory, methodology and reasoning behind musculoskeletal (MSK) practice. And I’m pleased to say that, despite the increasing dominance of the internet when it comes to repositories of knowledge, there is still a place for thoughtful, crafted, well-edited and refined texts such as Petty’s.

The book rightly begins with the underlying principles of function and dysfunction, before moving on to the specifics of different tissue management approaches and a highly enlightening chapter on the vascular system (often overlooked in other texts). It then shifts gear to offering an understanding of pain states, then a welcome chapter on exercise-based rehab before finishing with chapters on serious pathology and advanced practice, respectively.

The outline above demonstrates that the book manages to offer a degree of breadth that can be difficult to find in many MSK texts, and, while this does mean it cannot explore any of the topics in absolute detail, it does an excellent job of sharing the key tenets on each topic, referencing relevant and current (at time of printing) research throughout.

In essence, this book provides a very appealing and well-written compendium of MSK knowledge, research and principles that will continue to be invaluable to all aspiring MSK clinicians

I sense this balance of breadth and depth is very well judged for a book that is explicitly aimed at pre-registration students pursuing a career in physiotherapy, and, of course, the book’s title of the book suggests that readers should not expect a forensic exploration of MSK management and treatment. In fact, this book is intended as a companion to Petty's Musculoskeletal Examination and Assessment (sixth edition), and, as a 'double bill', the two books provide a wealth of knowledge applicable to MSK practice.

Each chapter is clearly laid out with helpful tables, illustrations, diagrams, flowcharts and photos where needed – all of which adds to its appeal. Because the chapters are written by well-known names in the MSK field , the reader can feel confident that the authors have a deep passion and knowledge of the area. And having this rollcall of contributors lends the book an air of appeal to the more established MSK clinicians who may have graduated years ago but will still find plenty to read and learn with interest.

My own biases and preferences as a clinician mean that I am naturally averse to the use of mobilisations and manipulations in the treatment of MSK dysfunctions, and I am pleased to say the book acknowledges the need to treat in a holistic way and avoid treating joints in isolation. Exercise, physical activity and the harm of immobilisation are referred to in many chapters, and this promotion of the importance of patient-initiated movement is fantastic to read.

In essence, this book provides a very appealing and well-written compendium of MSK knowledge, research and principles that will continue to be invaluable to all aspiring MSK clinicians. Having said that, experienced physiotherapists should not overlook it either.

This new fourth edition proves that Petty’s textbook is still alive and well!

Chris Tuckett is a physiotherapist and a director of allied health professions at an NHS Trust

Twitter: @HealthPhysio

To read Chris’s review of The Shoulder: Theory and practice, click 

To read his review of Hip and Knee Pain Disorders: Integrating manual therapy and exercise, click