BOOK REVIEWS
BASIC BIOMECHANICS OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL
SYSTEM, ed. 2
Nordin, M, and Frankel, VH
Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1989
Reviewed by Donald A. Neumann, PT, PhD
The text begins with a concise review of the SI (Sys-
thme International d’Unites) metric system, the stan-
dard used for scientific units of measurement. An
interesting and informative historical perspective of
the SI system is included. Practical tables and figures
help explain the derivation of the SI system and show
methods for converting from other measurement
systems.
The body of this text is divided into two parts.
Part I, entitled “The Biomechanics of Tissues and
Structures of the Musculoskeletal System,” reviews
the structure and function of bone, articular cartilage,
ligaments and tendons, peripheral nerves, and skele-
tal muscle. Part I consists of five chapters which are
well written and use several clear drawings and
graphs to illustrate specific principles. Each chapter
follows a similar organizational style. After a thor-
ough review of the specific histology, the physiologi-
cal and mechanical properties of each tissue are dis-
cussed. Nordin and Frankel have included
contributions from several well-qualified authors
who add significant depth to the material. A definite
strength of this text is the manner in which the au-
thors are able to integrate biological and engineering
principles into clinically relevant issues. The chapter
on articular cartilage serves as a good example of this
writing and organizational style. The chapter begins
with a description of the synthesis and composition
of the collagen and proteoglycan components of the
ground substance of articular cartilage. This is fol-
lowed by a discussion of the structural interaction
between water, collagen, and proteoglycans and the
effect these materials have on the biomechanical be-
havior of the cartilage. Concepts of viscoelasticity,
creep, compression, tension, nutrition, permeability,
shear, and lubrication are all well described with
direct relevance to the tissue’s function. The chapter
concludes with a discussion on wear of articular car-
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tilage and the different hypotheses on cartilage de-
generation. The entire discussion is extremely well
referenced. The book maintains an effective commu-
nication style by providing a summary at the end of
each chapter that lists the main topics covered.
Part I1 of this text is called “Biomechanics of
Joints.” This section of the book consists of ten chap-
ters that discuss the biomechanics of each major joint
of the body. The authors use good diagrams to review
the structure of each joint but, with the possible ex-
ception of the shoulder, do not cover the detail of the
specific ligament and muscle action. To fully appreci-
ate the material, the reader must have a firm back-
ground in musculoskeletal anatomy or an adequate
anatomy reference on hand. The authors organize
each chapter in a similar manner. First the kinematics
unique to each joint (i.e., the movement of joint sur-
faces and the ranges of motion of the bones] are dis-
cussed. Traditional biomechanic principles are cov-
ered for each joint in a thorough and analytical
manner, e.g., the “screw-home’’ mechanism at the
knee, the multiple and complex axes of rotation at
the ankle and foot, facet orientation at the lumbar
and cervical sections of the spine, and so on. This
discussion is followed by a treatise of the kinetics
(or forces) that exist at each joint. Simple and clear
diagrams are used to show how muscle and/or joint
forces may be calculated assuming static conditions.
The authors also describe the additional information
needed to estimate the forces produced under dy-
namic conditions at a certain instant in time. The
instruction on the clinical methods for calculating
joint forces is another strength of this text. Basic
mathematics and right-angle trigonometry are all that
is required to follow the examples. Clinical relevance
is maintained by referring to patient situations, e.g.,
forces on the low back during lifting, methods that
decrease the forces at the hip joint, the leverage alter-
ations following a patellectomy, pathomechanics of
“swan neck” deformity, and so on.
In summary, this text reviews the biological, physi-
cal, and engineering principles of human movement.
The text should be read by physicians, therapists, or
advanced students who desire an analytical approach
to their treatment of patients with musculoskeletal
disorders.
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