The basis of success of any treatment is correct diagnosis and an integral part of establishing the diagnosis is good clinical examination. Like previous editions, this edition also covers extensively the clinical examination and the basis of each test very thoroughly. Hence, it is most certain that the reader of this book will undoubtedly be a good clinician and a safe surgeon for the patient. Each chapter has been designed uniformly, bringing out the basics and step-by-step examination details of each region and different medical conditions to be of maximum benefit to the reader.

I am sure that this edition will be welcomed by students, trainees, junior surgeons and professionals in all stages of their career. I would like to congratulate Dr Rex again for his outstanding contribution to this specialty.

We live in an era of increasingly sophisticated investigations and the development of molecular biology, genetics, tissue engineering, etc. all of which will have a major impact in the delivery of orthopedic services but if the patient is to obtain the maximum benefit from these developments which are likely to revolutionize the practice of orthopedic surgery, the orthopedic surgeon must still be able to examine the patient and make a diagnosis. Unless the surgeon can reach a reliable differential diagnosis, the relevant investigations are not likely to be undertaken and the correct diagnosis is not likely to be made. Unless the correct diagnosis is made, the advances in orthopedic surgery will be meaningless. The basis of diagnosis will continue to be the clinical examination as laid down in each chapter of this book.

This book has lots of refining in terms of the most sensitive and specific tests for each diagnosis along with the standard and uncommon tests of interest. Each chapter has been edited by the eminent faculties in their subspecialties to keep up the standard. Lot of new developments in foot and ankle, shoulder and wrist chapters were added. The clinical tests and their demonstrations were done with color images for a more pleasant look. This will be a more practical guide for all students, postgraduates and junior orthopedic consultants who want to sharpen their clinical skills and learn what they have missed out.

Already I have covered the importance of clinical examination in previous editions, preface, yet I insist even in this computer era with robotic, artificial intelligence advancement nothing can replace a good clinical history-taking, assessment and proper examination for a fruitful functional outcome in this musculoskeletal science. Many times a failed surgical outcome can be a lack of examination and understanding, and not equating to the patient's expectation. Making a right diagnosis by spending some time, by listening to actual patient's words and personal examination by following a set pattern with repeated practice will throw light on many facts. It becomes easy to pick up the right diagnosis in no time with proper history and examination is only to confirm your clinical diagnosis. Remember common things are common and if you make a rare diagnosis you are rarely correct.

I still feel the value of writing this book for the benefit of the readers in spite of digital technology and I should say I learned a lot by this preparation by updating to the current advances in all subspecialties. I am very sure the reader will have the same feeling, as one cannot master everything in this changing world.

I have taken every effort to make this book simple and easy for understanding so that it enables a trainee to rapidly acquire knowledge in history taking and examination in a systematic way. Repeated practice will bring perfection and, when one masters the technique, it takes no time to arrive at a right diagnosis. I have put together all the essential parts of clinical assessment in a nutshell to diagnose common orthopedic conditions. In history taking, importance is given to patient's disability, patient's perception of nature of illness and patient's expectation in order to device a treatment plan. The sequence of examination has been described in a more practical way applying the conventional system of look, feel and move when the patient stands, sits and lies down. The doctor can win the patient's confidence by the way he/she communicates to the patient, handling the patient with utmost care and by a smooth clinical examination. A short note on clinical findings has been described in common disease conditions at the end of each chapter. Every attempt has been made to give self-explanatory illustrations of examination techniques. Each chapter has been edited by eminent experts in their respective field to keep pace with the standard and recent advances in their field, so that the reader gets the maximum benefit. I welcome suggestions to bring out an even better next edition by filling the lacunae. I hope this book will fulfill the requirement of an orthopedic trainee.

My special thanks to Dr R.P Ramprasad, Dr P.G Shylendrababu and Dr Vijaya Anand S, for helping me out for this publication.