Muscles Testing and Function

Henry and Florence Kendall published the first edition of their classic work MUSCLES : TESTING AND FUNCTION in 1949. Their stated intent was not to advance new theories, but rather to interpret existing facts as they observed them demonstrated in the patient cases that they studied. Their central premise was that thorough muscle testing is the basis for accurate physical diagnosis, and provides the necessary foundation for effective treatment in neuromuscular disorders. Their research included thousands of patients, not only those paralyzed with polio, but other non-paralytic patients as well, in addition to many others with normal muscular function.

In 1952, the Kendalls published their companion volume POSTURE AND PAIN, in which they took a comprehensive look at the broader topic of body mechanics. They applied their same thorough approach to the assessment of postural flaws as the basis for many types of neuromuscular dysfunction. The second and third editions of MUSCLES began to incorporate portions of POSTURE AND PAIN, and the two works finally became fully combined with the fourth edition in 1993. Each succeeding edition incorporated new information that Florence assimilated through her continuing study and teaching, to keep the book current with evolving developments in physical therapy practice.

MUSCLES gained an international significance with its translation into eight foreign language editions. Besides the Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish editions shown here, the book also appeared in a Greek translation.

50th Anniversary edition	Dutch	French	German

Italian	Japanese	Portuguese	Spanish

The fifth edition appeared in 2005. This edition exemplifies that the techniques of muscle testing that Henry and Florence Kendall pioneered in 1949 have remained the enduring standard at the core of physical therapy scholarship and practice for more than a half century.