Book excerpt: The Physiology of the Joints, conceived and written more than forty years ago by Dr. A. I. Kapandji, deals with biomechanics, a subject until then mentioned only incidentally in textbooks of anatomy. Following his lead, every anatomy textbook nowadays has a large component devoted to the functional aspect of the locomotor system, which has become an essential scientific subject. This is the first of three volumes in the brand new 7th edition. The seventh edition of this volume deals with the upper limb and has been expanded with the inclusion of new diagrams and text. In particular it explains: the concepts of DISI and VISI, employing the author's own "parable of the three friends" the transition to bipedalism automatic swinging of the upper limb during walking the extension of the body schema through the hand prehension during evolution This book is intended for medical and physical therapy students; and for practising physicians and surgeons wishing to increase their knowledge of the functional anatomy of the locomotor system.