Rule It In, Rule It Out
The probability-first handbook of musculoskeletal examination, by Shane Tompson, physiotherapist. Nine body regions, the tests that earn their place, the famous ones that don't, and the numbers behind each. Coming in late 2026 as a PDF and a paperback.
The book
Most examination tests are taught as if they gave yes-or-no answers. They don't. Each one moves the probability of a diagnosis up or down, by an amount that has been measured. Rule It In, Rule It Out puts those measurements on the page, region by region, so a clinician can see which findings really change the picture and which only feel as if they do. It is written for physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, chiropractors, osteopaths, doctors (including orthopaedic surgeons and sports physicians) and students.
More about the book, and the launch list.
Browse the free test library: 111 examination tests with their published accuracy figures.
The newsletter
Rule It In is a monthly evidence letter: five minutes a month on how to examine, and how to decide. Each issue explains a recent study and one test of the month, with a few short practical points.
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About Trokos
Trokos is a registered business name of The Trustee for Tompson Trust. Shane Tompson, a physiotherapist on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, writes the newsletter and is writing the book.