Treat Your Own Back

I thought this book was great. I didn't have chronic back pain, but my quality of life was definitely affected. I am doing less than half of the exercises recommended in the book and am almost pain free. Highly recommended. Lou

The book does clearly state that for some people..the extension position might be harmful. That was the case for me. While I ended up on crutches (for the first time due to severe increased pain) I do not blame the book. Just be extremely careful. When I began...I actually felt some relief WHILE in extension at the start, but it would hurt worse as time spent in the position increased. And I hurt worse when I got up. So...it only took about 3 times of that before I became non-amb. w/o crutches. Then it took perhaps 6 mo. with the help of a good chiro. (traction, ultrasound and manipulation at 1x week) before I was out of pain. It's been 2 years since that incident and I've not had any diffficulty since. I totally avoid any extension positions beyond that which occur naturally in walking (even freestyle swimming puts noticible pressure on my LB due to the extension of bouyancy. Back stroke and floating are OK).

Best wishes and prayers to anyone combatting back pain. I'm a fairly strong and positive person. But after being in chronic pain for several months with difficulty and pain in EVERYTHING I did, including breathing, I fully understand the severe depression and mounting hopelessness chronic pain brings. When I began to have thoughts that living like that would be impossible, in spite of having young daughters, a great husband and great job...I became very scared.

Keep searching for an answer. I went through 3 chiropractors and much time before I found the right one. Keep your faith, keep your resolve, keep on praying and keep on trying.

Shelley M.

This is the third one of these books I have gotten, or maybe the forth. I give them to back pain sufferers since I know personally how helpful it was to me. Well written and easy to follow. Not for every back problem but for the most common back pain it is right on. I have had far less back pain in the last 15 years than in any of the previous 40 years and am in my 70s now. Arthur (itis) is taking over now but, unfortunately, the book won't stop that.

This is the 4th copy of this book I have purchased or had given to me. I keep lending out copies to people who have back problems. Using the advice in this book I was able to overcome low back pain so well that I became overconfident in lifting heavy things (rock benches for the garden, heavy boxes, furniture) and ended up with a bilateral hernia at the age of 69. Having had that repaired I am back again to picking up whatever I want. The advice includes how you can tell whether your particular type of back pain is amenable to the given treatment, exercises to use at various stages in the recovery, and getting your other joints back into shape once the back pain has been conquered. On the three occasions in the last 25 years when I have been careless and sat with the wrong posture for an extended period (1-2 hours) and had a pain recurrence, I have been able to go back to the book and recover from it again. In my opinion, many back surgeries could be avoided entirely by following its advice.

I bought this book to help with back pain I have had for several years. I performed the exercises as prescribed for about 10 days and started to feel better. Then my feet started tingling and burning which had never happened before. I stopped the exercises and went to a chiropractor that x-rayed and showed many problems I have going on. I think these exercises will work but only if you have certain problems. Only a doctor can identify these. In the end, it has been building core strength and correcting my posture that have helped. It is 4 months later and I still have tingling and burning in my feet.