8 STEPS TO A PAIN-FREE BACK

The book is an outstanding work in terms of research related to the role of posture causing back pain and the solution in terms of simple steps.

The book goes back to the basics - proper and correct posture and no medicines, no surgery except proper and apt exercises. Probably stretches should also be included but to suit general/ individual needs.

Official diagnosis of my problem is 'Spondylitis', is genetic as half of my fathers's side suffers from it. Have only used for first step of the book and I would say 70% of my back and neck problems have gone. Been suffering from last 10-11 yrs, now solved by making very small changes. Eager to finish the book in coming weeks.

Good book to read for back pain

Its a very good book.Quite helpful but not enough to read the book. Need a tutor.

Blockbuster of a book. It is extremely effective.

paid MRP value of Rs 199 per copy No discount at all for Megalivind

Excellent . Am doing the 6 session course too. A must own book

The book contains short explanations and lots of pictures, therefore it is very informative. It describes many situations like standing, sleeping, sitting at the office etc. so you learn how to have a correct posture all day long. I started reading the book after my back problems had started, but it still helped me to get over it as fast as possible and more importantly it tells you how to avoid such situations in future by just paying little attention to your posture in your daily life. Fully recommended.

very easy and simply adjustments that changed my back and neck to being pain free. No necessary equipment or gismos needed and you can do yourself without a teacher or having to do tiresome daily exercises, gym and weight training. I can practice the adjustments whilst cooking, cleaning etc.

It is a beautiful book full of pictures and very easy to follow! I am sure it is very effective for back pain!

Tengo una cervicalgia cronica desde 2 años, tengo 34 años. Medicos no entienden bien lo que tengo et no me han ayudado mucho. Este metodo, y especialmente el cojin que se pone sobre la cabeza, me han ayudado un monton, y recomiendo mucho a cualquier persona con problemas de cervicales. I have a chronic cervicalgia for 2 years now, at 34 only. I have consulted a ton of doctors, all specialties, did all the exams. MRI showed 3 herniated discs but as the symptoms don't match it does not explain anything. I let some doctors give me some medications, which I regret a lot (benzo/alprazolam/xanax/diazepam/valium) and also amiltryptiline/tryptizol. I'm eventually no longer taking any meds. The Gokhale has helped me much more than any doctor did. If you buy one thing, buy the head cushion. You keep it on your head, and it forces you to have good cervical posture, this was the fix for me!

I've had weak core muscles for years and mild scoliosis, and have tried various exercise videos and always suffered more and different pain from doing the exercises than I had before. (See which back pain books have five stars, and those are the ones I have read and tried. I won't detract them here.) By showing proper posture in people from many different cultures, Esther Gokhale undeniably convinces the reader that there are better ways to bend, sit, and stand. I've been using her ideas in her book for five weeks now in combination with exercises from my physical therapist. He glanced through the book and said, "Yeah, bracing [using the inner corset] is what we tell everyone to do all the time." I haven't felt this good in years. I think the combination of PT and this book is what helped me, and I am grateful to our Lord for bringing this book to my attention when He did. If you only get one back pain book or posture book, make it this one. (Anyone want to buy some slightly used copies of ......... [the many books I have bought that only helped some, or didn't help at all]?) **** Five months later, an update: Daily I've been doing a few of my physical therapy exercises along with many exercises in the appendix of this book. I alternate exercises of samba on one day (see Quenia Robiero's cardio samba DVD The Cardio Samba Workout ) and T-Tapp basic workout on the other day. The samba workout is fantastic for strengthening the inner corset, and the warm up section is just exactly what I need to do. What about 8 Steps? What I use daily (honestly): Stacksitting (due to my inner corset being SO MUCH stronger, this has become easy), Stretchlying on My Side (everytime I turn over at night, I re-adjust), Using my Inner Corset, and Hip Hinging. What don't I use? I don't use stretchsitting typically because I don't sit in chairs that make this easy, and I'm not bringing a special cushion or jacket with me, especially when the jacket would slide right down the back in a slick material chair (wood, plastic). I don't use stretchlying on the back because I'm only on my back to do exercises; I never could get to sleep on my back. I don't use tall standing as written - I do stand with my hips in the proper position and I am standing straight, but I don't arrange my feet or twist out my thighs from the hips. I don't do glidewalking as written. I do use my buttock muscles to push off each step but that's it. I posted a video on Mrs. Gokhale's forum and became quite disheartened about my poor form according to the expert reviewing my video. So now I just walk how it feels good. My favorite things from this book in order: Hip-hinging (feels great and I needed my hamstrings to become looser), inner corset, and stacksitting. It's still the best posture book I've ever seen. What about the special cushion the author sells? I bought it and used it on a 4.5 hour drive, twice in a weekend, and this made the drive tolerable whereas before I would have been in extreme discomfort. I do keep it in the car since the chairs in our house are recliners (too caved in) or the kitchen chairs where I just stacksit. ****** Update after two years ***** Feeling (mostly) pain-free is lovely. Since I last wrote, my knees have hurt me due to improper walking technique (it was difficult for me to learn her walking style from a book). Because of pain in my knees, I have given up trying to glidewalk. I think I finally got the mechanics of it - and it feels glorious - but maybe due to my scoliosis (one hip is one inch higher than the other) or maybe I didn't master the technique - my knees would hurt throughout the day after walking. So, for now, I walk only a bit to allow my knees to heal fully then I'll go back to my old way of walking which hurt my feet (no win situation!) If Esther's class should come near my home, perhaps I would attend for the walking. The glidewalking did seriously shape up the gluteus medius muscles! Other developments: due to the knee pain I did only stretching exercises, planks, things like that (no samba). On PBS (public tv), I found a great way to get my core stronger, which helps me to feel even better and more healthy and strong than I thought possible. The teacher of "Classical Stretch," Miranda Esmonde-White, does bend her back which goes against what Esther teaches (as far as I can tell). However, Esmonde-White seems to do it in a safe manner. It has helped me tremendously, adding to what I learned from Esther's book and her exercises in the back, and I wanted to share it with you in case it may help you (that's why I'm writing this update). How do I sit? Kitchen- stack sit on a bag of rice, in a pretty fabric sack. Den - lean back against two pillows on a firm sofa. Church - lean back, it's only for 1.5 hours. Other chairs - lean back unless it's for a long time, then I'll stack sit for a change of pace on a fleece jacket. If I can, I get up to move around some or I'll get uncomfortable in typical "public seating" chairs. As of a few months ago, I can now kneel in church without back pain, even during the longest prayers, and I can stand for a much longer period without back pain, and I can even sit on the floor with my legs straight out and my back straight, in comfort, for a pretty long time! Hip-hinging has gotten much better since I started Classical Stretch - I can now pull weeds without my shoulders dropping down, with my legs straight, my back straight, and bending at the hips (hooray for flexible hamstring muscles!). I wish you well on your journey toward better health. I share what has worked for me and what hasn't so that it may possibly help you. Be sure to be patient with your body, it's only matter and muscles get stronger a little bit at a time. Baby steps!