80% of the world’s population has had back pain. 25% have had to dial back their life to deal with it. 14% have had back pain that lasted longer than two weeks. Back surgery rarely works completely. Pain drugs often lead to life-altering addictions. So what is the answer to chronic back pain? Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief may be able to help for little cost or effort.
The book explains how the back works, how you can mess it up and how to fix it organically. Common causes of back pain are age, trauma, hip problems, poor posture/breathing, not moving/standing enough, excess weight, stress, depression and smoking. Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief gives some commonly prescribed solutions like stop slumping and move more. However, the author also includes innovative solutions like switch the side on which you sleep and modify breathing to correct posture. Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief also advocates using yoga poses for three different phases of back pain exercise: feel better, move better and prevent future pain.
The feel better section starts with six easy exercises designed to gently stretch and relieve pain. There are then nine slightly more difficult range of motion exercises. The move better section also first includes ten easier intermediate exercises. These are followed by ten more difficult intermediate exercises. This section adds twisting exercises. The author includes ten more exercises in the maintenance/prevention section. Three are to be done daily with the other seven recommended to be done three times a week. All of these exercises are similar to, but slightly modified, exercises in the previous sections.
Overall, I like the format of this book going from pain to prevention of future pain. I like the friendly but knowledgeable tone. The early exercises are easy so the bar to begin exercising is low. Most people will only have to purchase a yoga mat and foam block. As always, everyone should check with their doctor before beginning an exercise program especially if back pain is already an issue. However, Practical Solutions for Back Pain Relief is certainly worth a try before going down the pain drugs or surgery route. This book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Thanks to the publisher, Althea Press, and the author for a copy.