YMCA Healthy Back Book

By Patricia Sammann and YMCA of the USA

Book Overview

If you're troubled by back pain, you're not alone. This problem affects over 70% of all adults at some time in their lives. The suffering can range from a periodic twinge that makes it difficult to perform everyday tasks to excruciating pain that makes it impossible to get out of bed. Now you can beat the odds and learn how to overcome back problems with the YMCA Healthy Back Book . Developed by the world leader in back care education, this medically sound and easy-to-follow back program will help you - understand the causes of back pain and various treatment options, - learn how to exercise to help prevent painful back problems, and - discover ways to reduce back pain when it occurs. This book contains the most up-to-date, practical information available from the YMCA--an organization that has helped over 300,000 people find relief from back pain. The book features more than 80 full-color illustrations and a reader-friendly format that makes learning about back care easy. In chapter 1 of the YMCA Healthy Back Book , you'll learn the warning signs indicating that you need to see a doctor. You'll also learn some common sense first aid tips for treating back pain. Chapter 2 guides you in choosing a practitioner to address your back problems and describes several of the treatment options that are available. Chapter 3 takes you on a guided tour of the back's anatomy. After you've learned about some of the possible physical causes of back pain, you can take a self-quiz to identify the risk factors that may be causing your pain. Chapter 4 is the centerpiece of the healthy back program, offering 29 clearly illustrated exercises you can use to improve the health and fitness of your back. The exercises are divided into three levels of intensity, so you can start slowly and work up to a vigorous 20-minute workout. Also included are basic water exercises for those who want to add variety to their workouts and for those who have health conditions that make the other exercises too difficult. You'll learn the best ways to sit, stand, sleep, drive, and do other everyday tasks in Chapter 5. And in Chapter 6, you'll learn how making lifestyle changes--such as managing your weight and controlling stress--can help ease back pain. So don't become just another statistic. Read the YMCA Healthy Back Book and learn how you can join the growing group of people who are overcoming back problems and leading active lives again.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873226291
• ISBN13: 9780873226295
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 120 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

The only thing that helped me -- this book!!

I once suffered from continual back pain. This book did more than medications and therapists could do.Here you will find exercises that work. I'm not talking about those "tough, make me sweat if I do them and probably never will" sort of exercises. These are simple things that are simple and easy. The book is full of answers to simple things - how to get out of bed, sit at a desk, etc. It is an easy read, with lots of illustrations.

Back Book Is A Blessing

After immobilizing myself with a painful back strain, my doctor prescribed muscle relaxants and anti-inflamatories and I prescribed myself information. Luckily I found this comprehensive gem that has given me long-term benefit after the medication gave me short-term relief.In understandable terms and illustrations it shows how the back works, causes of back pain, exercises to help in prevention and recovery, and even steps to improve and maintain overall health.Finding this book is just another example of the old maxim "out of adversity good things will happen".

An excellent guide for strengthening your back

I first bought this book over ten years ago. My wife I and used it to strenghten our backs and relieve the stress from constant sitting required of our office jobs. The book is well laid out and offers an easily understandable step by step exercise program for the back. It is well paced program over a several week period to prevent further injury by doing to much to soon. We wore the book out from our use and sharing it with friends.