Customer Reviews

The Posture Prescription: The Doctor's Rx for: Eliminating Back, Muscle, and Joint Pain; Achieving Optimum Strength and Mobility; Living a Lifetime of Fitness and Well-Being

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Everybody probably has different needs but this book absolutely did it for me. I had neck and upper back pain for 2 and a half years and it was so bad I took ibuprofen every single day for that period and was worried I was going to suffer long-term medication consequences. I saw two chiropractors and a top notch physical therapist, all of whom, combined, were only able to make a small difference in the management of the pain. I started doing the exercises in this book in August of 2004 and by September the pain was about 10% of what it used to be. It's now January 2005 and I have occassional flare-ups, most of which can be managed through a brief run-through of the exercises. After taking ibuprofen every day for 2 and half years straight, I am happy to report that in the past five months I have taken it about 5 or 6 times.

The exercises are pretty basic and very easy to do and I'm not sure they would help everybody but they sure helped me. I highly recommend this book. Even if it doesn't work for you, I think it's well worth $10 to find out.

This book gave me the great idea to work/read while standing up - the top of my dresser is just the right height for that & I'm surprised at how easy and comfortable it is. The premise of the book is that exercise can be incorporated into your everyday routine, once you develop certain habits, and does not have to involve a big disruptive trip to the gym.

I got this book because my posture leaves something to be desired much of the time & I know that this was a contributing factor to my getting a serious, debilitating repetitive strain injury. However, I was surprised to see that this book is geared especially towards people with back problems since this is not indicated in the title.

I only have mild back problems, but in my research I learned about a book that many people consider to be a miracle for severe back pain and that is John Sarno's THE MINDBODY PRESCRIPTION. Another book, the one which saved me from my repetitive strain injury, is also said to resolve different forms of back pain and that is Clair Davie's THE TRIGGER POINT THERAPY WORKBOOK.

Both of these books offer radical (though quite different) paradigms that people with back problems claim to have been tremendously helped by. (Though I warn you John Sarno's theories are pretty hard to believe at first and I wouldn't have taken them seriously were it not for the testimonies of many many people). As far as trigger points go, you can also take a look at the "theracane" website to learn more or just do a general search on the internet.

In any case, fixing posture & maintaining spinal health is essential to well-being and should be a critical part of any healing or preventative process. In The Posture Prescription, Arthur White offers a very sound and even innovative message about how to do so. All in all, this is a book that gave me some very good, common-sense ideas that are EASY to do, and natural.

This book contains the right exercises for everyone and that's a big plus. It is only introductory though.
I use to have back pain; I went to the physiotherapist and she showed me exercises to do. They worked very well and now I hardly have pain anymore (I am 30, pain from beding on computer...)
I wanted to learn more so I bought this book. The plus of this book for you is that 8 out of the 10 exerices it shows are the same as the ones my physiotherapist showed me and those exercises worked for me. The minus of this book is that it does not go very much beyond that at all.
It looks to me that the exercises are explained quite clearly, but it's hard for me to judge given that I was shown in person.
There is a picture "before the movement" and a picture "after the movement" and that's very nice. It would be even better if drawings were superimposed in order to emphasize the movement.
The book does not say how many repetitions you are supposed to do. I had to start with 5 reps of 10 seconds each and work up from there.
Another plus of the book is that it shows you how to get out of your car properly, get up from your bed and brush your teeth. If you think that this is laughable, notice that use to have my worst pain while washing my dishes.
The postures taught there may seem unnatural to you if you have never done them in your life, although they are not difficult to do, they are difficult to maintain throughout the day; it is easy to revert back to the old, wrong posture. Both the book and my physiotherapist say that I'll get use to them and they will come natural to me -- I hope so, it hasn't happened yet.

There is then a lengthy section on how to integrate the exercizes in your every day life. A few suggestions in this section are good (such as how to brush your teeth without making your back pain worse), most other advices are just not feasible for most people (such as doing squat exercises on the job while talking to customers over the phone). The whole sections on making exercises at work is a waste.
So why three stars? As said, the book is very basic and shows just 10 exercises. I am looking for something more advanced.

My friend who is a massage therapist is so impressed with this book she buys it in bulk and has started giving it to her clients as part of a postural restructuring program. Practical, readable, and best of all it works.

i fell and broke my right wrist(complete break) 3 yrs ago, since then i have been in the most severe back pain, non to which i have ever known ..depression took over, when you hurt for months and months, it takes its toll.
my master bedroom is now full of physical therapy equipment. recently, i started to notice my posture, i saw a slump in shoulders and a sway back woman......in one week after i received my book, i am standing and setting straight; aware when my shoulder slump, , of my body mechanics when i stoop or bend...this is a very good book for anyone and especially those who are suffering with back pain.........Prayer is a good thing also...i highly recommend ppd.

I've been diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in my thoracic spine. The pain appeared while driving, working on a computer, and during the tail-end of my runs.
This book is incredibly helpful for those with back pain.
You'll need to eliminate sitting at chairs to improve, but it's worth it.
The greatest thing this book has brought to me is the squat. Most yoga books ignore this pose, tragically. The great Steve Ilg is big on it, but it gets overlooked in many of the books I read.
I squat almost all day at work now, and anytime I'm on the computer at home. In between squats, I kneel. But, I will not sit in a chair unless absolutely necessary.
This book has really helped me learn about posture. Also, it made me realize that my form while running and lifting was hideous.
The exercises are easy to learn for anyone.
Also, this book was the first I had ever heard the certain yoga postures were terrible for my pain (plow & knees to ears).
This is a great book, but I would think most people will need to read more than just this one. I recommend 7 Steps to a Pain Free Life, and the two books by Sarah Keys.
If nothing else, I've learned to squat throughout the day for back pain relief.

Very easy read for a non-fiction book and very good information. It made me very conscious of how my posture was creating my back problems. I recommend it highly.

I found this book to be extremely useful. Most books never tell you how to "make it real", they just tell you how to lift weights or stretch out. Dr. White's style is so easy to follow, and I started putting his principles to work right away. I have a lot of joint problems, so I appreciated his tips about getting moving. I recommend this book for anyone who has aches and pains and doesn't want to go to a gym and be intimidated by the young muscle boys there.

If you want to find out how you can never have to go to the gym again, read this book. It's a great "how-to" about incorporating what you do anyway all day long into activities that burn calories! You will feel stronger almost right away. Stop being a slave to the treadmill and step classes. Read this book with its useful tools for improving your overall well-being.