8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: Natural Posture Solutions for Pain in the Back, Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Foot [Paperback]

Esther Gokhale (Author), Susan Adams (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Nearly 90% of American adults suffer from back pain, and the number continues to climb. Why does this condition affect so many people in the industrialized world, while in some countries only 5% of adults report back pain? In a quest to find the root cause of back pain, Esther Gokhale studied at the Aplomb Institute in Paris and traveled to parts of the world where back pain is virtually unknown. Her research took her to remote Burkina Faso, rural Portugal, and fishing villages in Brazil.

What she learned in each of these places has changed the lives of thousands of people. Preserved in the movements of weavers, millers, and farmers in more traditional societies is ancient body wisdom that prevents pain and enhances health. For the first time, these insights have been brought together in a step-by-step guide designed to help those suffering from back pain re-educate their bodies and regain the posture for which our bodies evolved.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most lucid account I have read of how the human spine works, with handy lessons in how to stand, sit, walk, and sleep free of back pain."  —J. M. Coetzee, Nobel Prize–winner in Literature

"8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back is the best back pain book on the market. I had significant problems with low back pain and sciatica for more than two decades before Esther Gokhale was able to help me. If I had found her earlier, it could have saved me a great deal of pain and grief.”  —Paul R. Ehrlich, author, Human Natures and Population Bomb

"Esther's technique for treating chronic back pain is totally unique and her research really backs it up. This is a great tool for all of us."  —Billie Jean King, winner of 20 Wimbledon titles

"A great book for someone who is serious about achieving a pain-free back and willing to work to reach that goal."  —American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons

"Esther Gokhale helped me resolve a five-year injury after nothing else had worked. Her work is unique and thorough."  —Patti Sue Plumer, three-time Olympian, 1992 World Record holder for 1500m and 500m run

"Every year, tens of thousands of patients undergo major back surgery without any benefits. By using Esther Gokhale’s novel techniques, many of these patients can avoid such needless and expensive medical procedures, and quickly return to a pain free life."  —John R. Adler, MD, neurosurgery, Stanford University Medical Clinic

"This book . . . will eventually be recognized by the medical community as the greatest contribution ever made to nonsurgical back treatment in this country."  —Helen Barkan, MD, PhD, neurology, Mayo Clinic

"This is not only a stimulating self-help guide for relief of back pain through healthy posture, but also a work of art that celebrates the grace and poetry of the human body."  —David Werner, author, Where There Is No Doctor

From the Author

For some, a pain-free life is only a memory, but it doesn't have to be. Through my experience in healing my own back pain, coupled with extensive training and research, I have developed a technique to alleviate back pain--the Gokhale Method. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to help thousands of people re-learn the way their bodies were designed to move--gracefully and with ease. I have spent fifteen years teaching the technique, honing it for clarity and efficiency, and am delighted to present it here for general use. Many physicians now refer their back patients to me, and almost all the patients start to improve from the first lesson. In many cases the results are dramatic (see page 24). But then there are the people who can't come to see me, people who call me from the East Coast or the Midwest, perhaps friends or relatives of my patients, who are suffering terribly and need help. For years, I have wished there were a book that I could send them with step-by-step instructions and demonstrations of my technique. And here it is.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Pendo Press; 1 edition (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979303605
• ISBN-13: 978-0979303609
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.8 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diseases & Physical Ailments > Musculoskeletal Diseases
  • #2 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diseases & Physical Ailments > Backache
  • #3 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diseases & Physical Ailments > Pain Management

More About the Author

Esther Gokhale, L.Ac., (Go-clay), pain expert and posture specialist, is the author of the Nautilus Gold Award-winning book, 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. Gokhale has been involved in integrative therapies all her life. As a young girl growing up in India, she helped her mother, a registered nurse, treat abandoned babies waiting to be adopted. This early interest in healing led her to study biochemistry at Harvard and Princeton and later, acupuncture at the San Francisco School of Oriental Medicine. She is the founder of the Esther Gokhale Wellness Center in Palo Alto, CA and travels internationally to spread her message that a pain-free life is possible through a return to primal posture. Her six-session course, Gokhale Method Foundations, is now taught around the world. Gokhale spends her time teaching, training teachers and creating products to help people achieve a pain-free life. More information can be found at her website at www.egwellness.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

234 of 239 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best method for treating & preventing chronic pain March 22, 2008

By Kurt Schwarz

Format:Paperback

This is by far the single best source for healing back pain that I have seen. I hurt my lower back pretty badly doing heavy deadlifts after too long of a layoff (entirely my fault, I know), and pursued a wide variety of different treatment methods. I had previously been exposed to other postural/ alignment methodologies in an attempt to get rid of chronic injuries, which had been helpful, but nothing was as poignant, simple, or direct as Gokhale's work.

There are three outstanding aspects of this book:

1. Gokhale clearly identifies what ideal posture and alignment looks like, and backs this up with numerous photos.
2. Gokhale's method is very, very simple, and once learned, becomes integrated into your everyday life. I know of other methods where you have to spend 30-45 minutes per day doing exercises - this method requires very little extra bandwidth once you have learned it.
3. The book itself is beautifully laid out, with a balance between illustrative photos and explanations.

Considering the amount of time and money I've spent pursuing other treatment methods, this is a ridiculously good value. Don't discount it just because it is so inexpensive! I bought a copy for my parents, and two extra books as I constantly have them loaned out. If you are seeking to get rid of chronic pain, this is my #1 go-to recommendation.

113 of 115 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great spine/biomechanics book, not just for backs April 12, 2008

By M. Benson

Format:Paperback

This book has been very helpful to me, not just for the back, but also for my hip, knee, and feet. This is a beautifully illustrated and designed book, with very clear directions and explanations, using many diagrams, photographs, and visualization techniques to move the body as a whole, integrated unit.Included are sections on sitting, standing, walking and sleeping. There are also sections on helpful exercises and stretches, and troubleshooting guides with each chapter.
The sections on hinge-bending and the anteverted pelvis were especially helpful. You can watch a 53 min. talk by the author on youtube by looking up her name. Another good book on this subject is one by Stuart McGill, but it is much more scientific and doesn't address walking, sleeping, feet and knees. Esther's book is much more user-friendly with the same science and more anthropology to back up her method.

99 of 104 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A simple, elegant solution March 22, 2008

By Suzanne Churchill

Format:Paperback

This book offers a natural, simple solution to chronic back pain. No special machines or contraptions or surgeries are required. Instead it teaches healthy posture. Esther Gohkale studied posture in countries such as India, Burkina Faso, and Portugal, where people have very back-demanding life styles, but suffer very little back injury or pain. Her book offers an anthropological study, with color photographs of beautiful, healthy backs from around the world, in ancient and modern times. She offers clear, simple instructions to help anyone achieve healthy, pain-free posture.

I've tried chiropractors, massage, physical therapy, yoga, and Pilates for my chronic back pain, and each helps to a degree, but none eliminated the painful "bungee" cord running between my shoulder blade and spine. Gokhale's methods of "stretch sitting" and "stretch lying" have provided me the most lasting relief of anything I've tried, and they are the simplest techniques of all!

This book is well worth the investment--it's only a fraction of the cost of a massage or chiropractic visit, and it's provides fascinating reading and vital healing. Best of all, it extends hope that anyone can free themselves from chronic pain, no matter how cramped or stooped you've become.

149 of 167 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The photos are fantastic, but beware some of the procedures. April 30, 2010

By J. R. Miller

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased his book, for several reasons. I have suffered from lower lumbar back pain for 40 years. Forty years ago, the Veterans Administration Hospital strongly recommended surgery. And meanwhile provided grocery bags of pain killers.

But I also lived and worked in an African village for two years. I knew Esther was on the right track. The functional posture and strength of both men and woman in the tribe in which I lived, was awesome. Esther's photographs beautifully capture the functional strength and poise that I witnessed many years ago.

I bought this book with great hopes. Sadly, some of the ideas in this book only injured my back further.

But I can also say the same for the dozens of "back books" and seminars which I have read or attended over forty years. Whether the subject is Tai Chi, Yoga, or Pilates, I always find that some exercises seem to help, but there are unhappily always a few exercises that do further injury. And there is the rub.

I am also amazed that Esther does not show the ancient "village squat." This is a glaring omission. A westerner can not live, or travel, in the 3rd world and not observe the ease and frequency with which villagers - young and old - can assume the village squat.
Generally, Westerners just can't seem to squat like this for any length of time. I am mystified that this functional and popular position is not captured in her photographs.

I would love to see Esther take her beautiful - but beginning research - a step further.

Thankfully, I eventually found right here - at Amazon - some back books and DVD's which have given me relief from back pain for the first time in 40 years - as well as a new found ability to run and ice skate again....

Admittedly, my search was a long journey, but I found the best self help yet in the books and DVD's of Peter Egoscue. Book by book, I became so impressed with the results, that I eventually bought every book and DVD Peter has written or produced.

My back problems are largely confined to the lower lumbar area, due to injuries sustained in Vietnam in 1970.

Ironically, Peter Egoscue is also a Vietnam veteran who sustained injuries while on duty. Peter embarked on his own search to heal himself.

What a marvelous, simple and sound approach he has pioneered. Not one of Peter egoscue's procedures has ever caused my back further injury or pain!

In response to the one negative comment I received, may I affirm and clarify that my back injuries are serious - due to substantial injuries sustained in Vietnam. I do recognize that many other people will be well served by Esther's exercises.

But, I also wish to extend a hopeful hand to those whose injuries are severe, life long, and who so far may have found only partial or intermittent help with the many modalities of back treatment that have developed over the past 40 years.

In addition, to the books and DVD's I recommended above, I now wish to one more book that I earlier withheld - due to its price. "Rehabilitation of The Spine: A Practitioner's Manual" by Craig Liebsenson. Available here on Amazon.

Yes, the price is edgy! But this book is a must have for anyone who experiences chronic and severe back difficulties. A magnificent and clearly articulated review of all of the current treatment modalities available in the mainstream as well as the alternative medical fields today. Pay attention to what Dr Vladimir Janda is doing to treat patients in Czechoslovakia.

Ok. A couple years later, and I wish to add another writer, especially for those persons with serious injuries - sports related or work related. I discovered the fellow who has co-authored more than 250 clinical published studies on the back. He is a fountainhead of knowledge for trainers and rehab experts alike. Two of his books are available here on Amazon. "Low Back Disorders" and "Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance" by Stuart McGill, PhD.

His research methods are exquisite. He busts more fitness myths than any writer I have yet read - and he does this with science based data, much of it derived from his own labs. I must caution that he writes to the trainer and rehab audience. But his writing is extremely clear to me, a lay person. Nearly every page in the first half of book, "Low Back Disorders," is filled with lab evidence as to why so much of what your coach, your drill instructor, your fitness guru, and / or the muscles mags are saying is simply dangerous or wrong. This half steers you away from incredibly dangerous , but popular routines. That knowledge alone is worth a lot.

As you will recognize in all of his books and DVD's, Stuart McGill works with the highest performing world class athletes.

He also publishes two DVD's which I have not found here on Amazon.

Once again, good luck with your own search for back health. Read more ›