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: 11 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (240 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Back Pain
  • #4 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Chronic Pain
  • #9 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Injuries & Rehabilitation

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.