Customer Reviews

Walk Yourself Well: Eliminate Back, Shoulder, Knee, Hip, and Other Structural Pain Forever-Without Surgery or Drugs

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have spent the last five years in agony with a bad ankle. For some strange reason that I didn't understand at that time,(and neither did the two surgeons, one rhematologist, two podiatrists, four physical therapists and countless er docs with whom I consulted over the last thirty years), as I was doing my regular areobic work, I totally ruptured the peroneal longus tendon in my right foot. Two surgeries later I was left with a chronically swollen ankle. I had lost the tendon and the peroneal nerve. I had total ankle reconstruction and had my heel bone moved over so my ankle would be more stable. It wasn't.

Fast forward three years. The pain had increased and moved up into my back and hips. It was horrible. I couldn't sleep. My foot doc said, you will have to learn to live with it. I had an MRI. I had bulging discs in L1-2, 2-3 and 3-4. The 2-3 was pressing on the spinal cord. I was losing feeling and strength in my hips and legs despite doing all the weight lifting and cardio I could handle, about 90 minutes a day x 6 days a week.
I researched why this would happen. I had a gradual onset of the back issue and couldn't remember a specific incidence of over doing or strain. The title of this book popped up in reply to an internet search I did on the L2-3 disk bulge, so I ordered it.

I had gone to see an osteopath for help with the back issue and was in physical therapy for it. My pt noticed that during exercises my ankle bowed out. She said, "That's the problem."

I went home to find this book had come. I read it in two days and immediately began to do the work recommended. I took the book to the osteopath who agreed with the pt. That was about two weeks ago. I am now totally pain free for the first time in five years, and without pain meds. Not only are my right ankle, leg, hips and back good, but my left shoulder which also hurt most of the time no longer hurts.

It seems that due to my gait my ankles roll to the outside with every step. This resulted in atrophied ankle muscles, which meant more weakness. Finally my tendon blew. And then my spine. Thanks to the information this author presents in a humorous fashion I have finally accepted the cause for my problems and am working on relearning to walk. It isn't all that easy, but then it isn't impossible either, given the other choice. A number of members of my family have the same gait pattern. My father and older brother have both had horrific ankle problems, no one knew why. They both have had back surgery, and both have lost the L2-3 disc. Again, no one knew why. I have two sons in their twenties who walk like me and who have had ankle problems and back pain since their late teens. I am buying copies of this book for them.

Using this book could be difficult for those without an open mind. The author's use of humour and stories of her patients helped me to recognize and accept my problem. I think we sometimes take life way too seriously, and that makes pain worse.

I am so grateful for this book. I can't begin to say what value being pain free is for me. It is as though I have my life back!

That said, I will admit that this information is not a panacea. I don't think it will cure asthma or aids. But, for structural problems and joint issues like mine, this information, and hard work, will be the answer. I am still in therapy and will be for a while. I expect that lasting results will not happen without sustained effort at relearning patterns of movement over a long period, probably the rest of my life. But it will be SO worth it!

I applaud the author for blazing this trail to "structurally sound walking principles"! She explains in detail how to diagnose your faulty gait, which strengthening and stretching exercises (with illus.) will correct your particular weakness, and offers a simple example how to chart your progress. I appreciated the text inside boxes providing more technical explanations concerning specific muscles... I was able to correct a few structural postures immediately, and I'm very glad to be aware of these principles, especially since I'm into fitness walking. Now I have information which is attending to those nagging knee, hip, and back pains.

A truly novel approach to physical problems, the author ties all nagging injuries and pain (neck, back, knee, etc.) to how one walks. By changing ones walking pattern, many chronic problems can dissappear!

Reading this book was a signiffgant breakthrough in my own physical rehabilitation. After years of abusing myself playing rugby, I was a mess! The author opened my eyes to the world of correct movment patterns.

This book is mainly to be used as a manual to set up your own rehabilition program. To do it correctly, you have to be prepared to do alot of work, and not be afraid of feeling awkward and challenging your assumptions. But it does work!

After just reading the first part of the book, you will never be able to look at people walking the same way again.

"Walk Yourself Well" is one of the few books which actually changed my life. A ground-breaking approach to perfect and healthful posture and gait, Ms. Brourman's thorough, clear instructions helped me change my walk and posture to "elegant" and freed me from persistent knee and neck pain.

This book is perfect for boomers who want to avoid those horrors of aging - the dowager's hump, the old folks' shuffle, and back, neck, shoulder, foot, and knee pain - and surgery.

It's never too early, or too late, to enjoy the benefits of Miss Brourman's 25 years of experience as a physical therapist. I predict that "Walk Yourself Well" will become a classic in its field.

By following the principles in this book, I'm quite sure I have minimized the pain and discomfort of two leg injuries within a year, both requiring a cast - broken ankle requiring surgery and hairline knee fracture, as well as an arthritic hip, all on the same leg. Although I found the technical explanations tough going, I believe I distilled the essence of the instruction into a brand new, better way to walk. I walk my dog twice a day so I slowly incorporated one aspect at a time into changing my walk. There is no doubt that my leg muscles are stronger as a result of my redesigned walk. The book leaves no stone unturned with respect to its topic, so I am quite thankful that I discovered this A to Z instructional reference book.

I found the information in this book exciting, compelling and read it through from cover to cover. Finally someone's talking about feet!

As a former dancer and current teacher..I see a lot of mean treatment to the feet. Many of my personal concerns, hunches and observations were articulated. I am adding book to my library and recommended reading list.

I especially liked the way the author addressed and offered corrective measures for heel to floor contact. My own feet have suffered under my abuse in breaks, strains, burns and other mean injuries and I can tell you...doctors offer little in the way of truly useful information. Just a shot, a pill, a cast, a knife...it's terrible and frustrating.

I think we would be better served with this information in our elementary classrooms than having to memorize all the former president's birthdays and names!!!

It's no fun hurting and many of our hurts happen when we lack information and mishandle our bodies.

Some reviewers found her stories and writing style lacking..yes her verbage is at times goofy. Her reference to "buns" had me doing a couple of double takes to make sure I wasn't seeing things...

I personally liked the simplicity of the pictures/drawings. I would have enjoyed more..to demonstrate proper and improper form.

A video/dvd would be a great addition to this book to help us audio/visual learners.

I checked this book out from the library and have ordered my own copy. This information is highly useful for any dance, movement or fitness coach as well as anyone who is sick of putting their well being into the hands of others!

This book is a keeper.

This book contains such a valuable wealth of knowledge for anyone, and especially for those in pain. I was having major back pains for years, and the tools that I received in this book took me to a much better place physically. I've read it all the way through twice, and although not every exercise applies to me, I learn new things each time I read it. The way Ms. Brourman has synergized the disciplines of Physical Therapy, Proper Posture, and Gait Correction is surely ahead of her time. Although all the work I did with Chiropractors and Orthopedic Doctors was valuable, it never really addressed the major problems of proper posture, gait, and muscle strength. My advice to others is to read the book and progress along at a slow yet deliberate rate. For anyone in pain looking for a "Quick Fix," good luck! It's a rare thing. Expect to do some work, but like myself, feeling good was certainly worth it in the end.

This book contains such a valuable wealth of knowledge for anyone, and especially for those in pain. I was having major back pains for years, and the tools that I received in this book took me to a much better place physically. I would have to take umberance with another reviewer on this book. As I was reading it I never noticed any typos, as I was actually trying to pay attention to the information, not concern myself with petty thing like tpyos. I think it's ridiculous to tell others not buy the book on this account. If you have any pain or want to get healthier, Do buy this book. In addition, there is certainly original material here in the way that the author has synergized the disciplines of Physical Therapy, Proper Posture, and Gait Correction. I'm not sure what the reviewer is looking for in original material, maybe snap your fingers and poof, you're better! We live in the real world, and this book has real, fresh answers.

This book helped me to completely eliminate chronic hip pain that chiropractic care, massage, and extensive yoga addressed only temporarily. Any errors in the text are of miniscule importance when I compare them to the benefit I received from this very small book that is filled with the author's compassionate wisdom. I'm very grateful to Sherry Brourman for making the book available, despite any typos, and I highly recommend it to ANYONE suffering from structural pain as well as to people who are trying to prevent such pain from occurring.

Having a variety of foot and leg problems plus being told that I "walk funny," led me to search out this book. Anxious for a quick fix, I wanted to jump right in with exercises targeted to my specific problems.
Unfortunately the book makes you wade through too many stories of people miraculously cured by the author's program. I also found it difficult to find myself in the self-evaluation section. Gait correction sounds like just what I need, but I wish it were easier to match my needs to the body living exercises. An extended promotion for the effectiveness of the exercises hindered more than it helped.