YMCA Healthy Back Book [Paperback]

YMCA of the USA (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 1994

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Since "back pain is one of the most costly ailments of working-age adults," this book guides the average person through 20 fundamental exercises that assist in reducing and avoiding back pain. Reviewed by a panel of fitness and rehabilitation medicine experts, it suggests stress reduction and weight-control techniques to improve back health and recommends the least stressful ways to perform the daily activities of sitting, standing, sleeping, and driving. A discussion of warning signs indicating the need to seek professional help, risk factors for back pain, and a guided tour of the back's anatomy complete the book. Numerous well-prepared illustrations, large type, and an easy-to-understand writing style contribute to the readability of the book, a major strength. Balanced, thorough, and credible, this is similar in content to Stephen Hochschuler's Back in Shape ( LJ 1/91), but its presentation is more effective. Recommended for public libraries.
- Mary Prottmsman, Medical Lib., Enterprise, Ala.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The YMCA Healthy Back Book is a must for the millions of Americans who suffer back pain."
Charles B. Inlander
President, People's Medical Society

"The YMCA Healthy Back Book offers practical information and helpful exercises that will contribute to a healthy lifestyle and a strong back."
Rona Cherry
Editor-in-Chief, Fitness magazine

"An excellent resource which, if followed, should help prevent future problems. The book is brief, easy to read, and easy to apply to one's daily activities."
Stephen Howard Hochschuler, MD
Spine Surgeon, Chairman, Texas Back Institute

"This book belongs in the libraries of all health promotion professionals and should be recommended to any individual concerned with maintaining a healthy lifestyle."
Robert L. Kaman, PhD
Professor of Physiology, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics (January 27, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873226291
• ISBN-13: 978-0873226295
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Back Pain

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide for strengthening your back, July 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: YMCA Healthy Back Book (Paperback)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only thing that helped me -- this book!!, April 1, 2004

By 

W. M. Pitt "W. M. Pitt" - See all my reviews

This review is from: YMCA Healthy Back Book (Paperback)

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.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Back Book Is A Blessing, June 29, 2000

By 

Tim Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: YMCA Healthy Back Book (Paperback)

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".