Back RX: A 15-Minute-a-Day Yoga- and Pilates-Based Program to End Low Back Pain (Paperback)

by Vijay Vad (Author), Hilary Hinzmann (Author) "The human back is a marvelously evolved structure, the supportive center of every imaginable movement..." (more)
Key Phrases: feet about the same width, more full breaths, ten full breaths, Sun Salutation Lying Down, Back Rx Series, Radio Frequency Denervation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Back Rx has been medically proven to have significant positive effect on low back pain caused by disc pathology." -- Don Aspergen, Sports Medicine Division, the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour

"After three months, the results have been striking: 80%… reported that their pain was reduced by at least half" -- The Wall Street Journal

"[Dr. Vad’s] holistic approach can work for anyone willing to put in just a little time and positive thought." -- Ellen Barkin

Review
“After three months, the results have been striking: 80%… reported that their pain was reduced by at least half” (The Wall Street Journal) “[Dr. Vad’s] holistic approach can work for anyone willing to put in just a little time and positive thought.” (Ellen Barkin) “[His] innovative research on the professional tennis and golf tours and the practicality of Back Rx make it suitable for professional athletes and weekend warriors, as well as couch potatoes.” (Bill Norris, athletic trainer, Association of Tennis Professionals Circuit) “Back Rx has been medically proven to have significant positive effect on low back pain caused by disc pathology.” (Don Aspergen, Sports Medicine Division, the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (January 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592400450
• ISBN-13: 978-1592400454
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,478 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Exercise & Fitness > Pilates
  #7 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Exercise & Fitness > Quick Workouts
  #10 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Aging > Backache

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Basic but well written, May 31, 2005

By	Katie (Nottingham, UK.) - See all my reviews

I gave this book to my grandmother after reading it. Safe but very basic floor movements, good for the older crowd but if you are under 60 years old I recommend other books.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent starter book, September 12, 2007

By	dondo (Issaquah, WA USA) - See all my reviews

I recently suffered my first real back injury. I spent almost a week on my back completely incapacitated by pain. As soon as I was able to move, I read this book and began doing some of the exercises from it. I found that the exercises had an immediate and very positive effect, first in reducing the pain and now building both strength and flexibility. When I was able to schedule physical therapy, the therapists were happy with my progress and added only a few exercises. My recovery has been very rapid and I'm certain this book played a significant role.

I found the introductory commentary quite helpful in introducing the physiology of the back, describing various causes of pain and remedies, and mapping out the future of my spine as I age. The advice on posture when sneezing or coughing post injury ("lean back, look up!") was worth the purchase price on its own.

I don't think there is any "one-size-fits-all" answer to back pain. Workouts need to be tailored to the needs of the individual, and will change over time as injuries heal and muscles strengthen. As such the ideal program will incorporate elements from many different sources. Because this book outlines three different workout regimens -- one for during healing, one for during post-trauma recovery, and one for ongoing strengthening -- I had a lot of options to help find a workout which works well for me.

I do have a couple of criticisms of the book. The discussion of some of the exercises do not make it entirely clear what muscle group should be affected, which made it a little harder to figure out whether I was doing it right or if I was ready for a more challenging exercise. Also, the book is firmly focused on the lower back (and hips). As a software engineer, I find that I need help with my upper back and neck, and this book does little to help me with that.

I doubt this book will be a single all-encompassing answer to your back-pain prayers. However, I expect it will help most people interested in it in the first place. For me personally, it was a real god-send.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars After one week, it is definitely helping, August 30, 2007

By	Holly Teicholtz (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book about a week ago and have done the exercises every day since. I notice an immediate difference after going through the routine each morning (I generally wake up with enough pain that I am hunched over as I walk from the bedroom to the coffee maker; after the routine I am able to stand up straight as well as walk and sit on a chair with little or no pain). I am also noticing an overall reduction in pain in my lower back at all times -- I can sit on the stool at my breakfast bar for longer than I could before, and just generally my back feels better and I am less hunched over than before.

Couple comments related to other reviewers' complaints:

(A) "The exercises are too basic." I am generally fit and have done a lot of yoga, so after four days of doing Series A, I decided to "graduate" myself to Series B in advance of the recommended eight weeks. So far, this is working well. Series B is only a little more challenging, but more to the point, it includes stretches and poses that I can tell (because I can feel it) are targeting the precise areas of my back that need it.

(B) "Anyone who has been to a therapist already knows everything in this book." Probably true, but I think the book is a great idea for people like me who tend to avoid the hassle of going to a doctor. Sure, I've talked to my PCP about my low back pain, at which point she tells me it's probably muscular and offers to refer me to a specialist -- total hassle, time out of my life, plus god knows how many co-pays and added HMO expenses. My low back pain is chronic and I know I should probably see a specialist (in my mid-30s, my low back hurts pretty much every day and I have thrown it out, on average, once every 12-18 months -- requiring 3-6 days immobility on bed or couch to recover -- since my early 20s). But I live in New York City, I'm busy, phys therapy is expensive and I basically would just rather avoid that. For all those reasons, this book is perfect in that it's an extremely affordable investment that shows me exactly which yoga poses will improve my back and saves me a trip to heaven knows how many doctors.

So basically, if you'd rather avoid dealing with a round of healthcare, but your back is bothering you and you don't want to just ignore it, this book is a frugal way to learn a practical yoga routine that will effectively target your lower back.