The Good Back Book

by Fehrsen-Du Toit, Renita

• ISBN13: 9781552978276
• ISBN10: 1552978273
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-07-01
• Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd

Summary

The essential guide to maintaining a healthy back.Back pain is the second most common health complaint. The Good Back Book is the essential handbook on clinically proven therapies for preventing back problems, improving everyday posture and embracing a healthier lifestyle.The book is a balanced approach to back health that accounts for stress, gravity, workplace conditions, age, and weight. With jargon-free text and clear illustrations, the book provides an understanding of spinal anatomy. Spinal and muscular stability and flexibility are critically important for relieving and avoiding back problems. Featured here are equipment-free exercises for improving back stability and flexibility.Common posture faults are described and illustrated along with specific exercises for correcting them. The book offers advice for achieving good posture in a wide variety of situations: working at a desk, cooking in the kitchen, standing in a bus, ironing and sweeping, lifting, walking, and carrying a backpack to school.Alternate remedies and therapies are explored -- including what results are reasonable to expect.The Good Back Book discusses: Physiotherapy Osteopathy Chiropractic Yoga Pilates Massage therapies and deep tissue manipulationIn a detailed Q&A section, the author answers commonly-asked questions. The Good Back Book is a practical guide of proven techniques anyone can use to relieve and avoid back pain.

Author Biography

Renita Fehrsen-Du Toit is a practicing physiotherapist and holds an honors degree in Advanced Physiotherapy/Orthopedic Manipulative Therapy.

Table of Contents

Introduction	8	(2)
Back Pain	10	(10)
An overview of the second most common health complaint
Anatomy of the Spine	20	(12)
Understanding the structures in your back
Spinal Mobility and Stability	32	(14)
Exercises to improve the two most important functions of the spine
Analyzing Posture	46	(22)
The ideal alignment and the effect of different postures
Achieving Good Posture	68	(18)
The correct posture for a wide range of activities
Diagnosis and Prevention	86	(12)
Common back problems: causes, symptoms, prevention and anatomy
Therapies and Practitioners	98	(14)
Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Rolfing and Structural Integration, Hellerwork, Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, Yoga, Pilates, Swedish and Thai Massage
Questions and Answers	112
Frequently asked questions answered by professionals