A Good Resource...January 21, 2003 E. Sydor(Southern Nevada) 36 out of 36 found this review helpful
This book is a good resource for someone suffering from back pain and is interested in trying some new exercises. Mr. Johnson bases just about everything he says in this book on the results of "randomized, controlled trials". His arguments are acceptable and he always provides convincing evidence. My only problem is that there is little discussion about sports related back injuries. I also had a problem with the fact that there is only 1 picture of the multifidus and it's not that great.
The section "things every back pain sufferer needs to know" was excellent and I learned a lot from it. Overall this book was ok, but somehow, I finished the book and still wanted more.
simple treatment, very goodDecember 5, 2002 Russell Thompson(San Francisco) 26 out of 27 found this review helpful
Actually the book goes into depth about why you shouldn't make decisions based on testimonials. Nevertheless, after two months of doing the exercises described in this book my back has been feeling really good. It no longer hurts after prolonged periods of standing in stores, or walking around, or sitting at the computer. I feel generally much stronger.
The book is written in a very down to earth style that should be accessible to anyone, and could be irritating to those who prefer more concise and sophisticated treatments. My personal view is that in self-help books like this the content is more important than the style. I'm more than willing to put up with a simple treatment to get the nuggets inside, especially since the authors are always looking for the logic behind the clinical findings and are never afraid to admit when something isn't understood.
The practical recommendations only cover a few pages, and the remainder of the book is devoted to building a case for why a strong multifidus alleviates back pain. The authors place an extreme emphasis throughout on good scientific method and the importance of controlled randomized clinical trials in deciding what treatments work.
I have not checked the twenty or so references at the back of the book, so I can't vouch for the authors' accurate presentation of the field.
Overall, if you suffer from back pain, get it!
The Multifidus Back Pain SolutionJune 19, 2002 Elaine Makowsky(GA United States) This is a great source of back information, based on scientific research (well documented). Best of all, it is written in layman's language with simple, well-explained exercises to be done at home, without expensive equipment! For any person who has suffered with back pain and is interested to learn more about his back and a simple intervention that might make a world of difference. I highly recommend it...a true bargain!
