How to Rapidly Relieve Back - and Shoulder Pain

This book was recommended by by husband's doctor for neck and shoulder relief. He has only glanced through the pages, but if all goes as the doctor predicts,this should help relieve his pain without any further major complications.

Does not offer many exercises for the length and price. The book does offer a great description with regards to likely causes and/or sources of problem. i.e. how bottom lumbar can cause pain locally as well as all the way down to the knee. Was hoping for more treatments. Also talks about movements that likely caused pain in detail. But really does not give detailed movements to fix the damage.

I have bought copies of Robin McKenzie's other works covering the neck and back as well. This is a good reference to keep around and works if you will follow the guidance provided in this book. Sound methods that work.

I have bought copies of Robin McKenzie's other works covering the neck and back as well. This is a good reference to keep around and works if you will follow the guidance provided in this book. Sound methods that work.

My wife says this changed her life.

Our physical therapist friend says in his experience the McKenzie method helps some and hinders others. Our own experience has been extremely positive. If you have chronic back pain, its at least worth trying - hopefully, like us, you'll be among the helped.

The advice is so straightforward and simple that it seems silly to need a book but it really did help. I only needed to neck exercises but anyone who types, texts or sits in front of a computer could really benefit from these

This is a chatty book with very little about the exercises. Turned out my back issues are not compatible with McKINZIE. exercise. Check with your Dr before taking on a trainer and these exercises.

Re-hash of same song and dance published years ago. Like many treatments for lower back pain, this helps me sometimes to relieve pain. But you can go to Youtube and probably get a fairly good idea of how to do the back extensions. If you suffer from lower back pain, then I would recommend trying the McKenzie back extensions- they may help relieve back spasm and pain. IMO the book is just a lot of filler around several simple exercises. Others may argue, that in order to achieve a "cure" you must make radical changes in your posture and life style as recommended by R M and other "posture" guru's. I'm dubious about these claims myself, and will continue to rely on my heating pad, lots of exercise, and naproxen for acute pain.

The back and neck sections contain much of the same information about the spine; this is great if you only want to read about one but a bit tedious if you're reading both sections. I found the exercises for the neck very helpful in relieving pain and reducing stiffness.

This stuff is pretty useful however, here is plenty of good information online for these issues as well. I can't say the neck exercises have helped with my headaches (which was my primary concern when buying the book) but most of the other stretches do help.

I also don't particularly care for the lumbar roll or cervical roll that they recommend (McKenzie brand) as the cervical one is too soft to support the neck while sleeping and the lumbar one was too hard to sit comfortably against for long periods of time. Both were returned and I ended up getting the Love Home memory foam lumbar pad and love it!

There's useful information but nothing that you won't find for free on the Internet. Basically 7 exercises with some warnings, precautions etc... All of the information could easily be condensed into a few pages.

I have a protruding disc (L-5) and resulting sciatica. In the past year I've had two epidural shots to ease the pain in the left thigh and knee which results from the compromised nerve. The only thing that seems to help is taking walks in the morning. If I can get past the early morning, my day is generally okay provided I do not sit for prolonged periods. Bending over to put on my socks can easily bring on an episode and so bought the sock assist from the store which has helped tremendously. Then I came upon Robin McKenzie's book and thought with all the positive reviews that it might prove a savior to my problem. What exactly does his method purport to do?

The method is comprised of seven exercises: four (the main ones) are to restore the "hollow" of the back (lordosis) and are termed as extension exercises in which you stretch backwards either by lying on the floor and pushing upwards with your head while keeping your pelvis and legs on the floor OR while standing and reaching backwards with your head while keeping your hands on the small of your back to act as a fulcrum. The other three exercises (flexion) are meant to restore agility to the spine and the moves are opposite to the extensions (i.e. lying on your back and bringing both knees up towards your chest). Of the two types of exercises, the extensions are by far the key ones. They are meant to restore the proper shape to the protruding and/or herniated disc and by leaning backwards the claim is that the gel-like disc is massaged into proper shape. If only that were true.

What I discovered was that doing these exercises faithfully each day (every two hours and up to eight times a day) my condition worsened. What you are to hope for is a centralizing of the pain; that is... the pain should move from the side or leg to the spine where it is more manageable and eventually disappears. My sciatica only worsened to the point that I was contemplating going back on oxycodone - and trust me, you do NOT want to become dependent on that drug. The extensions can end up further pinching the nerve via the protruding disc so be forewarned.

My advice to you is simply this: tell you doctor about the book and the proposed plan of action BEFORE attempting the exercises. This is no magic bullet as some people are describing it. My condition has lasted for a year and I was desperate for a quick fix but discovered that this isn't it... at least for me. I've since put the book aside and returned to my long walks and gentle stretches of the flexion nature (NOT extensions). I do not mean to disparage those who claim the book saved them from their back pain. I'm glad for them. I do, however, want to warn you to proceed with a good deal of caution. You could very well make your condition much worse if you are not careful.