Back RX: A 15-Minute-a-Day Yoga- and Pilates-Based Program to End Low Back Pain Fully Updated and Revised

by Vijay Vad, Hilary Hinzmann

As a physician specializing in treating athletes, Dr. Vijay Vad has spent years researching how to cure back pain using medical yoga and Pilates. Profiled in The Wall Street Journal, his program requires just fifteen minutes a day for eight weeks to restore flexibility and prevent future injuries.Offering a proven alternative to invasive surgery, Dr. Vad’s Back Rx provides the best of mind/body medicine by giving readers three step-by-step exercise series, demonstrated in 130 precise photographs, for implementing his popular program at home. Even readers with severely limited mobility will rejoice in Dr. Vad’s gentle introductory workout. Progressing through his self-paced program, they will discover a new range of exercises, breathing techniques, and tips for self-massage. For those who want to go even further and use this program for more than the treatment of a single injury, an advanced workout is included that puts readers on the road to peak performance.

The perfect combination of modern medicine, Pilates innovations, and ancient yoga postures, Back Rx builds important new fundamentals for lifelong freedom from pain.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guy at the YMCA told me that he did the simple exercises in this book for 15 min. each morning and it ended his back pain after chiropracters and other approaches did not work. I learned alot from the book, it has excellent advice on what to do within the first minutes and days of a back injury, and advises you not to bend when sneezing but stay straight, things like that. I got a yoga mat and have done the exercises but have not been disciplined to use them every day. I need to. Despite my lack of diligence, this is a great book to heal your back naturally.

[Franki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strength - Flexability - Endurance

I bought this book when my L5 S1 disc herniation was at its worst. The first few chapters were very educational and filled with facts to helpunderstand the back, what's going on now, and how to get through this episode, recover and learn how to not let it happen again. Great pictures of how to sit at a desk, how to bend and how to lift things.

The book contains many exercises in stages to recover from low back pain, but I didn't agree with some of the stage 1 exercises. I would not recommend doing any type of abdominal crunch with lower back pain for starters. With my severe pain most other exercises they lay out weren't very good either.

The most important thing is to start out with a strong back, and knowing that goes beyond your stomach muscles. You need to build the muscles up and down your spine.

[Eridani · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked this one up, I was skeptical, but when your back hurts, you'll try anything. I was amazed, when after just 1- 15 minute routine, I slept like a baby and awoke with absolutely NO back pain. Only time will tell if it holds up to massive pain after strenuous activity, but for now, this book has been a miracle worker!

[Abel Doster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw the author lecturing on PBS late-night when I couldn't sleep with back pain. Had to get microdiscectomy surgery on L5S1 herniation despite trying everything else, but this book helped me understand my options, what was happening to my spine, and why surgery was likely my only route out of disabling pain, although I still hurt, so time will tell.

[Tarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It makes me feel like an old lady to have to say this, but this book is awesome. Nothing new for pilates folks, but good to have for anybody with lower back "issues" of any stripe.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to understand the benefits each yoga pose has.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back Rx is about doing fifteen minutes three times a week, which impacts reducing back pain. This pain-free plan's main principles also include the psychological elements to back pain, which I thought was fascinating. Not only does he prescribe antidepressants for back pain, but he delves into what stress might be going on in our private lives that could be responsible for back pain. Part of the solution is figuring out the whole mind-body piece of back pain. The author mentions other things that can help: self-care, eating a Mediterranean diet, getting regular exercise, sitting properly at our desks, and sleeping. All of these things affect our backs in addition to our overall health. Every story in the book is a real-life example of actual patients and what they did to overcome their back pain.

I thought the book would be more clinical with advice and self-help, but the author brought in so much of his own background. He talked about his grandparents in India and how they cured the pain. It offers fantastic, excellent life tips. Even if your back is fine, honestly, this is a better way to live: Highly-relatable, very user-friendly, and fun to read at the same time. My family couldn't live without this pain-free help.

To listen to my interview with the author, goto my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/vij...

[Davis Hilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I practice yoga daily but neglected my core strengthening for a while after being depressed about my grandfathers passing. Because of this I ended up hurting my back when I fell and landed on my tailbone. This book helped me approach healing my core and back in a healthy, controlled way. Highly recommended to anyone, even if they aren’t experiencing back pain.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

After debilitating nerve pain from herniated discs, the OrthoCarolina doc suggested this book! I asked three times- no surgery, no expensive xyz… after 11+ years I still manage my back care with this approach! I do cross country flights every month, sit at a desk for work, and do any activities I want. Try it!

[Jennifer S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It has so many great tips. I will defiantly re-read and keep as a reference for all the great exercises. I have a herniated disc, in my 30s, and this book has helped and given me hope for recovering and having an active life.

[Arwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me forever to read this book, but it did help me in my recovery after the tumble down the stairs in Dec. It teaches a cross between yoga/pilatles/ and Chiropractic care.

[Sandra McVearry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly written with simple exercises to help protect your back and help recovery from back injury. There are pictures and clear descriptions for each series of exercises.

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend to anyone with back pain

Short and to the point.
Well-organized and easy to find the details I needed relevant to my specific back issue
Practical advice

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically, these are a few modified yoga exercises, but far more do-able for someone who needs to recovery after an injury or who has a chronic back problem than any others I've found. It's helpful to read the book first, and you could use just the book, but the video is good to have if you prefer that way of learning and staying motivated. I've recommended this to my chiropractor and primary care physician, even. Excellent for recuperating from an injury.

[Mary Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make your back stronger, significantly stronger. Four simple pilates exercises a day make all the difference in the world.

[Nessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had many stretches that I already do in physio. I find the book a bit 'wordy' though, and the font not large enough if you are using the book while exercising - though the pictures are good.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful information and exercises for an aching back!

[rinabeana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Vad's theories and recommendations make sense. I'm going to give the regimen a try and see if it helps alleviate my back pain.