Treat Your Own Neck

by Robin McKenzie

Is your head throbbing? Does your shoulder ache? Or do you have pain at your elbow driving you to distraction? Neck pain and the often associated headache are all too familiar. Don't reach for the pain killers to mask your problem, take responsibility and read on. Busy lifestyles take a toll on your body. Whether it is sitting at a work station, doing precision work or driving a vehicle for prolonged periods, your neck region is particularly vulnerable. Treat Your Own Neck will give you a practical approach to managing your neck pain symptoms. The exercise regime unique to the McKenzie Method will empower you to respond to different types of neck-related pain, including postural stress. This book will enable you to identify and respond to any neck pain reoccurrence in a safe and economical manner.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Fitness, Physical Therapy, Unfinished

94 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

During his lifetime, his contributions to the understanding and treatment of spinal problems met with worldwide recognition. In addition, he received numerous awards from the medical and scientific communities from various countries. The validity of the theories he proposed are now supported with scientific evidence and the effectiveness of his treatments have been scientifically validated.

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Heydi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book. Truly, they should hand these books out when you become an adult and just say, "here, keep this, you'll need it one day." This book helped more than physcial therapy, more than chiropractic treatments, and certainly more than pain killers. Of course, it means a lot of work on your part to implement the advice but it is sound advice and the knowledge in this book is what physical therapists work off of. He also have one about the knee and the back.

[Kelly L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a 5-star. For now that's what I'm giving it as I have been doing the exercises and they seem to work. The author is a PT and seems reliable in his approach to chronic neck pain. For those of us that have spent far too much time at a computer and have cranked up our necks, the exercises in this book really help. Of course if you have injured your neck, see the doctor first, but when the rubber hits the road, you have to do the real work. The quick fixes in life just aren't there. Lose weight, eat right, exercise, stretch, stop staring at screens, socialize, blah, blah, blah. Stop complaining and get to work.

[Judy Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in my chiropractor's office. In about 80 pages with lots of good illustrations this little book has helped me immensely with chronic neck pain I've had for many years. I love the clear layout of the information, explaining the structure and functions of the spine, what can go wrong and how to mitigate it.
Types of pain are explained clearly. The importance of posture and how to help yourself - all of this with color pictures for clarification. McKenzie explains pain carefully - much appreciated by me - what to expect from the exercises and how to observe the changes that occur. Neck pain can be quite scary so this is important to understand.
My book now opens automatically to page 51 (because I refer to it so often) where there is a list of neck pain levels and variations with which exercises to do for each, at what frequency and how many. It works!
This easy to follow book offers much relief. I wish I had read it many years ago.
My chiropractor is great but having this easy to read help at my fingertips has made my life easier.

[Ellen Bonta · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a year of pain and disturbed sleep due to neck and upper back pain from a herniated disc, the exercises in this book have helped me be pain-free for the past few years. I highly recommend it for anyone with similar issues.

[David Fingerhut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert!

For those with persistent neck pain, this book offers a step-by-step guide to self-treatment through awareness, education and easy-to-perform McKenzie Method® exercises.

This comprehensive system for neck self-management provides relief and prevention of common neck pain and injury.

Treat Your Own Neck can also be a valuable complement to physical therapy, chiropractic care or other manual therapy as it can relieve pain and prevent symptoms from recurring between visits.

[Kit Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a year of chiropractic therapy my neck was nearly healed, but not fully. This book took me the last portion to full recovery. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Angela Forister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for neck and back pain. We swear by it at our house.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

After applying these stretches daily for the last 2 months, my chronic neck stiffness and pain has significantly improved.

[Carol Sente · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book and easy to read that details exercises to heal your neck as well as to keep it healthy. I wish I had found this book and knew about these exercises 30 years ago so I could care for my neck and spine more proactively as well as have addressed whiplash from car accidents, bad snow ski falls and just plain life. With the number of hours most of spend looking down at our keyboards, laptops and phones, our necks will all need these exercises. I did these faithfully six years ago when I experienced neck pain and first had a physical therapist tell me about the McKenzie method. Now, I’m rereading the book with a more stubborn neck issue and hope it too can eventually get me back to health. I do the McKenzie low back exercises (separate book) and they have definitely helped my back remain virtually pain free.

[It'S Ragheb]

To be updated ! Since I haven't adopted the exercises properly in my daily routine, to be honest I kind of felt a little relaxation with my neck condition, but the pain rapidly returned again so I can't really tell if it was truly effective, I guess I should try them for a while to see some results,
I want to mention that my neck condition is quite complicated I literally tried various types medications but to no avail, according to my previous doctor I have disc prolapse, or which is causing sort of stenosis on the spinal canal or whatever that means...
I have been through a severe neck pain over the last year.
I would appreciate any help!

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was presented to me as something that is still currently groundbreaking and ignored by professionals. In reality, this is a very, very simple guide for the practices and methods of most chiropractors and physiotherapists I have visited. It is nice and short, but either could have been shorter or included more; there was a bit of repetition.

It's a great starter or reminder of things, and because of its accuracy it has been adopted by modern healthcare. But that makes the book's information a bit common-sense for anyone who has gone deep into this type of healthcare.

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures in this are pretty clear, and the book is fairly short and concise. It's a little too sales-y, though, about McKenzie products, and really didn't need to be an entire book. It could have been an article online and that would have covered the topic. Also, I've tried the stretches, and they just aren't all that effective compared to other ones I've tried. Basically, I'd recommend just searching online for the McKenzie method rather than reading the book if you're interested.

[Private Account · Rating 5 out of 5]

After sleeping wrong one night, I woke in massive pain. I saw a chiropractor and a masseuse every three or four days, for three weeks with no improvement, just momentary relief from pain during the treatments and for an hour or so afterward. I bought this book, I did the recommended first exercise and I was out of pain. After doing the exercises for a few days I feel almost better. I can't recommend it enough.

[J Crossley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book dealt with the McKenzie way of correcting neck pain. The McKenzie method focuses on changes and exercises that you can do at home, rather than going to a physical therapist. The pictures are well-done, and the chapters are short and easy-to-understand. I wish that this book was on Kindle.

[Renee Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm keeping this forever on my bookshelf as a handy reference. These tips and exercises have been highly recommended by many physical therapists and chiropractors. The written descriptions and photos are great at explaining the positions correctly.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick read is a nice compilation of the most effective neck exercises I have been given in physical therapy. Combine it with some time spent lying on a foam roller or bolster (with the foam roller fully supporting your entire spine from neck to tailbone) for even better results.

[Carolyn Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Results oriented awesomeness!

This book is truly a gift! It provides clear guidance and exercises to follow to actually achieve a neck pain free lifestyle. Don't let anyone talk you into borrowing your copy. This is a book that should never leave your side.

[Jeff Greason · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've never had neck pain, you won't understand the rave reviews for this book. If you've spent months or years in chiropractic treatment and aren't getting any better, I would urge you to try it. Obviously nothing works for everyone, but it definitely helped me.

[Daniel Laufer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a severely herniated disc injury that left me debilitated for weeks and limited by mobility for months, the Robin McKenzie series helped me regain control of my back. And it has become stronger than ever before.

[Elizabeth Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had great success with the practices in this book, and have given copies to friends in pain, just like I've done with Pete Egoscue's book PAIN FREE.

[Jean-marie Prevost · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the same veins as Treat Your Own Back, this book is short, simple and to the point. The exercises are clear and easy to perform. Can't speak for its efficacy yet.

[Madelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very helpful for maintaining a pain free neck. When I follow the treatment it works! Highly recommended. Quick read and easy to follow instructions.

[Kari Mccrory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, clear instructions to help you relieve neck pain.

[Daniel Yi · Rating 2 out of 5]

YouTube chiropractors worked better for me.

[Ed Rutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pain free! That's all.

If you have neck pain. Take an hour, read this, do the exercises as often as you remember and before long you will be pain free.

[AintGotTimeToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no reason to give this less than 5 stars.

How the author encourages the individual to treat and manage themselves was an enlightening experience; it's all in the title really.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent easy to read and understand, short book on self treating neck pain. The exercises are simple yet seem to be effective.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doable exercises to treat neck pain and headaches.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy short read with exercises to strengthen the neck muscles.

[Ashley Aliberti · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Physical Therapist - I think this book is great for both patients with neck pain and PTs. Easy to read in one sitting, concise and clear recommendations.