Sit Up Straight: Futureproof Your Body Against Chronic Pain with 12 Simple Movements

by Vinh Pham, Jeff O’Connell

Futureproof your body and relieve chronic pain resulting from sitting, slouching, and other bad lifestyle habits with this easy-to-perform set of daily stretching and movement routines—from an innovative physical therapist and social media star who coaches dozens of celebrity clients.What if we could easily acquire long-lasting protection for our bodies and escape the chronic pain caused by our sit-all-the-time, slouch-too-much lifestyles? Vinh Pham is a world-class physical therapist who has worked with a broad range of clients—from Olympians to NBA stars to MMA fighters to Golden Globe and Grammy Award–winning artists. Early in his career, he discovered a disappointing most of his patients came to him already in pain. They had lifestyle habits that misaligned their joints and tightened their muscles. And the recent epidemic of prolonged sitting—which represents an all-day assault on the body—has only made things worse. If you’re sitting for more than thirty minutes at a time without getting up, you may be heading toward a world of hurt. Vinh’s answer to the host of muscle maladies that ails us has been a revolutionary why not futureproof? Instead of reacting to chronic pain after it flares up, what if we focused on a “movement discipline” that not only prevents injuries but leads to longer lives, healthier bodies, and a clearer mind? A precise and simple toolkit for tweaking the way we move (or refuse to move), Sit Up Straight outlines a process that starts with a daily posture regimen. Performed correctly, Vinh’s twelve simple movements, which can be done in twenty minutes, will lock in protection for the rest of the day. But Vinh goes further. He provides stretching and exercise routines for many of the specific ailments that affect us—from hamstring pulls to sciatica to rotator cuff problems—and, best of all, he offers a series of customized movements based on age, gender, and the kind of work we perform. “No fancy equipment required...full of good and clear tips and wisdom” (Booklist), Sit Up Straight shows that the solution to becoming pain-free is easier than we think.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Adult, Fitness, How To, Medical

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2022

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful book on how to sit, jog, exercise, play sports, etc. in order to protect your body and prevent pain and injury. It features exercises to do in a short amount of time every day to take care of your joints, with small photos of each. Pham goes into a lot of detail about how different movements and habits harm the body and how to do things right. It was a little tricky for me to get the hang of the recommended movements. I will try to formulate some kind of routine but it would have been helpful to have some kind of cheat sheet page and/or a video link to help cement them. Still a great resource.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This is a book that is directed more at preventative care than fixing issues (though that is covered as well). The author takes his time to explain the different areas of the body that are most like to have chronic pain from bad posture and gives tips and motivation to start fixing them immediately. Unfortunately, the excises are introduced throughout and not in a place where they can easily be referenced (e.g., collected in the back of the book), making it difficult to actually put them into daily use without having to go back and forth through all the pages finding them. Because this is formatted and contains images, it is best for reading a physical copy or on your computer. It is hard to get through on a kindle Oasis, for example.

The book breaks down as follows: posture, pain, and a pandemic; the blueprint of your body's posture; sixteen health landmines related to bad posture; movement is life; understanding where you stand; the posture hygiene plan; foam rolling for next-level mobility; ten common health ailments solved; the challenges facing specific groups; your spine doesn't operate in a vacuum; turning perfect posture into an unbreakable habit; the time to start is now.

For the most part, the bulk of this book is a LOT of text. The author wants you to understand all about your spine, muscles, joints, etc. etc. He focuses on certain areas so you have to go to those areas in order to find exercises/tips. It's not a terribly long read but I was frustrated in how it was laid out - it's great for the first read but terrible for finding things later or referencing the exercises for a daily routine. You'll have to read through it several times, which is incredibly annoying. The book just isn't set up to be used, only read.

When you do get to a bunch of the exercises, there are steps and then a couple of black and white small photographs. You'll have to read through the text carefully - the photographs are only semi helpful in understanding what needs to be done. On several of them, I was still left wondering if I was doing an exercise right or just throwing my back out more. But there is good information in here and this should help you correct the issues that either will in the future or are currently plaguing you.

I have two strong issues. One - this is one big advertising pamphlet for his business. Like some kind of subliminal messaging, the name of his company appears over and over again. You are paying for his marketing and advertising. Another issue is that he makes a somewhat racist remark (at his own Asian heritage's expense) that I felt was incredibly offensive and unnecessary - and not the funny joke he intended.

In all, I'll have to read this through a few more times (admittedly, I will skip through most of the medical text since I don't need to know where the bicipital aponeurosis, sciata, or fascia are located - nor the name many of the bones in the vertebrae. And I'll have to figure out a way to have all the exercises in one place that can make it easy to reference them and use them (so I don't have to go pawing through the whole book looking for each of them in all the text). A saving grace is that a bunch of them are grouped together in the middle of the book (wish they were at the end). Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Michelle Ogden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was way more than I hoped it would be.
From the title and cover, I thought this would be a book of exercises I could do at work. I sit at a computer for eight hours a day and I lean forward and slump. I need to learn to sit up straight and may move my workstation around to be more ergonomic.
This book is so much more than a few workday exercises. It has a full on physical therapy session full of exercises to do that will strengthen your body on every plane and moving in every direction, lateral, frontal and transverse.
Doing these exercises will strengthen your base and core and you can hold yourself upright and in alignment protecting yourself from sciatica, slipped discs, plantar fasciitis and so much more. Protect your mobility then move on to core workouts and then strength workouts. Staying in alignment and building or keeping muscle and mobility as you age. This is a great place to start for people wanting to manage pain from poor posture or looking to begin working out.

[Allison Berkowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this FASCINATING! And helpful in my efforts to kick start a daily set of mobility exercises. I usually rent from the library, but I plan to buy a physical copy of this to refer bank to because there’s so much good stuff!

[Denise Westlake · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's complicated. But great. Think think think.

[alexander shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those self-help type books that give a number on the cover and take forever to get to that number. The book is pretty thick and it's not until about 2/3 of the way through it that it actually gets to the '12 simple movements'. That said, what comes before it isn't entirely irrelevant. It more or less makes a case for why posture is so important to health, and how good posture can help alleviate symptoms or even prevent surgery.

I was hoping that there would be something in this book that might help my wrist RSI but it mostly focuses on the spine. Some of the movements do deal with arms and legs, but spine/neck are the most problematic spots with posture so understandably most of the provided exercises and explanations deal with them. There is some additional resources for anyone who swims, cycles, boxes, etc, in regards to exercises to focus on because of posture problems caused by these activities.

The only thing I felt was missing was this book is really for those who work 9-5 in the office or have a job that otherwise keeps them at a desk or looking at phones and computers. It's basically a list of physio exercises to keep you from suffering from said desk job. While they can benefit anyone, for those who don't work office jobs and/or need a more tailored regimen, it's probably a little too on the general/generic side to be super helpful. Pham makes a valid point, however, that most physiotherapies deal with alleviating the pain in the spot it is felt, rather than looking for the cause (since the cause of it could be in a totally different area). It would be beneficial to practitioners and patients both if more professionals used this framework in their practice.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

While in his twenties, Vinh Pham discovered he had a tumor growing in his neck. While it wasn't malignant, it certainly had the potential to be. And if it continued to grow, he most certainly would have had a stroke. Luckily, surgery was successful in removing the tumor, but that scare set him on the path to optimal health- including posture and mobility.

As capitalistic America would have it, most of us sit in uncomfortable chairs and stare at screens all day. Needless to say, this has resulted in an epidemic of chronic pain and terrible posture.

To be honest, I never understood the importance of posture until I started experiencing chronic pain. What was wrong with being comfortable and letting my body do whatever it wanted? A LOT, it turns out. This book gets to the core of how and why. It's incredibly informative and covers a whole range of chronic pain and posture issues. It's actually quite astounding how important it is to be aware of how we manipulate and rest our bodies.

I'm in PT now for some chronic neck and head pain, which may or may not be causing or at least contributing to migraine disease. It's incredible how much poor posture can eventually impact your quality of life. In addition to my PT exercises, I want to be more mindful of my everyday posture and incorporate more of the exercises in this book into my daily life.

I will 100% be purchasing this book (I borrowed it from the library) because it's something that I know will be useful to refer back to over the course of my life.

[Mary Keen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know enough about the body to rate its accuracy, which was criticized by some, but it did inspire me to start doing exercises and stretches to improve strength and posture. Note: he is not in any way, a modest person; he gives himself a LOT of credit.

I listened to it twice, the 2nd time at a faster pace (and may listen again if my hold lasts.) I was interested in purchasing the book as didn't feel like taking notes, but it's still pretty expensive and new enough that reasonably priced used copies are hard to find, maybe later. Also, several people mentioned that his lack of organization made it less useful for them to find and practice certain exercises later on.

Also, the small size of the illustrations made them hard to follow, but that might have been re the eBook version --not sure.

Audio overdrive -@ 1.10 to 1.25 speed

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vinh Pham is a physical therapist who offers a wealth of knowledge and fixes and effective relievers to the many aches and pains most of us experience day in and day out. And where do many of the maladies come from? Vinh says poor posture and positioning that a lot of us contort into through are jobs and often prolonged exposure to our electronic masters.

Throughout this book he explains causes and remedies for a wide assortment of these problems. They are illustrated and laid out in an easy to understand procedure. He also delves into very specific common ailments as well as sport and specialized activities that can cause pain problems.

His closing message is particularly insightful as he talks about his own past challenge and how he dealt with it.

I generally get my books from a library and those I deem worthy are then purchased. This is one of those.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that gives actual steps/routines that aren't unreasonably long so they can easily be incorporated into the day.

Just two points to note: The instructions for one or two of the exercises are a bit unclear. They don't seem to match with the pictures. Also, at the beginning of the foam rolling section, it's specifically pointed out that people appear to know how to roll their lower body much more easily than their upper body. However, the rolling instructions provided are mostly lower body ones. Would have appreciated more upper body instructions such as the sides of the trunk, arms, shoulders, and the related areas.

Overall, it's a really useful book and worth the read!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book opened my eyes to everything I do wrong when sitting at my computer for long periods of time. Especially depressing was Chapter Five, Understanding Where You Stand, where I captured my posture with my iPhone as instructed. Not only is one shoulder much higher than the other, but I also have terrible rounded shoulders.

If you need advice on how to protect your body when working at a desk, this is a great book for sample exercises and body positions. I'm not sure how long it'll take to get my posture perfect (maybe never) but at least these exercises should help with pain.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has the potential to be very helpful, but reading it obviously isn't the same as implementing it. Probably more than anything else, it convinced me I really should be doing those physical therapy issues prescribed for my own specific trouble spots and I really should be getting more sleep. I will also try to pay more attention to my posture, which I am sure needs a lot of improvement. (Book available on audio, but you'll likely the want the exercise pictures in the printed version.)

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook version was DNF at 71% for me. I feel like the written book and accompanying diagrams would be the best way to derive value from this very interesting subject! The audiobook made copious references to a supplemental PDF that made it clear that listening only wasn't going to provide any substantial value, at least for me. I listen to hundreds of audiobooks each year and very rarely look up supplemental materials, and never listen while following along with diagrams.

[Valerie Lykes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought it was relevant and generally well-explained. Author comes off as a bit full of himself. My biggest issue was that the 12 movements were listed throughout the chapters and there was no easy synopsis anywhere so I could see them all at a glance when I tried to execute the exercises. Also, the photos were very small. Was kind of hoping there would be a website link or something that showed video versions of them as well.

[Datheft · Rating 5 out of 5]

There should be no reason for this book to have under 4 stars people are not rating it fairly.

Over 14 years of experience by the author great stretches, foam rolls and other things.

I definitely found some stretches that helped with my lower back/ hip area but it’s gona be longer process on feeling better and getting the kinks out.

Great Explanations with pictures

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. It doesn't make a great audiobook because there are diagrams and things that make what he is talking about easier to understand. I still liked the information and plan on getting my hands on a physical book so that I can refer back to it and implement some of the things he talks about.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed! Since the pandemic started I've had nagging back pain. From this book I learned a lot about the anatomy of the back, what to look for in evaluating posture, and simple exercises that can help you strengthen your back and live pain free.

Highly recommended.

[Matthew Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on preventative health measures you can take to avoid future health issues. I would recommend reading a physical copy over audio so you can get the full benefit of figures and pictures showing the stretches and exercises.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, written by a physical therapist talks about small changes and exercises you can incorporate into your daily life to help prevent future pain. I found it well-written, informative, and practical. Now I just need to actually apply what I've learned.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

These exercises really helped me regain mobility, balance, and strength after a year of futilely attempting to heal low back/hip/sciatic pain in other ways (rest, meds, walking). The book format is not perfect, but the exercises are spot on!!

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book with ideas that make a lot of sense. The exercises are simple and the directions are easy to follow. Worth the read to see if this approach might be helpful for you. Just about anyone can do these 12 movements -- even if you have to start slowly.

[Thomas Honiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for anyone who deals with chronic pain or injury. Or just about anyone waiting to get back in shape with a gentle without routine based on the foundation of what is possibly canned prehab work.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bodies were meant for all types of movement, and it's our job to keep them agile and functional as long as we can. I will be incorporating the suggested regimen to "futureproof" my body.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info but not anything I wasn't really expecting. Basically you need to move your body everyday.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, probably with a lot of truth to it. Definitely a good reminder as my body is changing!

[Malika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful info and perspective, with lots of actionable advice. I really wish the copyeditor had paid more attention, though, this book has a lot of errors.

[Justin Charlick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

[Kenny Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is changing and has already changed my life.

[Jordan F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent info, but could’ve been half the length

[Pamela Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, spent more time saying why good posture is important than clearly describing the exercises that help it