Watch Your Back: Nine Proven Strategies to Reduce Your Neck and Back Pain Without Surgery

by Ken Hansraj, Diane Reverand, Gary Crumpler (Illustrator)

Nine essential strategies to support your neck and spine, reduce pain, and improve your quality of life—without medication or surgery Back problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide—and most of us will endure acute or chronic back pain at some time in our lives. Surgery and painkillers are not the only answers. Spine and neck expert Dr. Ken Hansraj offers alternative solutions. “There are effective exercises, habits, and techniques you can practice—anytime, anyplace—that will significantly improve, if not completely heal, your back pain.” Now this renowned clinician and leading researcher presents a comprehensive guide to help you overcome physical, mental, and emotional factors that contribute to back problems. In Watch Your Back, Dr. Hansraj offers a straightforward, proven program for taking the health of your spine and neck into your own hands. Here, he offers nine potent strategies with simple, specific directions on what to do to strengthen your back and make your spine  • Posture—including special instructions for self-care at your desk or while using electronic devices• Deep Breathing—to dissolve stress and get an instant posture fix• Movement—how to develop good habits for lifting, reaching, turning, and repetitive motion• Activity—guidance for breaking out of a sedentary lifestyle• Exercise—targeted practices for increasing your back’s strength and suppleness• Nutrition—the essentials of a pain-killing diet• Sleep—tips and tools to help you get healthy, rejuvenating rest• Positivity—ways to cultivate emotional resilience to keep your body and mind healthy• Meditation—guidance on mindfulness, stress reduction, and meditations for pain relief “The health of your back is essential to your overall wellness—not just your physical health, but your clarity of mind, emotional balance, and quality of life,” says Dr. Hansraj. Watch Your Back is an essential resource for anyone suffering from back issues—with powerful self-care methods to help you recover the joy and freedom of a healthy spine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2022

Reviews

[CM · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you suffer from back pain then this is the book for you!! It is very thorough yet very easy to understand; you do not have to be a doctor to know what he is talking about. It looks at back pain from all aspects of your life and tells you in detailed descriptions and plans how you can improve in these areas. I also like how it would tell you what you should do best case scenario, but realize that life isn't perfect and then give you tips on how you can do your best. For example, bending over phones is awful for your spine but in all honestly not many of us are going to give up our phones, so it tells you if you have to use them, than this is the best way to hold your phone/body while you are doing it.

This is also the type of book that would be most beneficial if you owned an actual hard copy of it because it includes a lot of helpful tips, exercises, stretches and plans that you would go back and revisit often. Definitely recommend this book to the back pain sufferers out there.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

One doubt always accompany when it comes to such books. Are they really helpful or are they more harmful?

I would say the purpose of such books aren't published to replace medical treatment or expert diagnosis and prescription. However, as I have gone through the entire content list as well as through the chapters I feel the content of such books, especially this new upcoming book, aims to educate ourselves and be more open about a health condition which is quite common but something we tend to ignore until it get6 really bad.

The writing is as easy as talking to your bestie or to yourself you know!

You can expect almost none to very less usage of medical jargons which I feel is a very effective way of communicating through books with the one who's actually seeking for some basic help and understanding for their condition.

The diagrams are very basic. The reports and the case histories described in short are very much helpful to understand various causes of back pain.

The book does a very awesome job in giving the basic requirements we need to fulfill for our bodies to prevent back pain; what we can do and what we should include in our diet and some basic lifestyle changes we need to follow.

It's very easy to read and follow this book.

However, leave the book if your pain is chronic or acute. Go for a medical checkup as soon as you can.

I feel there's no need to include the 'without surgery' part in the title as it tends to give some wrong idea.

Thank you, Sounds True, for the advance review copy.

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we age, our bodies start to feel the wear and tear from poor posture, stress, diet and all sorts of things. Anyone without serious strains in the back and neck later in life are fortunate. This book may not give you all the answers but it’s helpful nevertheless.

The author provides simple explanations of the anatomy of the spine with good graphics. It’s very helpful to see what may be going on with the nerves traveling up and down the body. All kinds of exercises are recommended with pictures. He has helpful guidance towards diet which means the ice cream has to go. The clothes women wear may also be restrictive such as halter tops, heels and skinny jeans.

I picked the book up from the library but it’s one I decided to order as there’s so many good ways of taking care of our aging bodies and the graphics in the book are great. He also has a list of herbs that may work as well. You still might need back or neck surgery but who knows…this book could help.

[Maja Bubanj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odlična knjiga koja bi se trebala naći u svakom kućanstvu.

[James A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for those who encounter neck and back pain. It presents a sensible and evidence based approach to improve one's overall well-being. I worked in the medical management field with many renowned physicians who all fully supported this holistic approach which has much greater efficacy than intervention and pharmacological approaches.

[Megs_Ginelli · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, I am a back and neck pain sufferer. I didn’t find anything new here. I had so many problems with this book. The doctor prescribed weight loss (diets fail 95-98% of the time, and leave you feeling like a failure). There is a chart of people ranging from thin to fat showing how the belly circumference hurts the back. It’s very distasteful. I have very bad back problems and have always been thin. He also talked about food having “potent pain-killing nutrients.” Um, no. That’s not a thing. I will not cure or even ease my pain by eating blueberries.

The other thing is this book is VERY comprehensive. I think it would do better narrowing the focus. I liked the part about how emotional pain is intrinsically linked to physical pain. It seems like this is just old information being put out in a new package.

Please look up Health At Every Size (HAES) as there is new research about weight and illness.

Connect with auther Dr.ken.us
Kkh@drken.us - email author

Thanks to NetGalley and Sounds True for this opportunity

[Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Watch Your Back” is a comprehensive and informative guide that provides valuable insights into the complexities of back pain. Written by an experienced healthcare professional, this book is a must-read for anyone dealing with or seeking to prevent back pain.
What sets this book apart is its emphasis on empowering readers with knowledge. It not only educates about the condition but also provides practical tips and exercises to help alleviate and prevent back pain.
In summary, "Watch Your Back” is an excellent resource for those looking to gain a better understanding of back pain and its management. It offers a wealth of information, practical advice, and empowers readers to take control of their back health. Whether you're a chronic back pain sufferer or simply interested in preventive measures, this book is a valuable asset on your journey to a pain-free back.

[Dan S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that everyone with a back should read. Has so much information on one of the most neglected but used areas of our anatomy- The Back. We wait till it starts giving up on us before we start thinking about it.
This book is simply awesome in the sense it achieves three things: What a back is, what it is doing for you every min and what you need to do to keep it functioning properly. never learnt so much about it till I read this book. This doctor is an absolute miracle. Every sentence in that book has something to ponder over. It is a must read and a must share.

[Wendy D'Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this off the NEW shelf at my local library for some insight since I have felt like I'm falling apart latrly. Learned a LOT, particularly about the cumulative affect of gravity on our spines. A quick, informative read.