Living Well with Back Pain

July 1, 2006
With similar but contrasting approaches to back pain, these books identify back problems, evaluate various treatments, and suggest exercises for alleviating discomfort. Winter (orthopedic surgery, Univ. of Minnesota) and Bach (coauthor, "ShapeWalking: Six Easy Steps to Your Best Body") begin by sharing remedies they claim should help 80 percent of back pain sufferers if done correctly. They proceed to a brief discussion of the causes of back pain and an evidence-based evaluation of surgical and nonsurgical treatments. A great deal of the book describes how to negotiate the medical system, e.g., how to choose the right medical providers and treatments and how to deal with physical therapists and insurance companies. "Living Well" offers excellent advice on doing your own research and becoming a strong self-advocate. A set of appendixes includes an annotated bibliography of books and web sites, a glossary, and a list of references.

Chiropractor Silverman goes into greater detail regarding the causes of back and neck pain (Winter and Bach do not cover the neck in their evaluations) and includes a chapter on the healthy spine. He cites various causes of back pain -cultural, muscle, disk, and joint -discussing treatments and preventative measures. According to Silverman, psychological factors are more accurate in predicting cases of lower back pain than physical ones. His book features a chapter of success stories, information on myths and misconceptions, helpful -Think Back - sections concisely summarizing each chapter, and a bibliography. "Living Well "excels at describing what back pain sufferers can do to alleviate existing pain and how to navigate the healthcare system when a condition warrants medical treatment. "Miraculous Back" helps in understanding the physical and cultural causes of back pain and underscores prevention over treatment. Both books are recommended." -Elaine M. Lasda Bergman, Healthcare Assn. of New York State, Rensselaer"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.