Rating: 
Summary: Rock solid.
Review: A great little book that does what no other back pain book has ever done- gives the reader information taken directly from the research and what is known as randomized controlled trials. While other books on the market like to quote their experiences or cite a study or two, the author goes out of his way to back up absolutely every claim like he did in the knee pain book. Exercises are easy to do (pictures included) and I for one appreciated the fact that the book doesn't give you a million exercises to do- no laundry lists of exercises here, just those that have been proven to work and can get the job done in an efficient amount of time. The book concludes with an informative question and answer section that is nothing short of eye-opening and here again- backed fully with many citations from the literature.
While the book may step on a few toes with its hard hitting facts, it does provide more than ample support for its claims and the reader is left wishing they'd had this information sooner.
Rating: 
Summary: Good job with a few minor problems
Review: A useful book for the layperson and even the professional. Clearly written and well-documented. A couple of minor flaws. The information about sitting is inaccurate. Certainly a logical conclusion was drawn from the literature cited but the conclusion was incorrect nonetheless. The author has read the research but doesn't necessarily have the indepth experience and familiarity to know how some of the research was done and the flaws and errors that would escape the individual who doesn't know the story behind the story (such as with the Fahrni study). Also, the description of the McKenzie approach is not quite correct (but a common misconception among even those claiming to be very familiar with the methodology) and again, some of the literature cited has weaknesses (such as the Riddle study). Also, does it strike anyone else as peculiar that the writing style of many of the reviews seems very similiar? Hmmm ... Despite the minor problems, this book is a worthwhile purchase that should benefit many.
Rating:
Summary: simple treatment, very good
Review: Actually the book goes into depth about why you shouldn't make decisions based on testimonials. Nevertheless, after two months of doing the exercises described in this book my back has been feeling really good. It no longer hurts after prolonged periods of standing in stores, or walking around, or sitting at the computer. I feel generally much stronger. The book is written in a very down to earth style that should be accessible to anyone, and could be irritating to those who prefer more concise and sophisticated treatments. My personal view is that in self-help books like this the content is more important than the style. I'm more than willing to put up with a simple treatment to get the nuggets inside, especially since the authors are always looking for the logic behind the clinical findings and are never afraid to admit when something isn't understood. The practical recommendations only cover a few pages, and the remainder of the book is devoted to building a case for why a strong multifidus alleviates back pain. The authors place an extreme emphasis throughout on good scientific method and the importance of controlled randomized clinical trials in deciding what treatments work. I have not checked the twenty or so references at the back of the book, so I can't vouch for the authors' accurate presentation of the field. Overall, if you suffer from back pain, get it!
Rating: 
Summary: Ignorant
Review: As a chiropractor I can tell you that obviously this author does not know that the main spinal stabilizers in your back aren't under conscious control. YOU CANNOT STRENGTHEN THEM WITH STANDARD REHAB EXERCISES. The multifidus group aren't involved in stabilization and closed chain motion, but rather are functional in open chain motion. To put this in layman's terms, they are important when lifting stuff, but have little to do with posture and walking.....where muscle atrophy causes problems in back pain. To work THOSE muscles, you need to do it indirectly, for example, by doing balance exercises with a wobble board, or better yet, fix the bad habits that are at the root of the problem by the Alexander Technique. Additionally, most back pain is actually caused by chronic disc degeneration. The authority on how, why, and what to do about it is Cox's book, Low Back Pain. Do yourself a favor, see your chiropractor.
Rating:
Summary: Important in the rehab of low back pain
Review: As a physical therapist, I found that the information in this book is actually helpful and relevant for low back pain patients. It does provide the latest research on the multifidus and it's relation to back pain. Will the exercises here cure ALL back problems? No, but strengthening the multifidus as well as the abdominals is one of the key elements in the rehabilitation and management of low back pain. The information in this book is not at all "ignorant" as stated by a previous reviewer. I have used these exercises for my patients with good results.
Rating:
Summary: Skeptical? Try this.
Review: At about the level of your belt-line, find the bones in the dead center of your low back that stick up. Now feel directly off to the side of one of them (either side will do) and you should feel a soft mass of tissue. Congratulations, you just found some of your lower back multifidus muscles! They shouldn't be hard or all too tender or guess what? You might have a problem with your multifidus!! This information, all in the book, is the best way for me to tell prospective buyers why I highly recommend it to all! A good book on a little known problem that proposes a simple, do-it-yourself solution.
Rating: 
Summary: Multifidus strenthening to prevent back pain
Review: I am so excited when I see one of our members write such an informative book for the public. I read the book in one day. I too, am a physical therapist with a manual therapy background. I believe to the average "joe" this book will be helpful and encouraging. I would have liked "live" pictures, and more of a description of the multifidus. By strengthening the multifidus muscle, what movements does that help with and why? How does the spine become more stable by strengthening these muscles? These are questions I would have liked more specifically addressed. I glad he gave credit to Stanley Paris,PT,PH.D., whom has been advocating these exercises for over 10 years!
I think it's a good book for anyone not in the physical therapy profession as it answers most of the back pain questions.
Rating:
Summary: Multifidus strenthening to prevent back pain
Review: I am so excited when I see one of our members write such an informative book for the public. I read the book in one day. I too, am a physical therapist with a manual therapy background. I believe to the average "joe" this book will be helpful and encouraging. I would have liked "live" pictures, and more of a description of the multifidus. By strengthening the multifidus muscle, what movements does that help with and why? How does the spine become more stable by strengthening these muscles? These are questions I would have liked more specifically addressed. I glad he gave credit to Stanley Paris,PT,PH.D., whom has been advocating these exercises for over 10 years!
I think it's a good book for anyone not in the physical therapy profession as it answers most of the back pain questions.
Rating:
Summary: One year and still pain free.
Review: I did some of the exercises in this book about a year ago and am still pain-free. In fact, I no longer even think about my back pain at all anymore and it's nice to not worry about every little thing I do or avoid certain activities. There is more to life than living with back pain and this book has certainly made a difference.
Rating:
Summary: Multifidus exercises can decrease and PREVENT low back pain.
Review: I found this to be an all around good book. The main thrust is that you have multifidus muscles in your back that a bunch of research has found to be abnormal in back pain patients. The book goes on to show you exercises you can do to fix your multifidus muscle. At first glance, some of the exercises looked like ones I have seen people do before, but the book spends much time making sure you use proper technique and strength training guidelines to get the full benefits. One good reason I would recommend this book to others is that according to the latest research cited in the book, strengthening your multifidus can actually PREVENT future back pain attacks.
| 
