8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: Natural Posture Solutions for Pain in the Back, Neck, Shoulder, Hip, Knee, and Foot - Softcover

I don't think I have ever picked up another book that so immediately encourages the reader to explore the contents. There are pages of colourful pictures illustrating exercises and postures for all parts of the body, together with very concise and easy to comprehend instructions. Esther Gokhale's method addresses the root cause of muscle and joint pain, which can mainly be attributed to the way we hold ourselves and the way we move. She points out that a century ago our ancestors knew how to move without pain and some cultures still know how. Esther refers to these cultures with many examples, for instance that of a Burkina woman "glidewalking". The techniques outlined in the book, based on the way we sit, sleep and walk, help to: - Reduce to eliminate back pain, neck pain and other muscle or joint pain - Prevent muscle and joint degeneration and injury - Increase energy, stamina and flexibility - Reduce stress and improve appearance By emphasizing everyday movement, rather than periodic exercise sessions, her method gives ample opportunity to practice without taking time out of the day. Every movement becomes an effective exercise. I have already found some relief from my scoliosis. I certainly look forward to being able to regain some of the 4 inches I have already lost in height through through the curvature! --BackChat (magazine of Chiropractic Patients' Association) Winter 2014

After crippling back pain during her first pregnancy and unsuccessful back surgery, Esther Gokhale became intensely focused on finding the key to a pain-free body. Her studies at the Aplomb Institute in Paris and years of research in Burkina Faso, India and Portugal led to her develop the Gokhale Method. Gokhale continues to dedicate her life to posture therapy, helping people reclaim a pain-free life through implementing important physiological changes. Gokhale believes the root of a painful back, a painful body, postural dysfunctional and general feelings of discomfort are due to the fact we have lost sight of how to use our bodies. According to Gokhale the cause of such maladies is not due to the simple fact that we move less now than we ever have before, but rather it's the way we hold and position our bodies while undertaking such sedentary tasks that is creating the problem. While many of us slump our spines into a C-Shaped position, there is also a host of us that go the other way and arch up into a tense S shape, Gokhale aims to encourage her students and followers return their bodies to the natural stance, holding ourselves upright and relaxed in a tall J shape.The Gokhale Method teaches followers how posture is linked to any number of seemingly unrelated ailments, including disc degeneration, certain arthritic changes and even respiratory problems.