Back Mechanic (Video Enhanced)

Liked his science based, step-by-step explanations in his clear and calm manner. I teach Qigong & Tai chi to all age groups online and face to face. This book has given me (1) confirmation of what I do know and (2) new information I am using now, in my teaching, since I bought the book and watched his videos ++++++ a few weeks ago. Thank you prof McGill, for your years of dedicated research and now this, 'laymen's ' bible.

Coming from the UK, we have a very poor healthcare service that conveniently dismisses back pain with no treatment and loads of pain killers. I would suggest that this is a very interesting and informative synopsis of why back injuries occur and what can be done to help . My only criticism is that, ii is fairly expensive and I think only allowing access to the videos for a year is unnecessarily tight

Disappointed that I did not receive what was advertised

Only 1 year access to videos - feel cheated since paid nearly double for this premium video version of the book but there is no mention that the access to the videos is limited...

Good

Hi, I have had a 'tender' back for many years, a lot of my complaints have been mid-back related, not low-back, sciatic etc. I am a beekeeper in BC and injured myself last fall moving bee hives and spent the last 2 1/2 months of 2018 on muscle relaxants and ibprofen trying to finish my season. In Nov/ Dec I starting talking to my wife about the reality of selling our business as the thought of working another year with my pain *terrified* me The extra challenge I have had is the fact that I have been dealing with Psoriatic Arthritis for nearly 20 years. Through diet and lifestyle I have been fortunate enough to keep that fire under control without medication, but the fact my body having a propensity towards inflammation remains. This has made it extremely difficult to find exercises that didn't irritate my condition, as for many years my body has not been able to take a 'jolt' without causing pain or injury. Now I started looking at the 'big 3' on-line before the New Year and starting in January I implemented them into my daily routine. Towards the middle of January I decided that purchasing the book with the on-line helping videos was cheaper than 1 visit to our local RMT, I thought I got nothing to lose. The reality is I had everything to gain. Immediately I started walking every day and the through the month of February I started to see amazing results. In addition to the walking and 'big 3' I have added thoracic exercises that has been re-aligning and extending my spine. Without being to long-winded I want to share a couple points and achievements I have experienced. -I can now lay on my back with both my head and my ass touching the floor. -My neck pain doing the modified curl-up is slowly decreasing. - My endurance has improved - My thoracic spine felt like chopped meat for much of February, but the increase in movement is incredible and the pain is subsiding. -My mid-back was impossible to release, I told my chiro I will do nothing more but a monthly visit, he seems excited about helping me with my program and has been nothing but encouraging. -Biggest pain point was on my right sight where the thoracic meets the lumbar, at the start the side bridge was agonizing, now I can side bridge on both sides off my ankles!! But my reps and sets are off my knees. -For the first time in years I can stand against a wall with my heels and head touching the wall. -Upon exiting our childs middle school the road is littered in potholes. In January every pot hole felt like a a hammer and chisel on my spine. Now its only mild discomfort!!!!!! As I am sure Dr. McGill would recognize how challenged my posture has been due to unhealthy thoracic and cervical curves, This is being altered back to where it should be. Giving my core strength and resiliency that I have not had in decades. This book has changed (and is changing) my life. It has also given our small family beekeeping operation another chance at not only surviving but thriving. Thanks for supporting small farmers! I doubt Dr. McGill will have a chance to read this as he is everywhere doing many things, but I just wanted to thank him and say that he has changed my life. The last thing I want to add, this is not a '5-day fix' or some cheasy internet thing. I have been doing these exercises and walking 5-7 days a week for almost 3 months. I am fully committed to continuing this for 1 solid year. But seeing the progress is 'spine correction', and 'core strength' I am so thankful that I have started this journey.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone experiencing back pain. This book was truly a lifesaver for me, and has allowed me to live a pain free life. Professor Stuart McGill has condensed over 30 years of expertise on the spine, into a single volume that is accessible to the layperson. About fifteen years ago, I first threw my back out. I didn’t know what hit me, the pain was so intense I couldn’t move. I spent 8 years in the military, but this was a different kind of pain. It would take me thirty minutes just to get onto my feet, and my back was convulsing with spasms intensely. I thought I had broken my spine. After three days of this, my husband took me to the emergency room. There, they gave me powerful painkillers and shot me up with cortisone and sent me home. This took care of the pain, but was not a long-term solution. For the next year, I tried everything to fix my painful back. Acupuncture, massage, yoga, elliptical cardio, nothing worked on a long-term basis. I went from an athletic person who ran 40 miles a week, to not able to put on my own shoes. From embarrassment of asking my husband for help, I started wearing slip-on shoes. Only in my 30s at the time, I thought my body had betrayed me and was broken. Even breathing was painful, and I never knew when my back would get stuck in extension, so that I was barely able to move. Eventually, I tried physical therapy, which helped greatly but I was still in a lot of pain. Then, after reading “Crooked” by Cathryn Jakobson Ramin, where she chronicles her experience with back pain, I found Professor McGill’s books. It took me two days of serious study to go through the Back Mechanics book, including the self assessment to realize I had flexion intolerance. Finally, I had a diagnosis and understood why I was in pain and what I needed to do to fix it. No doctor in fifteen years was able to do this for me. Professor McGill explains how to avoid your pain triggers, how to move again without compromising your spine. He provides exercises to strengthen your core, that must be done daily and can simply be incorporated into any workout. Today, thanks to Professor McGill, I am stronger than ever and do daily bodyweight callisthenic workouts, love to go on long walks, and am in the best shape of my life (apart from right after basic training of course ☺.)

Book is easy to understand and video is very clear and helpful as it enhances the understanding after reading the book.

I bought this book after I listened the podcast about pain. Book is very helpful, watching video is cemented the info I read would recommend to everyone

Dr. Stuart McGill is a kind and caring man who has gone out of his way to help people prevent back pain and resolve back pain. I first heard of him around 20 years ago through the yearly professional development trainings I had as a youth fitness coach & riding instructor. He has always been recognized in the industry as the most knowledgeable back expert around. I searched his work out a couple weeks ago as I had an injury which ruptured a disc and has resulted in numbness and loss of motor control to my leg. I am on the urgent list to see the neuro-surgeon, but in the meantime, speaking with Dr.McGill and reading his book "The Back Mechanic" has helped me to understand what is going on with my back. I am armed with knowledge as I await consultation with the neuro-surgeon and I also have a plan of action (things I can do at home that will be helpful while I wait that might help me to avoid the surgery and also very importantly, movements I should avoid). I also now know what the important questions are to ask the neuro-surgeon. I am planning on taking Dr. McGill's courses in the future as I have learned so much from his work in just a short time and I know so many people that this information could help. I really wish I would have purchased the book before the accident, but at least I have it now and can use the information in it moving forward. It has made me feel hopeful rather than sad. I highly recommend "The Back Mechanic" to anyone with back pain and also to those who do not have back pain as a tool to help prevent it in the first place. I will using it to teach my own children and the athletes I coach at the gymnastics studio how to move in the safest (most spine protecting) ways possible while they work on their skills. I am very grateful to have this information available and will most definitely be putting into practice the information I've learned. Thank you for creating this book Dr. McGill and for your care and attention to helping people move in back preserving ways.