Sciatica Exercises & Home Treatment: Simple, Effective Care For Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome Paperback – Illustrated, December 31, 2013

I've been in pain for 18 months, but I am almost back to normal thanks to this book! I've been on pain meds, had multiple injections, and I still struggled every day. On bad days, I hobbled along with pursed lips, trying to keep from complaining. On good days, I still moved gingerly, praying I wouldn't feel that awful ripping feeling like a knife in my back...The book starts with some simple generalizations about sciatica and its causes then moves to some easy criteria to help you isolate the source of your sciatic pain.Then, you try variations on some simple, painless exercises that are described and accompanied by clear pictures demonstrating them. I bought this on Kindle and pinched to enlarge the screen to see details.which worked well. Others have complained about the quality of the pictures, but I don't see a problem. You choose the exercise that works best. (I had an exercise ball lying around and used that to stay off the floor when I used areas without carpet and at the beginning when I feared going all the way to the floor.) Then you do that one exercise--a lot. By the end of Day 1, I knew this was gonna be good. By the end of Day 2, I felt so great, I almost forgot to do the exercises. On Day 3, I went for a 3.5-mile walk/run!Everyone has different back pain with varying severity and causes. I can't guarantee that this will work for you, of course. I do know it won't work at all unless you commit to doing one of these simple stretches as often as possible over the first few days. After that, I think you'll want to do them to keep the pain away. If you're an office worker, take an exercise ball to work so you won'[t have to lie on the floor. If you can't do them as often as the book says, do them as often as you can, recognizing that optimal pain relief may take a little longer. Better to do something than nothing.Now, I'm pain-free most of the day. We're talking ONE WEEK LATER. I walk, climb stairs, ride my horse, and I can stop any looming discomfort immediately. Bending is still my Nemesis, but even that is improving as my back loosens and elongates. I actually feel taller.. If my back starts to ache, I confidently do the stretches in this book, stand up again with the pain gone, and go about my day. I'm already moving better and more and starting to lose the weight I gained when I couldn't walk. Why didn't my doctors ever mention these exercises? This is such an easy fix!!! All those months of misery, and it was completely unnecessary!Update: It's one month later, and I'm completely pain-free. I try to do the exercises every day, but sometimes I forget, I feel so great! I no longer fear that my back will spasm. I know it won't. If I feel some tension beginning, I take 5 minutes for the exercises, and I'm good to go. Haven't taken a pain pill in a month. I never realized how much sciatica was wrecking my balance and flexibility until I got them back!Update: 2 1/2 months later. I have no pain and feel ten years younger. I do the exercises every 2-3 days to stay that way. I have my life back.

To make it brief, this book very quickly helped me to sort out the kind of sciatica I had through a few simple diagnostics, including body postures--if this hurts it's this, if not, likely this. It had a good discussion of how sciatica can originate, which helped me to quickly identify where my nerve pinch related sciatica came from. So I got some pretty immediate relief from knowing what my problem was, and how to change what I was doing (some crazy lifting and posture issues on my sofa!). Also warned me against hot compresses and to go for cold ones instead--I was on the wrong track so that set me straight.Not-so-good--if you look at the book cover, there it is, the one exercise (plus 2 minor variations, all on the floor) to help you get over the kind of sciatica I have. The sad thing is, one is supposed to do that exercise several times every hour, for an initial 3 days, and less thereafter. That just does not work at my office. I found some other effective stretches that I can do sitting up in a chair or on an airplane (where I spend way too much time) that brought me relief. I wish there had been more diversity in exercises.Bottom line--I got the relief I needed in a day or two with stretches, change in habits, abandoning my heat compress, and some anti-inflammatories. Three days later, and I'm back in business without drugs, and some habit changes exercises to do regularly to keep me out of trouble. Compared to what a lot of people suffer, I haven't had to go through much, because I jumped on this early and did not have the extreme problems others may. But it put an end to my two weeks of agony. Was that worth the cost? HAELL yeah!

The best clearest most comprehensive book on Sciatic pain I have ever seen in one place. Illustrations are clear, instructions for use of heat or cold and what your symptoms may be indicating as well as the importance of becomming aware of your body mechanics that may be contributing to pain and dysfunction are all included. I liked his explination of centralizing which in essence means if your painful symptoms are retracting farther up the leg toward the back then things are getting better. If movements and treatment makes pain extend farther down the leg then dont do it.Dr. Best has a great website with many good tips for a nominal yearly fee that includes personalized answers to your questions and yes he answers promptly. The feeling I have is that Dr. Best is truly interested in helping people help themselves.Having just had a miserable bout of muscle impingement sciatica myself what helped me the most was rest, aspirin, application of heat every couple of hours for 15 minutes and once before bed and once before I got out of bed in the morning. Morning was the worst pain and heat first really helped. Sleeping with pillow under knees either on back or on side also gave relief. It took about 2 weeks before the spasms went away. Supportive shoes also seemed to help as did standing up and not sitting too long. I also had a great massage therapist who gently loosened my hips and massaged outer legs which also helped.

Difficult to understand. Diagrams are inadequate and confusing. Lots of good information of you want to read chapters or the entire book over and over to get the good out of it.