Pain Free by Escogue and Back Pain and cycling?

[jh_on_the_cape]

Does anyone here have any direct success or failure with Pain Free?

Last week I went to the ER with crazy back pain. Doc gave me some drugs and pronounced 'Sacrolumbar strain' or 'sciatica' or pinched nerve.
I am not flexible and realize my body is way out of balance in terms of strength of opposing muscles, etc.
My dad (in his 80s) swears by Pain Free by Escogue. While on painkillers in the ER I ordered the book. Title hooked me!
I read the intro and agree with what he says for the most part.
I have been doing the back exercises and they certainly help and I realize some of what is wrong with me.
After getting my referral, bla bla bla I will go to PT but it will take some time.

Does anyone here have any direct success or failure with Pain Free?

My big bummer is that I have limited time to exercise and stretch. I would prefer something a bit more aerobic than the very mellow stuff in the book. But I realize I need to get back what I have lost.

Thanks!

[firerescuefin]

There is validity to Egsocue and the pain free method IMO...essentially postural therapy (incorporates Yoga and unique Egoscue exercises). I purchased the book and ended up purchasing 12 individual coaching sessions at his clinic in Denver. I learned a lot but wouldn't qualify myself as a true believer, which if you read up on Egoscue...he has some folks that have drank the Kool-Aid altogether. Got much more out of Becoming a Supple Leopard, but they are 2 completely different books/ideologies.

Good luck

Added:

I'm going to add that unwinding and resolving orthopedic issues that are often into their 3-7th decade and in many cases have gone from acute to chronic and from specific to systemic is pretty damn hard...and not well suited to our western model of fix it now/ and or give me a pill. That being said, if you are willing to be your own advocate and can find the right folks, there is a lot of hope to be had outside of procedures and pills....not that there isn't a place for each.

[benb]

I hurt my back really bad as a teen, to the point I was almost bedridden... I've been doing exercises for it daily for 35 years now with occasional relapses.

All that stuff works and it works better than meds, but it doesn't come quickly and you never get to stop doing it. And the older you get the longer it seems to take to recover from a setback. For me at least though the longer I've been good about it the faster I realize when I've been doing things that will lead to reinjury.

I for one think the Yoga type stuff can be bad sometimes.. it is very possible to overstretch things that shouldn't be stretched. A PT giving you work to do is way way way more sensitive to that then Yoga IME. You would want to be working with a Yoga teacher who was aware of that and watching you very carefully.

Good PTs are very very good and really valuable.

[rnhood]

I merely do 15-20 minutes of stretching and back exercises given to me by a PT after being prescribed by my ortho doc. After a while it definitely helps. I've been doing it religiously every day for 7 years now (except on days that I swim). The last thing you want to do is pop pills. I had a steroid shot once but its a waste of time and money. A big waste of money actually.

[paredown]

If you have been active and get to a certain age, you will likely have some back issues... And I do think surgery and/or meds are the last resort.

A good friend has been doing yoga for his back that he damaged in a ballooning crash (downdraft & serious hit) religiously and it makes life possible for him. We picked up a book in the UK called 'The Art of Backstretching' which has helped both my wife and I on the occasions when our problems flare up--and you can see the commonality of their recommended exercises and certain yoga poses.

Physio can get you there as well, but I do agree with the comment that coming to a persistent problem later in life makes the rehab a little more difficult. And don't be put off by 'mellow' with physio--I just went through a set of sessions to unlock a frozen shoulder (partially induced by several severe bike crashes when I took the hits on my right shoulder). I had the same reaction--the exercises seemed really lame--but as she worked me through fuller sets and more variations, I'll be damned if the shoulder didn't unlock, range of motion increase--to the point that for the first time since I was in my 20s my left and right shoulders are level!

I was (sort of) lucky, in that I had a debilitating bout of severe back pain (started with a bad lift on the deck of a truck) in my 20s, and I was referred to a good chiropractor (a sports medicine guy) who diagnosed my issue as originating with a neck vertebrae problem (the result of accidents) that was causing one side of my back to tense up.

He did a neck adjustment--and lectured me on good back 'hygiene', ie no wallets in back pockets, sitting straight, doing stretching exercises etc. etc--so I have made it into my 6th decade with only the occasional flare-up. (This option I would only try if I had good recommendations and a great deal of trust in the individual who was going to to the work.)

[HenryA]

On advice of my Chiropracter and PT, I followed the methods found here:

http://www.backfitpro.com/

It worked.

But you have to actually do it for it to help you.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Thanks for all of the responses. It is going to take time for me to sort out the best way to correct and maintain. I am hoping PT will give the right 15 to 20 minute routine.

[OtayBW]

Emergency relief for lower back/sciatica pain: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/treat-your-own-back-robin-a-mckenzie/1101764194/2673999483932?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Professional_0000 0000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP3644&k_clickid=3x3644

Give it a shot...