Pilates for Fragile Backs: Recovering Strength and Flexibility After Surgery, Injury, or Other Back Problems

I just had two level lower back fusion in June 2015. Unfortunately I have complication from this back surgery resulting left leg atrophy and weakness. I have been in rehab for spinal stabilization for few weeks. I always enjoy Pilate even before surgery and would like to continue it. This is the only book dealing with people who wants to try Pilate after back surgery. The introduction of how to protect your back before and after surgery is well written and personal. Anyone who has back problem and considers surgery should read it. I do the workout with my physical therapist who thinks most of exercises are safe! I enjoy using this book as my guide book so I can work toward a healthy happy back.

I thought this book was excellent as it made me feel much more comfortable about trying the exercises on my own without expert supervision. And I appreciated the vignettes of people with different problems who benefited from the practice of Pilates. However, I like "The Pilates Back Book" by Tia Stanmore even better as it gives a more complete explanation of the anatomy involved in trying to build a better musculature to support a fragile spine, and I think the information is somewhat better organized. I guess I would suggest you buy both books if, indeed, you have a fragile back. I'm 71 years old and mine is compromised with arthritis, osteoporosis, spondylosis and sciatica and my chiropractor said today that he doesn't care if I do Pilates, Yoga, or rolling around on that big ball, just DO something. So I stopped by the book store and bought a book on Yoga as well, but I thought I'd just wait on that ball thing. But buying books and reading them is just simply NOT sufficient, he says! However, plenty of people who are older than I and who's spines are in worse condition are doing just fine with strong "trunk" musculatures, he says. So I guess I'm going to ACTUALLY have to start DOING this stuff. And both these books do make me feel less paranoid about trying it. So good luck to you, AND to me!

Book really is meant for people with back issues and surgeries. First half of book goes into dept about your spine and the second half is the exercises. Really easy to understand and pictures easy to follow. Only issue is some of the exercises can not be done at home. Some of those can be notified with home items but few cant. The ones that cant I guess can be done at physical therapy. Wish was more home friendly but from someone with a spinal fusion I would recommend this to others.

This is a LIFE SAVER! Start small and little by little, increase according to your tolerance.Don't hurt! If you are hurting, stop and back off. Start slow, work on QUALITY, then bit by bit, add reps.Go for QUALITY, then, and only then, add QUANTITY.My own back is SOS MUCH BETTER! I felt better in only a couple of days, and at age 70, I am amazed thatANYTHING can do so much good in such a short period of time AND NO Rx OR PAIN!!I highly recommend this book. If you have a fragile back, YOU NEED THIS!

I can't thank you enough for writing this book. As a 58 year old woman with chronic back issues from scoliosis, degenerative spine disease and three herniated disks, I was going crazy from the pain and 3 seconds away from calling a surgeon when I found your book. The book encouraged me to take it slow and gave me great ideas for not hurting myself. After awhile I decided to get a trainer. When I showed it to her she was grateful to have such a wonderful resource to recommend to her clients. I highly recommend this book if you are at all afraid of hurting yourself. I am pain free for the first time in 20 years! Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

I guess I wasn't careful enough in selecting this book. It emphasizes that you need to meet with an instructor to do the exercises. I bought the book because that is what I didn't want to do. I don't have the time or money to meet with an instructor. I can't comment on anything else.

Recommend by back surgeon after surgery & so glad I found this!

This is a good book for those of us with no pilates experience. I was able to follow the exercises easily and feel like the exercises really help my back. By the time I finish the cool down exercise my spine is relaxed and my whole body feels good. I would recommend this book to people who can independently follow an exercise regime. If you need someone to prod you to start and keep going the book will likely be read once and then collect dust on your bookshelf.

Half of the exercises require a pilates machine called the 'reformer' which I've never seen in any gym I've been to. It would have been more useful to show how to do these exercises on equipment more widely provided in gyms. The book seems to focus too heavily towards patients with sever back problems requiring surgery, who make up only a small % of back sufferers.

This book is very helpful and I am now doing pilates at home every day.

I bought this expecting lots of variations on traditional pilates for those of us with back problems and I was disappointed. Not only are there not alot of alterations to standard exercises but two sections of the book require pilates machines. I don't recommend it for anyone who knows any of the basic pilates exercises.