End Back Attacks

Glynn A. Leyshon is a professor of physical education at the University
of Western Ontario, a former weekly columnist for the London Free Press
and author of 18 Sporting Stories.

This 20-chapter book, with its large print and a minimal number of
illustrations, purports to show how to end back injuries. Problems with
the back are almost as prevalent as the common cold, so anyone who can
lessen their numbers and effects has discovered a veritable elixir. Just
what are the secret ingredients?

The two Charlies who authored the book—Templeton, a former TV host,
and Godfrey, a retired physician—have compiled a lot of common-sense
advice to enable the average person to understand that injuring the
muscles of the back, while painful and frightening, is never fatal.
Better yet, how to recover from injuries and avoid hurting the back are
also clearly indicated.

The language and the examples used (I liked the comparison of the spine
to balancing a stick on the end of one’s finger—in both situations,
constant fine muscular adjustments are required to maintain the vertical
position) avoid medical jargon, and make the concepts eminently
understandable.

To carry the homey atmosphere further, numerous tips are offered to
alleviate back stress in any number of everyday situations, from shaving
(open the cupboard doors beneath the sink and thrust your knees in) and
driving (use a back bolster, shift position frequently, and stay calm)
to a simplified exercise program. Although the authors find little good
to say about jogging, they do advocate vigorous walking a minimum of
four times a week.

In all, the advice, although neither earth-shattering nor very
sophisticated, is well written and organized, and so reassuring that
those who have ever “thrown his [or her] back out” would be well
advised to obtain a copy.