Books by Esther Gokhale

8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back by Esther Gokhale

Description
This book distills the Gokhale Method^SM in self-help form for those who cannot attend the course at the Center. In 8 simple lessons, with no special equipment and no tedious exercises, you will address the root cause of your pain. Whether you spend most of your day in a chair on or on your feet, you can reclaim the pain-free back you were born with. Remember when it didn’t hurt? You can feel that way again!
The book is 240 pages, 1100+ photos and illustrations.
Cost: $24.95

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Praise for 8 Steps "You are never too old to benefit from Esther Gokhale’s artful, sound guide to better posture and freedom from pain."
Victor R. Fuchs Henry J. Kaiser Jr. Professor Emeritus Stanford University

"The most lucid account I have read of how the human spine works, with handy lessons in how to stand, sit, walk, and sleep free of back pain."
J. M. Coetzee, "Nobel Prize Winner" Nobel Laureate in Literature, 2003

"8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back is a pleasure to read and a godsend to use. The lessons are easily accessible to anyone with an hour to spare. The account of why people in modern industrial society experience chronic lower-back pain is fascinating in its own right. The photographs of people sitting, standing, and lifting in a pre-industrial world are marvelously instructive and a joy to behold. While the principles of good posture are disarmingly simple, Esther Gokhale includes a wealth of pertinent detail to guide users through the eight lessons. As the pain goes away, you will not only experience relief; you will also come to understand why you feel so much better!"
David Riggs Mark Pigott OBE Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences Department of English Stanford CA

“Every year tens of thousands of patients undergo major back surgery without any benefits. By using Esther Gokhale’s novel techniques, many of these patients can avoid such needless and expensive medical procedures, and quickly return to a pain free life."
John R. Adler, M.D., Neurosurgery Stanford University Medical Clinic, CA

"The power of pills is not absolute. You can go much further using the power of knowledge. This clearly written and richly illustrated book introduces a number of unique ideas that can help you regain your freedom of motion."
Andrei Linde Professor of Physics Stanford University, Stanford, CA

"The fresh and thoughtful approach to preventing and treating back pain presented by Esther Gokhale in this book deserves the attention of the medical profession. We have not served our patients with back pain well, and the techniques so well-described in this book hold the promise of significant relief to a very common and distressing problem."
Harvey J. Cohen, MD, PhD Professor of Pediatrics Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, CA

"Esther Gokhale's 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back is that rare instructional work that conveys information in a way the reader can readily understand. Among the many manuscripts I have read in the last two decades, this book stands out for its clarity of writing and selection of illustrations."
DeWitt Durham VP of Product Development Klutz Press, Palo Alto, CA

"Esther Gokhale explores intelligently the ancient wisdom accumulated in earlier times and forgotten in the modern world that can help us to improve on our number one way to happiness: health."
Luca Cavalli-Sforza Professor Emeritus (Active), Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

"While I have made a lot of progress with Esther's instruction, I wish I had started decades sooner, before I had adopted poor habits and poor posture. I see tons of "slouching and tucking" in my Pediatric office and a surprising amount of children and teens with back pain. Consequently, I have been referring many of my patients to Esther and will be recommending this book routinely."
Tina McAdoo, M.D. Pediatrics, Palo Alto Medical Clinic, Palo Alto

"This is not only a stimulating self-help guide for relief of back pain through healthy posture, but also a work of art that celebrates the grace and poetry of the human body."
David Werner Author of "Where There Is No Doctor"

"Back pain is one of the most common problems seen in primary care. Unfortunately, many patients and clinicians are frustrated by the limitations of medical or surgical therapy in providing sustained relief for what is often a recurrent or chronic problem. Esther Gokhale has produced a clearly written, beautifully illustrated book which presents an extensively researched, carefully refined, natural approach to treating and preventing back pain, In this book, patients will find an integrated set of exercises and posture techniques designed to provide long term relief for their pain. Clinicians will find information on exercises and posture training they can use to help their patients who suffer from back pain."
David Thom, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Family and Community Medicine University of California, San Francisco

"Esther Gokhale's book reflects her extensive research, experience and sensitivity to healthy posture, and her dedication to helping others find long-term relief from back pain -- or prevent back pain in the first place by establishing an early awareness of whole-body posture. It is the latter that I have been especially appreciative of as Esther has worked with my son to develop a sense of his own posture and habits that will be an asset for life. Esther's book is full of effective images and transparent instructions that give the reader a clear understanding of the motivation for and execution of each lesson. Esther's caring attitude and expertise comes through clearly in each page."
Pat Burchat, Professor of Physics Stanford University, Stanford, CA

"The Gokhale Method^SM opens up a new level of health even to those of us who spend most of our time behind a desk. Once you have learnt this system, it takes no time or equipment to implement, yet it works for you 24/7. I recommend this book to everyone in the corporate world."
Susan Wojcicki, VP of Product Management, Google

"Esther Gokhale's vision of what makes a healthy back will be startling to most Americans, because it is so different from what we have always learned. But if we just give it a chance, her vision will become ours, with the clarity of something that seems obvious once it is pointed out. With the adoption of even a few of Esther's precepts, a life of bad habits can change to a life of healthy sitting and moving, and therefore a life of less pain and more freedom. Esther traces the origins of her vision and the history of our going astray with our backs, illustrating each aspect with beautiful photographs of people in America and across the world. She includes hundreds of pictures of models demonstrating her techniques for easy understanding, and many examples of ordinary people doing ordinary things, either the right way or not--and after reading the book, it's easy to tell which is which. The Gokhale Method is for most of us a new way of looking at and taking care of our backs, but for most of us who have read this book or learned about it in person, it will become the only way."
Jessica Davidson, M.D. Internal Medicine, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA

Book Reviews Pendo Press Independent Publishers Group Library Journal Foreword Magazine footnote American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons Foreword Magazine Pendo Press book review: 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back: Natural Posture Solutions for pain in the back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and foot ESTHER GOKHALE, Pendo Press, $24.95 (244p) ISBN 0-9793036-0-5 Intelligent and beautifully illustrated, 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back shows readers how to overcome back pain through better posture. Gokhale's revolutionary approach features a highly original blend of user-friendly instructions, physiological expertise, and in-depth historical analysis. Users will not only experience pain-relief; they will also understand why they feel so much better. The potential applications of this book are enormous. Because the Gokhale Method is a holistic program for returning the body to its natural posture, her system reaches out beyond the epidemic of back pain to address dozens of other musculoskeletal maladies including repetitive stress injuries and pain of the neck, foot, knee, shoulders, and hip. The book guides the reader through a series of disarmingly simple changes in posture. Lessons on sitting, walking, sleeping, and bending involve an anteverted pelvis and use the muscles to decompress the spine, support motion, protect the joints and bones, reduce stress, and improve circulation. The relief comes right away. Unlike most back-pain books, this one does not require any special equipment, physical exercises, expertise in Yoga or Pilates, or changes in diet or daily routine. Instead, the steps are designed to integrate easily into everyday life. One can perform them while driving, sitting in a meeting, standing in line, or bending over to pick up an object. Gokhale sets the stage by asking why the epidemic of back pain has been largely confined to adults living in Europe and North America during the twentieth century. Using history and anthropology, she leads her readers through a series of key factors that have led to unhealthful posture, culminating in the 1920s fashion that encouraged a tucked pelvis and habitual slouching. To show how far we have veered from the ideal, she includes and analyzes over a thousand photographs of young children, of pre industrial artworks, and of men and women from Africa, Asia, South America, and rural Europe who have not forgotten how to use their bodies. These images, along with many anatomical drawings, provide convincing evidence of the author's fundamental claim that a return to the body's natural posture offers the only permanent way out of back pain. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back will appeal to an enormous readership, including those who deal with back pain in their daily practices: neurologists, physical therapists, physiatrists, general practitioners, and yoga and dance instructors. Above all, it should prove invaluable to people in pain-professional and weekend athletes, frequent flyers, computer users, construction workers, gardeners, and anyone who has an aching back. Their numbers are legion. Independent Publishers Group book review: 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back:Natural Posture Solutions for pain in the back, neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and foot ESTHER GOKHALE, Pendo Press, $24.95 (244p) ISBN 0-9793036-0-5 With a fresh approach to a common problem, this self help guide to overcoming back pain advocates adopting the natural, healthy posture of athletes, young children, and people from traditional societies the world over. Arguing that most of what our culture has taught us about posture is misguided-even unhealthy-and exploring the current epidemic of back pain, many of the commonly cited reasons for the degeneration of spinal discs and the stress on muscles that leads to back pain are examined and debunked. The historical and anthropological roots of poor posture in Western cultures are studied as is the absence of back pain complaints in the cultures of Africa, Asia, South America, and rural Europe. Eight detailed chapters provide illustrated step-by-step instructions for making simple, powerful changes to seated, standing, and sleeping positions. No special equipment or exercise is required, and effects are often immediate. Esther Gokhale, LAc, is the founder of the Esther Gokhale Wellness Center, a licensed acupuncturist, and the creator of the Gokhale Method℠, a revolutionary approach that helps people achieve better health through better structure. Susan Adams is a writer and editor specializing in biotechnology and computer technology. Library Journal book review: 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. Library Journal, Janet M. Schneider, Feb. 15, 2008 After suffering major back pain and undergoing unsuccessful surgery, Gokhale attended classes in France and at Stanford University on posture-modification techniques. Here, she explains how she came to develop her own method for back health, incorporating words, illustrations, and lush photographs to demonstrate eight lessons on sitting, lying down, standing, lifting, and walking. Each lesson contains goals and objectives, step-by-step instructions, indications of improvement, troubleshooting tips, and further information. Photos illustrate correct and incorrect movements. Appendixes provide additional exercises, anatomical drawings, a glossary, and a bibliography. Testimonials from some physicians and satisfied patients pepper the book, as do a few promotional ads for Gokhale's clinic, web site, and products. Gokhale's advice to bend straight down from the hips to pick up low items will make many physical therapists shudder; some recommended movements may be too subtle for readers to execute without professional guidance. Still, Gokhale's point about bad posture causing back problems is valid. Recommended to supplement larger collections. Foreword Magazine book review: 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. Foreword Magazine, Whitney Hallberg, Nov 2008 A vast majority of Americans experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Esther Gokhale developed the Gokhale Method for eliminating back pain after studying posture in France, attending anthropology and medical school courses at Stanford University, and interviewing people in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America who do not suffer from pain. In 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back (Pendo Press, 978-0-9793036-0-9), she makes her method available to all. "Until the twentieth century, debilitating back pain was not common in our society," Gokhale writes. "Today back pain is more than twice as common as it was in 1950." Using instructions and photographs, she instructs readers on good posture, which is the key to eliminating pain. Photos of babies and people who live in rural areas away from desk jobs and designer furniture show that the pelvis is meant to tip forward, the shoulder blades should be positioned behind the spine, and feet should point slightly outward when standing. Gokhale's lesson on "glidewalking" demonstrates that walking properly utilizes the leg and gluteus muscles and is not merely a "series of forward falls blocked abruptly by the forward leg." American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons review: Ending back pain through posture and movement By Robin L. Dennis, MD "8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back" is a step in the right direction A personal experience with back pain and surgery was the genesis for Esther Gokhale's 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. She describes the root cause of back pain as a posture drift (improperly tucked pelvis, slouched shoulders, and protruding neck) away from the naturally intended alignment. Gokhale proposes two reasons for this adverse posture: the disruption of kinesthetic tradition passed from generation to generation and influences from the fashion and design industry. Her method details how to reestablish natural posture and movement patterns. Her key postural point is attaining and maintaining an anteverted pelvis, which places all other bones in appropriate posture, with the weight bearing bones aligned over the heels. Everyday activities (sit, sleep, stand, walk, bend) are opportunities to practice the corrected postures. The eight lessons cover stretch sitting, stretch lying, stack sitting, stretch lying on your side, using your inner corset, tall standing, hip hinging, and glide walking. Lessons are separated into three sections: background information and importance, step-by-step instruction, and indication of improvement with troubleshooting. Pictures and diagrams demonstrating proper and improper posture assist the reader in understanding and achieving the correct posture. A glossary and anatomy diagrams round out this reference. Overall, 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back is a highly accurate analysis of natural postures and movement patterns (kinetic chain mechanics) involving functional activities. It shows how deviating from them can result in back pain, along with degenerative changes that needlessly age so many of us too quickly. Gokhale's Method is a comprehensive approach that should alleviate pain if patients practice it regularly and maintain awareness of correct postures. I think this is a great book for someone who is serious about achieving a pain-free back and willing to work to reach that goal. It could be recommended by an orthopedic surgeon to patients looking for alternative treatments for back pain. Some of the step-by-step instructions are difficult to comprehend, although the accompanying pictures are helpful. Many patients express their sincerity to be pain-free, but lack the discipline and patience to practice on their own until they realize lasting results. All "how-to" books suffer from this human shortcoming; if treatment takes time and does not guarantee instant benefits, it clashes with our fast-paced "fix-it-now" mentality. This book is ideal for the back-pain sufferer who has already bought into the belief that poor posture (and not age, weight, work, genetics, or some other reason) is the main cause of chronic back pain and is willing to accept that relief can be achieved without a pill, masseuse, chiropractor, new mattress, or passive modalities in physical therapy. Foreword Magazine footnote: 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. Foreword Magazine, Alex Moore, June 25, 2008 Health. 8 STEPS TO A PAIN-FREE BACK: NATURAL POSTURE SOLUTIONS FOR PAIN IN THE BACK, NECK, SHOULDER, HIP, KNEE, AND FOOT by Esther Gokhale (Pendo Press, 818 color photographs, 68 color illustrations, 100+ b/w 100 illustrations, 8 x 11, 244 pages, soft cover, $24.95, 978-0-9793036-0-9): biochemistry student at Harvard and Princeton as well as licensed acupuncturist and posture expert presents ancient body wisdom that prevents pain and enhances health; topics include stretchsitting for decompressing the spinal discs, hip-hinging for keeping the back straight, and glidewalking for limiting the amount of stress in the weight-bearing joints noting the women of Burkina who walk daily with pronounced lumbo-sacral angles, developed buttock muscles, and straight necks. Shipping Books sent via UPS are generally shipped within two business days. Please be aware that orders placed on Friday may not be processed until Monday or Tuesday of the following week. Orders sent via UPS Ground will require an additional three to five days transit time. Also, UPS cannot ship to a P.O. Box. Books sent via United States Postal Service Media Mail are generally shipped twice a week. We cannot guarantee a delivery schedule for Media Mail since transit times after shipment may be anywhere from a few days up to two weeks. Return Policy Merchandise may be returned within 30 days of the date of the sale. Please return merchandise in good condition (appropriate for resale) to: 2439 Birch Street, Suite 1, Palo Alto, CA 94306. Refund Policy Upon receipt of returned merchandise, a refund will be processed by our office within 5 business days. Upon release of the refund, we will notify you by email or US mail.