"Low back pain which affects nearly every one of us at some stage of our active adult life, is one of the most common ailments afficting mankind. It is described in many ways such as fibrositis, slipped disc, lumbago, arthritis in the back, rheumatism; or, when it causes pain extending into the leg, sciatica. To most people low back pain remains a mystery. It often starts without warning and for no obvious reason; it interferes with simple activities of living, moving about and getting a comfortable night"s sleep; and then, just as unexpectedly, the pain subsides. When in acute pain we are usually unable to think clearly about our trouble and simply seek relief from the pain. On the other hand, as soon as we have recovered from an acute episode, most of us quickly forget our low back problems. Once we have developed recurrent low back pain, we cannot do anything else but seek assistance, time and again, to become painfree. Usually, due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, we are unable to deal with present symptoms ourselves and certainly have no way of preventing future low back problems. The causes of most kinds of low back pain are quite clear. First I will explain why low back pain may occur. Then I will suggest how you can avoid it; or, if at present you are having low back pain, how you may recover from it and prevent it from recurring. The main point of this book is that the management of your back is your responsibility. Of course, you can call on people with particular skills---doctors, physiotherapists or chiropractors---for treatment but in the end only you can really help yourself. Selftreatment of low back pain is now widely accepted; it will be more effective in the long-term management of your low back problems than any other form of treatment. Many publications set out to tell you how to look after your own back and you may well wonder why yet another one is now offered. The reason is that this is the first book to show...." (from introduction)