By
Levent
I purchased this book after tearing my Supraspinatus Tendon along with the Teres Minor. The pain was major and I couldn't even lift my left arm.
I train at Thai Boxing and couldn't even imagine doing so again as the physios were reluctant to give my any guarantees. Anyway, I bought this book and slowly and thoroughly went through all the exercises and stretches mentioned within. Afer a few weeks I was able to elevate my arm more with less impingement, and after two months had significantly improved muscle mass, strength and range of motion. I now train again and my shoulders are more developed and stronger than before the initial tear.
I continue to use the exercises detailed in this book routinely and would recommend anyone, with or without rotator cuff problems, to follow the program, if you do, you will certainly see the results. The book is well written, humorous and has easy to follow diagrams so that anyone can follow and learn.
By
drteeth
I am a performing professional musician in mid-50's; shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, neck and spine are all crucially important to my work. After two years of suffering supraspinatal tendonitis I discovered this volume. It has made my life much easier, my work is a pleasure once again. The anatomy of the shoulder is well introduced with clear diagrams and perspectives, and the processes of working it towards health are explained. I now hope to work until pension age without having to take early retirement. Thank you Mr Johnson
By
Lynda Mayo
After falling downstairs and having a torn rotator cuff and separated the a.c joint I found this book gave me an understanding of how I could rehabilitate myself with simple to understand and perform exercises.. The book is full encouragement and gives realistic advice.. It has taken four months for a full recovery but I am grateful for the self confidence and knowledge it gave to me. I would recommend this book but would say that it is important to persevere with the exercise program and follow it diligently and accurately in order to obtain the best results,
By
mrs L O'Donohoe
I recommend this book. Everything you need to know and can do to help yourself is written in this book. It is easy to follow and works. I am getting better and have far less pain in just two weeks!
By
m19n
This is a brief, well-written, practically oriented, evidence-based guide that helped me make a lot of progress in solving a long-standing painful problem. I wouldn't replace professional physiotherapy advice with it, but it's a very valuable supplement, and I will go on doing the exercises it recommends as a preventative measure long after my current problems go away.
By
mr ian m bird
This is a well presented book with good explanation and diagrams.The exercises are also described adequately.
Be sure to follow the advice as shown if you want a result.
By
Davedandy
So, I've been doing the exercises and stretches prescribed in this book for about 6 weeks now, which is a good amount of time to write a review with some credibility.
I've been having shoulder problems for about 5 years, been getting progressively worse, I'm 30 years old, Male. I'm sporty and in good shape. My shoulders click and pop with almost all movement, gets painful and inflamed
So far treatments I've tried:
- Doctor - Anti-inflammatories (useless)
- Doctor - Ultrasound (visual) (useless - other than it told me I had a problem - which I already knew)
- Doctor - Steroid injection (useless)
- Doctor - Referred to physio
- Physio - Exercises prescribed, little to no improvement doing exercises almost everyday for 3-4 months
- Chiropractor - Helpful advice, suggested back stretcher as poor posture was a factor.
- Finally this book - 6 weeks of doing exercises for about 10-15 mins 5 days a week, very manageable. Definitely seeing an improvement in mobility, strength, function, less pain, less clicking.
All in all money well spent, simple, practical, effective treatment. The right exercises applied in the correct manner.
Thanks Jim Johnson, I was beginning to despair...
By
erik skas "Say something about yourself!"
Nice book. Did not take too long reading it, and it made me understand my shoulders better.
I have recommended it to serveral other of my friend as well.
Regards Erik
By
Mr. M. A. Cook "MAC"
Having suffered for the best part of a year with shoulder problems I set about research and came up with this ideal book which expalined step by step the exercises to combat the various problems surrounding this complex limb ......
I cannot recommend enough to buy this book and try the exercises...
By
Mr. Gareth J. Millar
I bought this book as an alternative to going to a physio. In my experience a physio trip involves a few stretches and a bit of ultra sound plus a £40 bill at the end. I have been using this book for a week now and the exercises recommended in the "intermediate" section have already started to allievate a lot of the acute pain and restricted movement I had been experiencing. I had been overtraining shoulder pressing with kettlebells and as such have been experiencing pain under my AC joint as the result of bad form (on my part). This book gives you specific exercises to perform to stretch and strengthen the rotator cuff. It's a very specifc book for a very specific joint.. Well worth the money.. next week I will start the advanced section and plan to keep these exercises up in order to ensure a healthy and strong rotator cuff.. great times!
By
smurfeile "s.m"
This book is the best self help book for any type of shoulder problems.I found the excercises concise,well explained, easy to follow and they dont require special equipment. Also they are easy to incorporate into a busy shedule.The results are well worth it with an improvment in movement and pain after 7 to 10 days.I can feel the strength increasing from day to day and for my chronic shoulder problems of 15yrs this is a result I didnt expect.Dont pass by this book.Read it and just get on with the excercises.You wont be disappointed.
By
Dave
Excellently written book.
THis seems to have "hit the nail on the head" for me. Its not over complicated but it goes into enough detail on why you may have shoulder problems & how shoulders work. It also mentions the studies & proof should you doubt what is being written.
The end chapters on the stretches & exercises to strengthen your shoulders are perfectly laid out. Clear with pictures & a summary table at the end.
I love clear & simple things that work, which is exactly what this book is.
Im glad someone is writing something that makes sense to me!
By
Chris53P
Having been treating people with rotator cuff disorders for many years, I have been pleasantly surprised by Jim Johnson's extremely readable book, which is clear enough to enable those with little or no knowledge of anatomy or exercise to effectively self treat this very common problem.
I particularly like the non-technical way he explains the evidence base for the exercises and advice he gives, and asks and answers the questions many physio's and sport's therapists would really like satisfactory answers to. For example: How long, how many times and how frequently should I stretch? How hard should I work, how much should I load the muscle? How many reps? How many times per week, and how often do i have to do the exercise to maintain the strength i have gained?
The line drawings could be improved upon and I would have preferred it to be a bit smaller, so that it would sit more easily in my work bag along with "Treat Your Own Strains,Sprains and Bruises". However, these are minor points, overall it is a very helpful book of equal value to practitioners and suffers alike.
By
ReservoirDawg
I injured my rotator cuffs when I have 18 and didn't do too much about it for almost 10 years. Somehow I stumbled across this book on Amazon and decided to give it a shot and I am glad I did.
This book is, 1) Short 2) Easy to read as it is written in simple language 3) Explains the anatomy of the shoulder beautifully 4) Lists exercises and stretches that are extremely simple and extremely helpful
Since I started doing the stretches and exercises mentioned in this beautiful little book, my shoulder looks and feels much better and they feel a lot stronger. Like I mentioned earlier - the stretches and exercises are very simple and some people (like my flatmate) might not believe they work. THEY DO! If one does them on a consistent basis, their condition will most definitely improve.
I am extremely glad I purchased this book. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended.
By
a Senior Citizen Couple
I ordered this book for my brother-in-law who has experienced shoulder pain and not being able to lift his arm higher than shoulder level due to a rotator cuff injury he received in the past. I recommended it to him because of the wonderful results I got using the information in this book to treat my own right shoulder pain.
Having previously read, Jim Johnson's, The Sixty-Second Motivator, and finding it very helpful, I can tell you that I certainly had the motivation to try and stick with an exercise that would relieve my painful and restricting condition. And it sounded to me like my brother-in-law was in the same boat.
I used the Sidelying External Rotation exercise on page 55 of the rotator cuff book and got great results. The first time I tried it I could only manage to raise a 20 ounce can of pineapple about half way up less than ten times. I found the detailed instruction, precautions and notes particularly helpful and feel that carefully following them was why I experienced the gradual recovery. My wife sat beside me making sure I did the exercise slowly and exactly as the book states. After about four weeks I actually worked up to fully raising the can of pineapple 20 times. Later on I increased the weight little by little and began to feel good enough to resume some of the more physically demanding activities on our small farm.
Last week I was actually able to assist with harvesting our hay and didn't suffer during or afterward from any of the shoulder pain or stiffness that I had previously experienced many times. Yes, I was careful about what I did and how I worked, but for me to even attempt to try stacking a 60 pound bale of hay was completely out of the question a few months ago. I went from shoulder pain that caused me sleepless nites and not being able to lift my right arm any higher than shoulder level, to what I consider a darned good day's work.
This book is a real bargain and indeed I consider it invaluable when I think about how it helped me. And as you can see, I heartily recommend it.
By
Mr. S. F. Veal
This book will aid you in improving a number of different arm/shoulder problems. Once you have the benefits and improvements that result from doing the exercises do not overdo them because that way lies madness and tennis elbow which has taken 3.5 months to recover but that was my fault and nothing to do with the book.
By
P. Jackson
Fantastic book!
I had rotator cuff problems from excessive chin ups and dips.
I had to lay off these exercises for a long time.
I found this book, followed the simple instructions and 6 weeks into the shoulder exercise regime, my shoulders are now feeling strong enough to get back to the chin up bar.
Thoroughly recommended!
Short but sweet
By
Unrocklike
Pitched at a good level in terms of explanations but rightly dedicates most of the book to stretching and strengthening exercises. One visit to a physion would cost 5 times as much.
By
A.N.Other
I bought this book to help strengthen my shoulders and avoid injury with weight lifting. Using the stretches and exercises in this book has kept things in balance. It's a well-written book, using well-sourced information that also dispels some of the myths that surround exercising with weight/intensity.
All in all, very good. A little expensive for the size of book perhaps, and you will find most of the exercises available elsewhere. The value of the book is in its structure, and background of research. My only complaint really is with the quality of the diagrams - they are simply awful. They're badly-drawn, too small, and often poorly annotated. For an understanding of your shoulder's anatomy you would be better off referring to some other material in conjunction with this book.
By
Keiron12
Got this for my dad and he raved about it. The exercises really seemed to help him with what had become a very chronic condition. Well worth a read if your suffering shoulder pain.
By
Vera
From reading the book from start to finish it was very easy to understand and the exercises were easy to follow. If you do what the book states and exercise/strengthen every day you will be able to cure or keep under control your problem Rotator Cuff injury. A great book to actually be able to help cure/contol yourself and not just take pain killers. I would recommend.
By
Hypo
I injured both my rotor cuff and elbow, practicing Wing Chun Kung Fu. After two weeks I went to see an osteopath to get rid of the initial pain, I couldn't hold shopping bags or lift pretty much anything for any length of time. I bought this book, at the end of February having few options left, before this I had little to no interest or understanding in exercise, weights etc.
After a month of following the exercises I thought I would write this review, this book is easy to understand and requires very little equipment, just a set of dumbbells of low weights. Now I have full range of motion back in my arm, it isn't as strong as it was before the injury but I'll get there. This book will help with an injured rotor cuff! You just have to stick at it, it may take a while to see results but they will come. After a month of these exercises I can now practice kung fu again with very few problems, my only persisting problem is that I can no longer sit at the PC for 6 - 8 hours a time playing games, which in its self has allowed me to find time for other things. I believe that as I continue following this program my remaining problems will disappear.
Also you don't have to give up your entire day or afternoon, I can do the stretching exercises in less than 10 minutes and the strengthening exercises in the same time. So for less than 20 minutes a few times a few a week I am pain free, sounds like a bargain to me.
By
TrueBlue&White
Very well researched text, with good easy to follow explanations of the simple exercises. WTreat Your Own Rotator Cuffould recommend this book for people with this type of complaint.
By
Stilt Wiltafacation
I could have saved over $1500 in doctor and physical therapy bills had I read this book after the first Dr visit. If you have shoulder pain, please don't hesitate, buy this book! I now have an immense respect for Jim Johnson.
After 5 months of little progress, I finally found this book and about 6 weeks later I'm back to all my normal sports, full tilt.
The research on strength building and stretching in general was mind blowing! Wow, how could this information be so hidden? Unfortunately, too many people profit from non-health.
JJ will show you the absolute fastest and most efficient way to fix your shoulder. By all means, get several opinions before getting surgery. Both doctors left surgery on the table when my tear was very minor.
Yes, they do not want you to read this book!
Jim, if you're reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are a great man.
P.S. Even if you never had any back issues, buy his back book. After you build up core strength in your back (2 minutes, 3 times a week, yes, really) then you only need to do it once a week to maintain that strength. And no stretching needed. A small price to pay to avoid back pain.
By
S. Marsh
I hurt my rotator cuffs doing some bag work. I waited a long time (I'm a guy) to go into an ortho. He gave me the advice to work on my posture, lose weight and a photocopy of some exercises to do. Told me that how I injured myself didn't matter, fixing it was what counted. Well, posture and losing weight solved that problem.
Had a completely different feeling problem. Went back after eight months of worsening pain. Same diagnosis, they told me it was "referred pain" which was why it felt completely different. Same exercises. You can find them all over the internet.
Didn't do much for me. I slowly got more or less better on my own. But, I had nagging pain every morning, the exercises and stretches did nothing for me.
Rather than go back, I decided to try this book first, based on recommendations from a friend I followed up.
First, the explanations aside, the core of the book is short. You are only going to do about four exercises and four stretches at any one time. There are routines for severe to very mild problems (beginning to advanced).
Second, the explanations made sense and I've been able to apply them to a few other areas.
But, it has been less than a month and I'm waking up pain free from time to time, the first time in a very long time.
Would I pay this much for a paperback? Not usually, but it was a lot better than blowing half a day off from work seeing the ortho sports med guy again. Would I buy a book when the internet is swimming with essays, charts, etc.?
Well, but for the fact it works and the free stuff didn't, no. But the free stuff doesn't quite put it all together the way this does and it didn't quite do the trick.
If you've got pain, if your doctor's routines haven't really done much for you, if the internet hasn't led you anywhere new, you might really want to try this book. It has details on how to do things, number of repetitions, how long to hold the stretches, etc.
Simple? Yes. Five to ten minutes a day simple, but just the right five to ten minutes a day have made all the difference for me.
By
K. Robinson
I found Jim Johnson's book to contain an amazing amount of information in a relatively short read. There are several very good reviews that detail what he covers in this book so I'll stick to points not covered by the other reviews.
First, yes, it is a small book. This is actually a bonus because he covers the pertinant material thoroughly but keeps the book to a size easily read in one sitting. This is important when you are looking for answers and not a lengthy read. I found illustrations and the text were all useful - there is no filler or fluff in this book.
Second - the stretches and exercises are explained in detail so you can be comfortable with the knowledge you are doing it right. So, as you follow one of the 3 programs laid out, you can refer back to the detailed descriptions and illustration as needed. If you are a picture person and not a verbal person, this is priceless to have on hand.
Third - the information on how to distinguish the different types of injuries and how to approach rehabilitation gave me insight to what was going on with my own injury that no professional I had taken this problem to have ever bothered to explain. Again, illustrations were to the point and provided clarity that words can't always deliver.
Last, I have sought medical advice with my shoulder problems off and on for years yet this book gave me more information in a 30 minute read than I had gotten in any consultation. This book is priced around $30 retail and that is far less than a doctor or physio visit.
Note that I am *NOT* saying to skip seeking medical advice, I am saying that this book gives you a ready reference to supplement your knowledge and to keep on hand while treating your injury. If you are like me, the shoulder problems you have will quite possibly reoccur as time goes by and you either quit doing the exercises and revert to bad habits or if you find a new way to injure yourself. So, having this book handy for reference is far more economical the returning to the doctor over and over again.
By
Phyllis Staff
Just the information needed to help you and not more! That's "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff." Johnson writes clearly for the non-medical-professional, so you'll understand his message easily and get started right away (today).
About six months ago, I fell. A perfect four-point landing, I thought at the time, but it turned out to be more, much more. Within a month I began having trouble pulling a shirt on over my head. Then shoulder and arm pain settled in full time.
I decided to forego conventional medical treatment (for example, shots and surgery), and the pain continued. In fact, it not only continued, but grew so much worse that I considered revising my decision about the shots. However, finding this book and reading the glowing recommendations for it, I decided giving managing the problem on my own one last try.
Of course, getting the book did not solve the problem by itself. I had to use the information to stretch and exercise. So I did, and, sure enough, after a couple of weeks I saw both improved range of motion and less pain.
The stretches and exercises are not necessarily pleasant, but the results make it worth the effort.
If you have rotator cuff pain, get this book. Regardless of whether you decide on conventional solutions to the problem, you'll need the stretches and exercises to regain full range of motion. Stick with the program. It works!
Highly recommended.
By
George Robillad
This is the second book of Jim Johnson's that I have bought. The first one fixed my back pains with a simple exercise to strengthen the Multifidus muscles.
The exercises in this book has significantly reduced pain and increased mobility in my left shoulder, allowing me to sleep through the night and lift my arm over my shoulder.
By
Patrick D. Goonan
This is a great book that concisely explains the anatomy and physiology of the rotator cuff including the bones, muscles, biomechanics, etc. in just enough detail for the average person to understand. It also describes how to distinguish between different types of injuries, how to approach rehabilitating them and collects a lot of rotator cuff injuries in one small volume. While the book is rather expensive for its size, it packs a lot of well-explained information into a small space.
I'm an ex-physiology teaching fellow and scientist. I thought this book was great and turned something that is often difficult to explain into something anyone who can read can understand. The diagrams are good and the book contains no unnecessary detail.
I also agree with other reviewers that while Jim Johnson isn't an expert on rotator cuffs, his book is thoroughly researched and he does have a PT credential and has undoubtedly had 15 years of clinical experience in a teaching hospital environment. This suggests he has a very good nuts and bolts understanding and hands-on experience.
By
Ken Ashe
I was afraid I would never be able to lift weights again. Both of my shoulders were in pain, even causing me to have to lie on my back to sleep. I read this book carefully, and have followed the exercise exactly as he directs, and I have zero pain in my shoulders now ! Zero ! And I'm back to lifting weights !
I can't tell you how impressed I am with the research that went into Mr. Johnson's work. He only goes by scientific evidence based upon peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials. This stuff really works!
By the way, I had the same experience with my back problems after reading "Treat Your Own Back" by Dr. McKenzie
Thank you Mr. Johnson!
Ken
By
lighten_up_already2 "lighten_up_already2"
I suffered a rotator cuff injury about five weeks ago that left me with little pain but some restricted movement. I'm under the care of a physical therapist right now, and I bought this book to get a cheap second opinion on how to treat this injury.
The highlights of this book include a brief but well written overview of just what a rotator cuff is and how it works. I wish the drawings were larger and clearer, and that's why I coulndn't give this book a five star rating.
The other highlight, to me anyway, is the section containing descriptions of all the exercises that are used to rehabilitate a rotator cuff.
That said, I don't think this book actually gave me any knowledge that I would not have already obtained without it. Just during doctor and physical therapy visits I learned all about the rotator cuff and the bones and muscles, and that the one thing that is needed to settle exactly what injury you are dealing with is an MRI. Also, the exercise descriptions are rather standard and ironically my physical therapist assigned me three new exercises the morning after I read about them in this book.
Still, this book was enouraging to me if for no other reason that it quoted a number of studies that prove the importance of exercise to rehabilitate a shoulder after such an injury.
But the bottom line to me is that nobody should just try to "treat their own" rotator cuff injury without consultation with a doctor and without some physical therapy.
Postscript. About a year after my injury occurred, it had corrected itself. My sports doctor said it would take about a year to heal, and that's exactly what happened. No exercises seemed to make a difference. It seemed to be a minor inflammation of a lining around a bone in a socket, and when that inflammation goes away, movement returns.
Excellent book, very efficient program, May 21, 2009
By
D. Peters
I went thru physical therapy to treat my rotator cuffs - I have had issues with both. It worked, but only after several weeks and I had worked up to 1-1.5 hours of shoulder exercises, 3 times per week! After therapy, the recommended home program was virtually the same. I didn't have the time to keep up and the problem came back in one of my shoulders. Ever since I have been trying to figure out which exercises really matter, because I don't have time to do them all.
In this book it was done for me. The author focuses on a few simple stretches and exercises, but his research shows they are the ones that matter most. I've been doing the program for about 4 weeks now and my shoulder is much, much better. Not 100% yet, but I can finally throw a ball again. I have a young son and haven't even been able to play catch with him until now. And very importantly, this program takes so little time I can keep up with it, to prevent problems from coming back.
By
L Willis
I was very impressed with this book as soon as I thumbed through it. The first section has diagrams and definitions of the shoulder. The anatomy and physiology are explained in grade school terms. (this is very helpful to people that are in so much pain that they can't think straight)
I have just had rotator cuff surgery and have been through physical therapy several times for rotator cuff problems. The exercises are identical to some of the exercises that the physical therapists teach us.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with rotator cuff problems, however, if your symptoms are not improving you will need to get an MRI to determine if you have tears or bone spurs.
By
Susanna Hutcheson
I've had rotator cuff problems with both shoulders. The problem is increased by bursitis and other issues. So I was grateful to get the useful information in this book.
The book is based on fact, not opinion. The author first gives you a description of the shoulder and the rotator cuff and its relationship to the muscle and tendons and bones.
Then you're given stretches and exercises to do in relationship to how much pain and lack of mobility you have at the time you start the program. It's comforting to know that you are empowered to make yourself better and to rehabilitate yourself. And this book definitely gives you that ability.
I noticed that there was one or two wonderful stretches that were not included in the book. But the ones included work. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever suffered shoulder problems or anyone who lifts weights or works out. It helps prevent as well as heal shoulder pain and mobility problems.
- Susanna K. Hutcheson
By
G. Weis "weis_jerry"
After two weeks of following the exercises in this book, I made more progress than six weeks of PT. I like this book because not only does the author explain what to do, he also explains WHY.
By
John W. Wendt
For starters, I had not one but two injured shoulders. Each was injured in a different way, and the injuries affected different parts of the rotator cuff. The first injury had my right shoulder sub-optimal for over a year. After the second injury (from a bike accident), I was pretty close to being incapacitated. Things like...how shall I say this...using toilet paper...were agonizing. Even though I can be a stubborn jack-ass about not getting injuries treated, the thought of having someone to help me in the toilet completely broke me down and made me buy this book!
In 6 weeks, I was much improved. Three months later, and I am fully functional, lifting more weights in the gym than ever, not even aware of having been injured. I've had this book make the rounds with 2 of my work colleagues, who are much better for it. I've built up my shoulders to the point that future injury is much less likely.
What's great about this book? It could be entitled, "Shoulder injuries for dummies." It is written at about a 3rd grade reading comprehension level. To me, that's a good thing, and a credit to the author to boil down the complexities of the rotator cuff to where everyone can understand it. And in fact, you don't even really need to understand what's wrong; all you need to do is the exercises. I think that the explanations are just to convince you that the exercises work, so that you will get on with doing them.
As for the exercises, they are ridiculously easy. I mean, two minutes per day, per shoulder (in my case, two shoulders, 4 minutes). The exercises (for building muscle and flexibility) will not cause you pain; in fact, if you are feeling pain, you need to back off to the easier versions. The exercises are simple, require no special equipment, and only take up a couple of pages in an already short book. The author also has some tips to help you to know if your shoulder needs more than what this book can offer.
Is it worth the money? Consider the time you spend suffering and going to physio (if you can afford it) and filling out insurance forms (if you have insurance). Yes, it is worth it. I only wish that more in the medical profession would put patients over profits. Sometimes we need doctors, but often we can treat ourselves with the right knowledge. For rotator cuff injuries, this book is the knowledge you need.
By
N. Kodjak
I second Stilt's review, the only difference being that I was lucky enough not to have any money or insurance so I couldn't afford to get surgery and rehab. Instead I bought Johnson's book and 6 months or so later, my shoulder was 98% healed!!
I can say, without exaggeration, that Johnson gave me my life back! As anyone with a serious rotator cuff injury knows, it is more than a just a shoulder problem. Your whole life starts to go downhill. You can't sleep, takes an hour to get dressed or undressed, have a hard time showering, shaving, or brushing your teeth, hell, I used to have to pick up my arm to shake someone's hand!
By
my review 4 U
6 months ago I was diagnosed with an impinged rotator cuff (truly think it was the doctors best guess). Avoiding the options of anti-inflammatories/injections I chose physical therapy, which brought to surface additional issues related to neck and nerves. While physical therapy helped me regain movement, I still suffered from major setbacks/pain and felt that I had reached a plateau in recovery. I was quite discouraged and decided to give the physical therapy a break.
After reading the reviews of "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff" I ordered the book. I was very surprised that in my 6 months of treatment none of my medical providers ever showed me visual images of what the rotator cuff looked like or how it was connected to the rest of my shoulder area. I was also shocked to discover that my physical therapist had only shown me 2 strength exercises and 1 stretching exercise. That being said, I read the book, which is very clear and well written and started the exercise routines. I have been doing the routines for several weeks and have noticed marked improvement in my flexibility, strength, and reduction in pain. I have been able to sleep on my side again, without pain or my hands going numb.
My husband, who is also plagued by shoulder issues and has been through physical therapy, started doing the exercises too and mentioned an improvement.
I highly recommend this book. It is based on scientific research and offers the tried and tested exercises to gain measurable results. The exercises don't take long and do not require any specialized equipment. The book is well worth the price.
By
T. Bundrick "Tboom49"
UPDATE 11/23/11 - I don't usually "update" my reviews as some do, but I wanted to extol the virtues of this very simple yet effective book and support the author in any way I can. Chances are if you are looking at reviews then you are where I was about two weeks ago. Searing, agonizing pain in my left shoulder anytime I lifted or rotated my arm a certain way. I have been doing these exercises for less than a week and I would estimate an almost complete recovery in my left shoulder. This is the same shoulder attached to the same arm that I couldn't lift to put on a sweater just ONE WEEK AGO. When sitting in a chair with arm-rests I had to keep my arm by my side because placing it on an arm-rest caused intense pain. I have been performing the stretching exercises the author recommends twice daily and will begin the strength training exercises as soon as I obtain a pair of light weights. I now understand that I have an inherent weakness in this shoulder so I hopefully continue doing these exercises. Once again, it is astonishing how quickly these exercises corrected my shoulder problems. To the author, once again, thank you....
On a recent episode of PARKS AND RECREATION, the character of Ron Swanson comments on his philosophy of recommendations. He states (and I am abbreviating) that he doesn't recommend anything he doesn't use and love. He then goes on to extol the virtues of a "military-issue mustache trimmer". Funny stuff. What isn't funny was the pain and discomfort I experienced until I purchased this invaluable book. As background, I am a 52 year old male, in reasonably decent shape. I do quite a bit of work around our house, which we just recently renovated. Lots of lifting, cutting, chopping, sawing....so a great deal of shoulder strain. About 3 months ago I developed a slightly stiff shoulder. Within a month this pain became almost unbearable. I was unable to lift my arm above shoulder length without SEARING pain in my shoulder area. My shoulder would not rotate, instead I had to move my entire body to accommodate my aching shoulder. I tried a prescription of Prednisone and when that didn't help I started taking three or four Advil just to do the basic, daily chores. I tried icing the shoulder, then slathering it with one of about 10 different rub-on liniments that people had recommended. I tried hot baths and hot showers. I used a compression shirt from UnderArmour because that seemed to help with my sore tennis elbow at times. Sleeping at night was a nightmare because every time I turned over the shoulder pain would wake me up. In fact, the only activity that provided any relief was raking leaves. Something in that motion was stretching out a muscle or a tendon, but then I ran out of leaves to rake. (One of the exercises in this book mimics the action of leaf-raking). All of these remedies provided at best, temporary relief. I never consulted a doctor or had an MRI done on the shoulder, but friends told me I had a frozen shoulder and possibly a tear in my rotator cuff. The pain got worse and worse until about a week ago when I needed help to raise my arm high enough so I could wear a sweater.
Three days ago I received this book. Instead of just rushing to the chapters where the exercises are located I started at the beginning and I am really glad I did. The author provides detailed explanations and drawings, which fully describe the various joints, muscles, and tendons at work in the shoulder area. Then I got to the stretching exercises. After doing all the exercises that first day I noticed I slept a little more comfortably that evening. On the second day of performing the exercises I noticed about a 10% reduction in pain with some improved mobility. Now it is day three and I can't believe it but I CAN LIFT MY ARM ABOVE MY HEAD. Yes of course there is still some pain, but it isn't the searing stabbing pain I had experienced. In fact I just reached up for something on a high shelf without experiencing any stabbing pain. THESE EXERCISES REALLY DO WORK. I don't know if the exercises will work for everyone with agonizing shoulder pain but it is working for me. I cannot thank this author enough for making this book available so thank you, thank you, thank you!
By
Yakutat
When I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, I first tried physical therapy at a clinic recommended by my doctor. Dissatisfied with my progress and with the explanations I was given for the course of treatment I was receiving, I decided to research the topic. I got 5 or 6 often-recommended books that dealt with rotator cuff tears. This book was far and away the best (and the only one I ended up keeping). What sets it apart from the other books is that all of the advice is based on actual scientific studies rather than some doctor's or some physical therapist's subjective "experience". Much of what was recommended in the other books, and much of what was being recommended to me by the physical therapists that were treating me, has in no basis in science at all. Using the advice in this book, I was able to design my own therapy program that proved to be very effective. Highest possible recommendation.
By
C. WellsJr
I ordered this book after injuring my left shoulder at work. I am a paramedic and familiar with the shoulder anatomy, and was skeptical this would work. After thirty days, though, I am skeptical no longer! I am now almost pain-free. A lot cheaper than surgery! I mean, why not try it? If you wait and have to have surgery, you'll wind up doing the exercises anyway in rehab afterwards!!! Highly recommended.
By
Blake Cooper "the blaster"
A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all others of its ilk. A job very-well done!
The next reason that I really like this book is that it only takes a few minutes per day to do the exercises. Yes, folks, rehabilitating your shoulders can really be done without needing to place the rest of your life on hold to make time for endless physical-therapy visits and countless mind-numbingly-boring exercises. While the exercises are still mind-numbingly-boring, you can finish them up well before your favorite news program has finished its coverage of the war in Afghanistan and moved on to the war in Iraq!
And are the exercises in the book effective? I have to admit that as soon as I realized that they were based on actual scientific evidence, my placebo response went into full swing, and my shoulders felt better before I had even started the exercises!
However, I've now been doing the exercises for around three months, long-enough for the placebo response to wear off, and my shoulders have definitely improved. The trick for me is to be consistent and do the exercises as specified. I found that it helped to read the book a second time, because I had missed and forgotten important details.
I highly recommend this book!
By
James E. Trost "JET"
Overall the book was useful. I was actually receiving therapy (physical) for my shoulder when I bought the book, hoping it would help me once therapy ended. The book was useful, explaining some things more clearly than my physical therapist (PT). Some of the explanations seemed unnecessary. Initially, there was a discussion of a study trial the author used to validate that what he was saying had been verified. This was good. However, he used this sort of discussion repeatedly to validate other statements. Really, I think I could use the first one as proof of the validity of his statements without the repeated "justification". A couple of exercises could have been explained a bit better ("stand facing a wall" ... but he never said how far from the wall) and more visuals would have been useful. On the good side, the exercises in the book were for the most part similar to what the PT had me do and I picked up a couple of additional ones from the book. For someone who doesn't want to, or can't afford to go the PT route, this is a worthwhile book.
By
Canman
This book contains ALL the right stuff to heal your shoulder. Other books have lots of information, but what a person needs is a specific program for recovery. This book is just that.If you have a Rotor Cuff injury you need this book.It contains a rock solid base on which to start the healing process. Then you can add more to your exercise program as your strength improves with other books, but really this book has everything you need. A solid 10!
By
FunHog
This information is excellent. You could find it by hunting around the internet and youtube on how to rehab/prehab your rotator cuff, but the author puts it all in one spot for you. The explainations of the anatomy and mechanics of the shoulder joint are very good, understandable and not overwhelming.
The stretches and exercises are simple and divided in to three sections: beginer, intermediate, and advanced. They are grouped depending on your range of motion/injury severity. The book gives you the tests to check your ROM.
Here's the testimonial: I am a life long athlete and been blessed with few injuries over time. I am dedicated to strength training in conjunction with the sports I do and do a lot of overhead lifts. I swim, run, mountain bike and am a serious rock climber. I developed a pinch in my rear shoulder that was causing a weakness in my overhead lifts. I tried to train through it, but it was becoming more painful. I was considering going to an ortho, which is always the last resort, but after poking around the net and finding some exercises and stretches, I cured it to about 80%. I picked up this book and now I am 100% and have full ROM and strength. I could have saved a ton of time and effort if I had known about this book from the start.
The author addresses everyone from the senior citizen to the conditioned athlete and discusses how by doing the simple exercises and stretches a few minutes (literally - the routines only take about 5min a day) a day after you are 100% you can maintain the strength in your rotator cuff muscles as what many would call "pre-hab." He also supports his information with scientific studies. This was very impressive to me because I have read some of the same studies dealing with theories on stretching and strength training (physiology and training is an interest of mine and I read about it often).
It is well worth the price, even though it is a short book.
By
N. Johnson
I bought this book in the hopes of avoiding the cost$ of physical therapy. I followed the book to a T and my pain is mostly gone. It's not overnight, the progress is gradual.
The first thing I really noticed was that I didn't have pain getting dressed. This happened about a week or two into it.
After about three weeks, I experienced less pain during my everyday movements. Eventually, I was able to get back to physical activity. It's been about 3 months now and I'm doing great.
I had a glitch recently when I went swimming and experienced pain - probably b/c a swimming stroke isn't an activity I've done since last summer. I'm using the techniques I learned from the book to try and exercise the muscles that I use swimming.
You do have to keep up the exercises in order to not slip back into tendonitis or whatever's bugging you. I learned this when I got a nasty cold for a couple of weeks. But it doesn't take long at all. If you just want pain relief, you can get it in about 10-15 minutes twice a week. If you want to be physically active - 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. Easy to do while just watching TV.
(And no, I'm not related to the author despite our same last name :)
By
T. Bledsoe "twb"
Well written, easy to understand and follow, extremely helpful. If you are having shoulder problems, this book is for you.
By
Don Carlos
This book is well-written for the non-medical general public. The author is to be complimented.
I am a physician, and have no link to the author; I simply appreciate his able communication to folks who have no knowledge of shoulder anatomy or function.
By
Robert Schreiber "Rob"
I followed the recommendations exactly and my shoulder became pain free in a few months. You do need to actually do the exercises, just owning the book is not enough. 5 times a week - 3 times about 30 mins., 2 times only about 15.
By
Carolyn J.
My husband was helping to move heavy boxes at home and hurt his shoulder. He is a very physical and active guy, and now he could not do anything! He was laying in bed and not going to work. Yikes! Income cut in half! How long was this going to last? The doctor told him his was doing the right thing by "resting". He was in so much pain that he could not even sleep. I could not sleep worrying about the bills.
I found this book and had them send it pronto. I read it before giving it to my husband. The author is a physical therapist and seen many shoulder problems: old and young, mild and severe. He breaks it down for us scientifically.
Basically, your shoulder is made up of four muscles. They each have a special job to do. Together, they all hold the arm bone in the socket. All muscles need to be stretched, strengthened and have increased endurance. He gives the exercises for each muscle for flexibility, strength and endurance. Then he gives three routines for beginning, intermediate and advanced. Everything he says is backed up by studies.
I especially like that each exercise is on one page, so that I can copy them and staple them together in a routine. It has a picture of the exercise, exactly how to do it, and what to pay attention to. Also, the "beginner", "intermediate" and "advanced" routines are each on one page. I copied those and stapled them to the top of each stack exercises.
He also says that according to tests, "doing nothing", does nothing to fix your shoulder. When the muscles are stronger and more flexible, they can do their job and the pain goes away. I am glad I found this book. My husband has just started using it, but I am feeling confident that he will be back to normal soon.
By
Jon C. Van Valkenburgh
For anyone that's having rotator cuff issues, I recommend this book highly. Has just enough technical info to get you acquainted to what is/might be going one, but has a lot of helpful exercises and stretches that should help you get to where you want to be, which is more important, anyway. Highly recommended.
By
R. Stout
If you are over 50 and have painful and limited arm movements due to your rotator cuff, I highly recommend that you buy this book because it certainly worked for me. I'm 61, and about a year ago I had intense pain and very limited range of arm motion in both arms due to rotator cuff injuries. These injuries were due to chronically stressing my shoulders while doing extended house painting and repairs.
Finding this book on Amazon.com was the beginning of my recovery.
I have followed the exercises and stretches described in this book, including the weekly frequencies and reps. Although it's taken nearly a year, likely because of my age, I have almost completely recovered, without costly doctor or PT visits, and without prescription pain medications. I've been pain free for months and have nearly regained full range of motion and strength in both arms.
I had confidence in the author from the beginning because he stressed that his recommendations were supported by the scientific literature (literature citations included!) and not merely anecdotal.
So, thanks Jim Johnson for taking the time and making the effort to write this book.
By
clearHead "clearHead"
The book seems expensive for a thin paperback and I was a little peeved when it arrived. But the exercises really did help.. A *LOT*
By
Tom Bodle
This is an excellent book. I was 55 and physically active (weights and running) when I experienced almost spontaneously pain (quite bothersome) in the arm when reaching. Using this book, the stretching and especially weight training exercises recommended were very helpful. My arm has returned to 98.75% of normal. Kudos to the author.
By
Robert Shaw
Johnson's book is an excellent resource for anyone with rotator cuff issues. It is well written and easy to understand.
By
Ashton Gate
Good introduction to rotator cuff problems, with the right balance of technical information and practical help. The focus on academic literature was reassuring and provides ammunition when discussing these issues with a doctor. I have been following the program and it has worked so far. Does not get 5 stars as it is a little pricey.
By
C. Williams "itwentinmyeye"
So easy to understand! I know have a good knowledge of how the shoulder works. The exercises are very helpful. Got me closer of achieving zero pain. Hardly have pain anymore, mostly tight or a little uncomfortable but that's better than chronic pain ay!! It only takes around 3-4 hours to read. DO IT IF YOU KAIN'T TAKES NO MORES!!
By
lady leatherneck
Jim Johnson explains the anatomy of the shoulder first followed by what studies have shown and why their findings are important. Not interested in the theory? Suggest you scan it anyway. Yes, he does provide exercises, a few key exercises for each type of shoulder problem. Great for self-diagnosis since, from his descriptions, you match where your pain is to the anatomical problem. Amazon asks periodically if they can buy this book back from me. No way, Jose! It's a keeper; never can tell when I, a friend, or loved one will need its information and exercises.
By
A. Gonzalez "Mental Master"
I bought this book after I went to therapy for my rotator cuff, I was with a range of motion of about 60%, after 4 weeks following the exercise protocol I'm about at 85% and getting better, If you have problems with your rotator cuff this book can help you to solve them. 5 stars.
Follow Up...
After 2 months of doing the exercise protocol I'm at 95% of my potential, I can press heavy weights without feeling that pinch in the shoulder, before this book I thought that I'll never get my shoulder to normal range of motion, but now I'm sure that in one month or less I can recuperate my 100% function.
My dad (62 yo) it's also using the exercises after an injury and in 2 weeks he improve a lot.H
By
R. Ron Elmer, CFA, CPA, CFP
I bought this book in hopes it would help my ailing shoulder. Initially, the exercises in the book did not help. I went to a shoulder specialist and after an MRI discovered I had 2 bone spurs that needed surgery. In my case, no amount of exercise was going to help. But, I should also point out that after my surgery, I have avoided needing to go to physical therapy because I have this book and can do the exercises at home.
So, no matter what your shoulder problem, the book is worth a shot. It may help, and if it does not help at first, you can use it after surgery.
By
L. Pecone "luv2read"
I love the no nonsense, get down to the business of fixing your rotator cuff, attitude this book exudes. Super easy to follow along with and really excellent stretches, as well as exercises. I have been trying to fix my shoulder and neck issues for several years now. This book is doing the trick. My pain is lessened in just 2 weeks of owning and using this.
By
J. Turner
In a world filled w/ "opinions", its nice to see a book that draws conclusions which are backed by studies. It is not a giant book, but the pages are filled with educational information that teaches you how the shoulder works, how the shoulder fails, how to strengthen it, and why that's important - all the while citing research studies which are the basis for the author's conclusions and advice. I buy a lot from Amazon but I've never written a review before - that's how impressed I am with this book.
By
David A. Walker
Excellent book. I sorted out my rotor cuff issue in 6 weeks with the exercises the book recommended.
By
No pain
I normally dont write reviews but I just had to for this book. After months of rotator cuff pain this was my last resort before going into surgery. my mobility was down to 30 percent...I followed the intermediate regime and honestly after 3 months I was completely healed I am still at 100% mobility..if you are thinking about it do it...my best investment in over 5 years...
By
Adele
easy to understand. easy illustrations make sense. great exercises. would recommend this book to anyone who has a rotator cuff problem or shoulder problem.
By
Salim Mitha "BusterBuster"
This manual is really well written in that the explanations build to build a better awareness.
Additionally, the insights on optimal number of reps and optimal amount of time for stretching & weight exercises is really fascinating.
I am only one week in, and i feel that i am on the road to healing my shoulder
Fingers crossed!
By
Frank
i wish i had found this book months ago. it has helped me tremendously, i love the way the book is laid out. i've learned how my shoulder works and what things do. i understand the fundamentals behind what i'm supposed to be doing. i didn't believe my dr or any thing until i read this book. i'm very glad i bought this book.
By
Reuben
explains the rotator cuff well and hopefully well keep me from damaging my rotator cuff more , a little to soon to tell how well it works.
By
A. Carbery
This book gives great insight as to the working of the shoulder,as well as all of the connecting tissues. This is not written on such a level that you will not understand the text, it is clear cut with direct ideas, that will save you having to go to a rehab center and pay big bucks to learn. I would suggest buying this book if you ever had a shoulder injury.
By
Richard B. Barnaby
I BOUGHT THIS TO HELP ME WITH SHOULDER PAIN FROM TOO MUCH SQUASH THE BOOK IS FULL OF GREAT EXERCISES AND I WAS ENCOUAGED TO USE IT MORE AND MORE WITH THE EXERCISES AND SOME MASSAGE THERAPY I WAS BACK ON THE SQUASH COURT WITHIN 8 WEEKS I FOUND IT EASY TO READ AND VERY HELPFUL I SUGGEST ANYONE WHO USES IT WITH MASSAGE THERAPY WILL HAVE POSITIVE RESULTS
By
Essie
Great book. Very easy to understand the rotator cuff after reading this. I'm still working on the exercises. Very informative and well done.
By
KEVIN MCGOVERN -
The book arrived and I thought I had wasted my money, nothing included that I could not find for free on the net.
Then I read it, the book is extremely well written, in a style for the layman and in a way that really helps you understand the issues, alternatives and solutions. I could not be more impressed (I wish he'd write one about knees!).
Would really recommend, the exercises you can find elsewhere but I personally found the background puts them in context, a great guide to the shoulder.
By
Mrs Valerie A. Shelley
A great book to use between Dr's visit and getting
a physio appointment - in fact the exercises are
good, advice sensible in every way.
By
marisol "Arlene"
This book was exactly what the doctor ordered - this special person is feeling so much better after following the advice and exercises in this book. It was perfect.
By
Karen Mardlin
After being diagnosed with a rotator cuff problem, this book was recommended to me by a physiotherapist. The book is very useful and gives detailed exercises to and a plan to follow. I would highly recommend this book. Money well spent in my opinon.
By
Dutchdude
Suffering from calcifying tendinitis I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but after doing the excersises for several months now I must say it does help with the healing process. I have no or a lot less pain in my shoulder and the mobility and strength is slowly returning. I will definitely keep it up and continue the excersises to heal my shoulders.
By
GB
This book really helps. I have had many shoulder injuries over the years and this pulls together many simple exercises that when done on a regular basis as instructed will not only help but also seem to prevent problems from arising.
They are great little exercises to keep your shoulders supple and stable so it will benefit you not only if you have an injury but also long term.
Simple and concise with illustrations along with a strategy/program of routines. Well worth it if you have shoulder problems or are concerned that you might be aggravating your shoulders.
Levent
I purchased this book after tearing my Supraspinatus Tendon along with the Teres Minor. The pain was major and I couldn't even lift my left arm.
I train at Thai Boxing and couldn't even imagine doing so again as the physios were reluctant to give my any guarantees. Anyway, I bought this book and slowly and thoroughly went through all the exercises and stretches mentioned within. Afer a few weeks I was able to elevate my arm more with less impingement, and after two months had significantly improved muscle mass, strength and range of motion. I now train again and my shoulders are more developed and stronger than before the initial tear.
I continue to use the exercises detailed in this book routinely and would recommend anyone, with or without rotator cuff problems, to follow the program, if you do, you will certainly see the results. The book is well written, humorous and has easy to follow diagrams so that anyone can follow and learn.
By
drteeth
I am a performing professional musician in mid-50's; shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, neck and spine are all crucially important to my work. After two years of suffering supraspinatal tendonitis I discovered this volume. It has made my life much easier, my work is a pleasure once again. The anatomy of the shoulder is well introduced with clear diagrams and perspectives, and the processes of working it towards health are explained. I now hope to work until pension age without having to take early retirement. Thank you Mr Johnson
By
Lynda Mayo
After falling downstairs and having a torn rotator cuff and separated the a.c joint I found this book gave me an understanding of how I could rehabilitate myself with simple to understand and perform exercises.. The book is full encouragement and gives realistic advice.. It has taken four months for a full recovery but I am grateful for the self confidence and knowledge it gave to me. I would recommend this book but would say that it is important to persevere with the exercise program and follow it diligently and accurately in order to obtain the best results,
By
mrs L O'Donohoe
I recommend this book. Everything you need to know and can do to help yourself is written in this book. It is easy to follow and works. I am getting better and have far less pain in just two weeks!
By
m19n
This is a brief, well-written, practically oriented, evidence-based guide that helped me make a lot of progress in solving a long-standing painful problem. I wouldn't replace professional physiotherapy advice with it, but it's a very valuable supplement, and I will go on doing the exercises it recommends as a preventative measure long after my current problems go away.
By
mr ian m bird
This is a well presented book with good explanation and diagrams.The exercises are also described adequately.
Be sure to follow the advice as shown if you want a result.
By
Davedandy
So, I've been doing the exercises and stretches prescribed in this book for about 6 weeks now, which is a good amount of time to write a review with some credibility.
I've been having shoulder problems for about 5 years, been getting progressively worse, I'm 30 years old, Male. I'm sporty and in good shape. My shoulders click and pop with almost all movement, gets painful and inflamed
So far treatments I've tried:
- Doctor - Anti-inflammatories (useless)
- Doctor - Ultrasound (visual) (useless - other than it told me I had a problem - which I already knew)
- Doctor - Steroid injection (useless)
- Doctor - Referred to physio
- Physio - Exercises prescribed, little to no improvement doing exercises almost everyday for 3-4 months
- Chiropractor - Helpful advice, suggested back stretcher as poor posture was a factor.
- Finally this book - 6 weeks of doing exercises for about 10-15 mins 5 days a week, very manageable. Definitely seeing an improvement in mobility, strength, function, less pain, less clicking.
All in all money well spent, simple, practical, effective treatment. The right exercises applied in the correct manner.
Thanks Jim Johnson, I was beginning to despair...
By
erik skas "Say something about yourself!"
Nice book. Did not take too long reading it, and it made me understand my shoulders better.
I have recommended it to serveral other of my friend as well.
Regards Erik
By
Mr. M. A. Cook "MAC"
Having suffered for the best part of a year with shoulder problems I set about research and came up with this ideal book which expalined step by step the exercises to combat the various problems surrounding this complex limb ......
I cannot recommend enough to buy this book and try the exercises...
By
Mr. Gareth J. Millar
I bought this book as an alternative to going to a physio. In my experience a physio trip involves a few stretches and a bit of ultra sound plus a £40 bill at the end. I have been using this book for a week now and the exercises recommended in the "intermediate" section have already started to allievate a lot of the acute pain and restricted movement I had been experiencing. I had been overtraining shoulder pressing with kettlebells and as such have been experiencing pain under my AC joint as the result of bad form (on my part). This book gives you specific exercises to perform to stretch and strengthen the rotator cuff. It's a very specifc book for a very specific joint.. Well worth the money.. next week I will start the advanced section and plan to keep these exercises up in order to ensure a healthy and strong rotator cuff.. great times!
By
smurfeile "s.m"
This book is the best self help book for any type of shoulder problems.I found the excercises concise,well explained, easy to follow and they dont require special equipment. Also they are easy to incorporate into a busy shedule.The results are well worth it with an improvment in movement and pain after 7 to 10 days.I can feel the strength increasing from day to day and for my chronic shoulder problems of 15yrs this is a result I didnt expect.Dont pass by this book.Read it and just get on with the excercises.You wont be disappointed.
By
Dave
Excellently written book.
THis seems to have "hit the nail on the head" for me. Its not over complicated but it goes into enough detail on why you may have shoulder problems & how shoulders work. It also mentions the studies & proof should you doubt what is being written.
The end chapters on the stretches & exercises to strengthen your shoulders are perfectly laid out. Clear with pictures & a summary table at the end.
I love clear & simple things that work, which is exactly what this book is.
Im glad someone is writing something that makes sense to me!
By
Chris53P
Having been treating people with rotator cuff disorders for many years, I have been pleasantly surprised by Jim Johnson's extremely readable book, which is clear enough to enable those with little or no knowledge of anatomy or exercise to effectively self treat this very common problem.
I particularly like the non-technical way he explains the evidence base for the exercises and advice he gives, and asks and answers the questions many physio's and sport's therapists would really like satisfactory answers to. For example: How long, how many times and how frequently should I stretch? How hard should I work, how much should I load the muscle? How many reps? How many times per week, and how often do i have to do the exercise to maintain the strength i have gained?
The line drawings could be improved upon and I would have preferred it to be a bit smaller, so that it would sit more easily in my work bag along with "Treat Your Own Strains,Sprains and Bruises". However, these are minor points, overall it is a very helpful book of equal value to practitioners and suffers alike.
By
ReservoirDawg
I injured my rotator cuffs when I have 18 and didn't do too much about it for almost 10 years. Somehow I stumbled across this book on Amazon and decided to give it a shot and I am glad I did.
This book is, 1) Short 2) Easy to read as it is written in simple language 3) Explains the anatomy of the shoulder beautifully 4) Lists exercises and stretches that are extremely simple and extremely helpful
Since I started doing the stretches and exercises mentioned in this beautiful little book, my shoulder looks and feels much better and they feel a lot stronger. Like I mentioned earlier - the stretches and exercises are very simple and some people (like my flatmate) might not believe they work. THEY DO! If one does them on a consistent basis, their condition will most definitely improve.
I am extremely glad I purchased this book. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended.
By
a Senior Citizen Couple
I ordered this book for my brother-in-law who has experienced shoulder pain and not being able to lift his arm higher than shoulder level due to a rotator cuff injury he received in the past. I recommended it to him because of the wonderful results I got using the information in this book to treat my own right shoulder pain.
Having previously read, Jim Johnson's, The Sixty-Second Motivator, and finding it very helpful, I can tell you that I certainly had the motivation to try and stick with an exercise that would relieve my painful and restricting condition. And it sounded to me like my brother-in-law was in the same boat.
I used the Sidelying External Rotation exercise on page 55 of the rotator cuff book and got great results. The first time I tried it I could only manage to raise a 20 ounce can of pineapple about half way up less than ten times. I found the detailed instruction, precautions and notes particularly helpful and feel that carefully following them was why I experienced the gradual recovery. My wife sat beside me making sure I did the exercise slowly and exactly as the book states. After about four weeks I actually worked up to fully raising the can of pineapple 20 times. Later on I increased the weight little by little and began to feel good enough to resume some of the more physically demanding activities on our small farm.
Last week I was actually able to assist with harvesting our hay and didn't suffer during or afterward from any of the shoulder pain or stiffness that I had previously experienced many times. Yes, I was careful about what I did and how I worked, but for me to even attempt to try stacking a 60 pound bale of hay was completely out of the question a few months ago. I went from shoulder pain that caused me sleepless nites and not being able to lift my right arm any higher than shoulder level, to what I consider a darned good day's work.
This book is a real bargain and indeed I consider it invaluable when I think about how it helped me. And as you can see, I heartily recommend it.
By
Mr. S. F. Veal
This book will aid you in improving a number of different arm/shoulder problems. Once you have the benefits and improvements that result from doing the exercises do not overdo them because that way lies madness and tennis elbow which has taken 3.5 months to recover but that was my fault and nothing to do with the book.
By
P. Jackson
Fantastic book!
I had rotator cuff problems from excessive chin ups and dips.
I had to lay off these exercises for a long time.
I found this book, followed the simple instructions and 6 weeks into the shoulder exercise regime, my shoulders are now feeling strong enough to get back to the chin up bar.
Thoroughly recommended!
Short but sweet
By
Unrocklike
Pitched at a good level in terms of explanations but rightly dedicates most of the book to stretching and strengthening exercises. One visit to a physion would cost 5 times as much.
By
A.N.Other
I bought this book to help strengthen my shoulders and avoid injury with weight lifting. Using the stretches and exercises in this book has kept things in balance. It's a well-written book, using well-sourced information that also dispels some of the myths that surround exercising with weight/intensity.
All in all, very good. A little expensive for the size of book perhaps, and you will find most of the exercises available elsewhere. The value of the book is in its structure, and background of research. My only complaint really is with the quality of the diagrams - they are simply awful. They're badly-drawn, too small, and often poorly annotated. For an understanding of your shoulder's anatomy you would be better off referring to some other material in conjunction with this book.
By
Keiron12
Got this for my dad and he raved about it. The exercises really seemed to help him with what had become a very chronic condition. Well worth a read if your suffering shoulder pain.
By
Vera
From reading the book from start to finish it was very easy to understand and the exercises were easy to follow. If you do what the book states and exercise/strengthen every day you will be able to cure or keep under control your problem Rotator Cuff injury. A great book to actually be able to help cure/contol yourself and not just take pain killers. I would recommend.
By
Hypo
I injured both my rotor cuff and elbow, practicing Wing Chun Kung Fu. After two weeks I went to see an osteopath to get rid of the initial pain, I couldn't hold shopping bags or lift pretty much anything for any length of time. I bought this book, at the end of February having few options left, before this I had little to no interest or understanding in exercise, weights etc.
After a month of following the exercises I thought I would write this review, this book is easy to understand and requires very little equipment, just a set of dumbbells of low weights. Now I have full range of motion back in my arm, it isn't as strong as it was before the injury but I'll get there. This book will help with an injured rotor cuff! You just have to stick at it, it may take a while to see results but they will come. After a month of these exercises I can now practice kung fu again with very few problems, my only persisting problem is that I can no longer sit at the PC for 6 - 8 hours a time playing games, which in its self has allowed me to find time for other things. I believe that as I continue following this program my remaining problems will disappear.
Also you don't have to give up your entire day or afternoon, I can do the stretching exercises in less than 10 minutes and the strengthening exercises in the same time. So for less than 20 minutes a few times a few a week I am pain free, sounds like a bargain to me.
By
TrueBlue&White
Very well researched text, with good easy to follow explanations of the simple exercises. WTreat Your Own Rotator Cuffould recommend this book for people with this type of complaint.
By
Stilt Wiltafacation
I could have saved over $1500 in doctor and physical therapy bills had I read this book after the first Dr visit. If you have shoulder pain, please don't hesitate, buy this book! I now have an immense respect for Jim Johnson.
After 5 months of little progress, I finally found this book and about 6 weeks later I'm back to all my normal sports, full tilt.
The research on strength building and stretching in general was mind blowing! Wow, how could this information be so hidden? Unfortunately, too many people profit from non-health.
JJ will show you the absolute fastest and most efficient way to fix your shoulder. By all means, get several opinions before getting surgery. Both doctors left surgery on the table when my tear was very minor.
Yes, they do not want you to read this book!
Jim, if you're reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are a great man.
P.S. Even if you never had any back issues, buy his back book. After you build up core strength in your back (2 minutes, 3 times a week, yes, really) then you only need to do it once a week to maintain that strength. And no stretching needed. A small price to pay to avoid back pain.
By
S. Marsh
I hurt my rotator cuffs doing some bag work. I waited a long time (I'm a guy) to go into an ortho. He gave me the advice to work on my posture, lose weight and a photocopy of some exercises to do. Told me that how I injured myself didn't matter, fixing it was what counted. Well, posture and losing weight solved that problem.
Had a completely different feeling problem. Went back after eight months of worsening pain. Same diagnosis, they told me it was "referred pain" which was why it felt completely different. Same exercises. You can find them all over the internet.
Didn't do much for me. I slowly got more or less better on my own. But, I had nagging pain every morning, the exercises and stretches did nothing for me.
Rather than go back, I decided to try this book first, based on recommendations from a friend I followed up.
First, the explanations aside, the core of the book is short. You are only going to do about four exercises and four stretches at any one time. There are routines for severe to very mild problems (beginning to advanced).
Second, the explanations made sense and I've been able to apply them to a few other areas.
But, it has been less than a month and I'm waking up pain free from time to time, the first time in a very long time.
Would I pay this much for a paperback? Not usually, but it was a lot better than blowing half a day off from work seeing the ortho sports med guy again. Would I buy a book when the internet is swimming with essays, charts, etc.?
Well, but for the fact it works and the free stuff didn't, no. But the free stuff doesn't quite put it all together the way this does and it didn't quite do the trick.
If you've got pain, if your doctor's routines haven't really done much for you, if the internet hasn't led you anywhere new, you might really want to try this book. It has details on how to do things, number of repetitions, how long to hold the stretches, etc.
Simple? Yes. Five to ten minutes a day simple, but just the right five to ten minutes a day have made all the difference for me.
By
K. Robinson
I found Jim Johnson's book to contain an amazing amount of information in a relatively short read. There are several very good reviews that detail what he covers in this book so I'll stick to points not covered by the other reviews.
First, yes, it is a small book. This is actually a bonus because he covers the pertinant material thoroughly but keeps the book to a size easily read in one sitting. This is important when you are looking for answers and not a lengthy read. I found illustrations and the text were all useful - there is no filler or fluff in this book.
Second - the stretches and exercises are explained in detail so you can be comfortable with the knowledge you are doing it right. So, as you follow one of the 3 programs laid out, you can refer back to the detailed descriptions and illustration as needed. If you are a picture person and not a verbal person, this is priceless to have on hand.
Third - the information on how to distinguish the different types of injuries and how to approach rehabilitation gave me insight to what was going on with my own injury that no professional I had taken this problem to have ever bothered to explain. Again, illustrations were to the point and provided clarity that words can't always deliver.
Last, I have sought medical advice with my shoulder problems off and on for years yet this book gave me more information in a 30 minute read than I had gotten in any consultation. This book is priced around $30 retail and that is far less than a doctor or physio visit.
Note that I am *NOT* saying to skip seeking medical advice, I am saying that this book gives you a ready reference to supplement your knowledge and to keep on hand while treating your injury. If you are like me, the shoulder problems you have will quite possibly reoccur as time goes by and you either quit doing the exercises and revert to bad habits or if you find a new way to injure yourself. So, having this book handy for reference is far more economical the returning to the doctor over and over again.
By
Phyllis Staff
Just the information needed to help you and not more! That's "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff." Johnson writes clearly for the non-medical-professional, so you'll understand his message easily and get started right away (today).
About six months ago, I fell. A perfect four-point landing, I thought at the time, but it turned out to be more, much more. Within a month I began having trouble pulling a shirt on over my head. Then shoulder and arm pain settled in full time.
I decided to forego conventional medical treatment (for example, shots and surgery), and the pain continued. In fact, it not only continued, but grew so much worse that I considered revising my decision about the shots. However, finding this book and reading the glowing recommendations for it, I decided giving managing the problem on my own one last try.
Of course, getting the book did not solve the problem by itself. I had to use the information to stretch and exercise. So I did, and, sure enough, after a couple of weeks I saw both improved range of motion and less pain.
The stretches and exercises are not necessarily pleasant, but the results make it worth the effort.
If you have rotator cuff pain, get this book. Regardless of whether you decide on conventional solutions to the problem, you'll need the stretches and exercises to regain full range of motion. Stick with the program. It works!
Highly recommended.
By
George Robillad
This is the second book of Jim Johnson's that I have bought. The first one fixed my back pains with a simple exercise to strengthen the Multifidus muscles.
The exercises in this book has significantly reduced pain and increased mobility in my left shoulder, allowing me to sleep through the night and lift my arm over my shoulder.
By
Patrick D. Goonan
This is a great book that concisely explains the anatomy and physiology of the rotator cuff including the bones, muscles, biomechanics, etc. in just enough detail for the average person to understand. It also describes how to distinguish between different types of injuries, how to approach rehabilitating them and collects a lot of rotator cuff injuries in one small volume. While the book is rather expensive for its size, it packs a lot of well-explained information into a small space.
I'm an ex-physiology teaching fellow and scientist. I thought this book was great and turned something that is often difficult to explain into something anyone who can read can understand. The diagrams are good and the book contains no unnecessary detail.
I also agree with other reviewers that while Jim Johnson isn't an expert on rotator cuffs, his book is thoroughly researched and he does have a PT credential and has undoubtedly had 15 years of clinical experience in a teaching hospital environment. This suggests he has a very good nuts and bolts understanding and hands-on experience.
By
Ken Ashe
I was afraid I would never be able to lift weights again. Both of my shoulders were in pain, even causing me to have to lie on my back to sleep. I read this book carefully, and have followed the exercise exactly as he directs, and I have zero pain in my shoulders now ! Zero ! And I'm back to lifting weights !
I can't tell you how impressed I am with the research that went into Mr. Johnson's work. He only goes by scientific evidence based upon peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials. This stuff really works!
By the way, I had the same experience with my back problems after reading "Treat Your Own Back" by Dr. McKenzie
Thank you Mr. Johnson!
Ken
By
lighten_up_already2 "lighten_up_already2"
I suffered a rotator cuff injury about five weeks ago that left me with little pain but some restricted movement. I'm under the care of a physical therapist right now, and I bought this book to get a cheap second opinion on how to treat this injury.
The highlights of this book include a brief but well written overview of just what a rotator cuff is and how it works. I wish the drawings were larger and clearer, and that's why I coulndn't give this book a five star rating.
The other highlight, to me anyway, is the section containing descriptions of all the exercises that are used to rehabilitate a rotator cuff.
That said, I don't think this book actually gave me any knowledge that I would not have already obtained without it. Just during doctor and physical therapy visits I learned all about the rotator cuff and the bones and muscles, and that the one thing that is needed to settle exactly what injury you are dealing with is an MRI. Also, the exercise descriptions are rather standard and ironically my physical therapist assigned me three new exercises the morning after I read about them in this book.
Still, this book was enouraging to me if for no other reason that it quoted a number of studies that prove the importance of exercise to rehabilitate a shoulder after such an injury.
But the bottom line to me is that nobody should just try to "treat their own" rotator cuff injury without consultation with a doctor and without some physical therapy.
Postscript. About a year after my injury occurred, it had corrected itself. My sports doctor said it would take about a year to heal, and that's exactly what happened. No exercises seemed to make a difference. It seemed to be a minor inflammation of a lining around a bone in a socket, and when that inflammation goes away, movement returns.
Excellent book, very efficient program, May 21, 2009
By
D. Peters
I went thru physical therapy to treat my rotator cuffs - I have had issues with both. It worked, but only after several weeks and I had worked up to 1-1.5 hours of shoulder exercises, 3 times per week! After therapy, the recommended home program was virtually the same. I didn't have the time to keep up and the problem came back in one of my shoulders. Ever since I have been trying to figure out which exercises really matter, because I don't have time to do them all.
In this book it was done for me. The author focuses on a few simple stretches and exercises, but his research shows they are the ones that matter most. I've been doing the program for about 4 weeks now and my shoulder is much, much better. Not 100% yet, but I can finally throw a ball again. I have a young son and haven't even been able to play catch with him until now. And very importantly, this program takes so little time I can keep up with it, to prevent problems from coming back.
By
L Willis
I was very impressed with this book as soon as I thumbed through it. The first section has diagrams and definitions of the shoulder. The anatomy and physiology are explained in grade school terms. (this is very helpful to people that are in so much pain that they can't think straight)
I have just had rotator cuff surgery and have been through physical therapy several times for rotator cuff problems. The exercises are identical to some of the exercises that the physical therapists teach us.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with rotator cuff problems, however, if your symptoms are not improving you will need to get an MRI to determine if you have tears or bone spurs.
By
Susanna Hutcheson
I've had rotator cuff problems with both shoulders. The problem is increased by bursitis and other issues. So I was grateful to get the useful information in this book.
The book is based on fact, not opinion. The author first gives you a description of the shoulder and the rotator cuff and its relationship to the muscle and tendons and bones.
Then you're given stretches and exercises to do in relationship to how much pain and lack of mobility you have at the time you start the program. It's comforting to know that you are empowered to make yourself better and to rehabilitate yourself. And this book definitely gives you that ability.
I noticed that there was one or two wonderful stretches that were not included in the book. But the ones included work. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever suffered shoulder problems or anyone who lifts weights or works out. It helps prevent as well as heal shoulder pain and mobility problems.
- Susanna K. Hutcheson
By
G. Weis "weis_jerry"
After two weeks of following the exercises in this book, I made more progress than six weeks of PT. I like this book because not only does the author explain what to do, he also explains WHY.
By
John W. Wendt
For starters, I had not one but two injured shoulders. Each was injured in a different way, and the injuries affected different parts of the rotator cuff. The first injury had my right shoulder sub-optimal for over a year. After the second injury (from a bike accident), I was pretty close to being incapacitated. Things like...how shall I say this...using toilet paper...were agonizing. Even though I can be a stubborn jack-ass about not getting injuries treated, the thought of having someone to help me in the toilet completely broke me down and made me buy this book!
In 6 weeks, I was much improved. Three months later, and I am fully functional, lifting more weights in the gym than ever, not even aware of having been injured. I've had this book make the rounds with 2 of my work colleagues, who are much better for it. I've built up my shoulders to the point that future injury is much less likely.
What's great about this book? It could be entitled, "Shoulder injuries for dummies." It is written at about a 3rd grade reading comprehension level. To me, that's a good thing, and a credit to the author to boil down the complexities of the rotator cuff to where everyone can understand it. And in fact, you don't even really need to understand what's wrong; all you need to do is the exercises. I think that the explanations are just to convince you that the exercises work, so that you will get on with doing them.
As for the exercises, they are ridiculously easy. I mean, two minutes per day, per shoulder (in my case, two shoulders, 4 minutes). The exercises (for building muscle and flexibility) will not cause you pain; in fact, if you are feeling pain, you need to back off to the easier versions. The exercises are simple, require no special equipment, and only take up a couple of pages in an already short book. The author also has some tips to help you to know if your shoulder needs more than what this book can offer.
Is it worth the money? Consider the time you spend suffering and going to physio (if you can afford it) and filling out insurance forms (if you have insurance). Yes, it is worth it. I only wish that more in the medical profession would put patients over profits. Sometimes we need doctors, but often we can treat ourselves with the right knowledge. For rotator cuff injuries, this book is the knowledge you need.
By
N. Kodjak
I second Stilt's review, the only difference being that I was lucky enough not to have any money or insurance so I couldn't afford to get surgery and rehab. Instead I bought Johnson's book and 6 months or so later, my shoulder was 98% healed!!
I can say, without exaggeration, that Johnson gave me my life back! As anyone with a serious rotator cuff injury knows, it is more than a just a shoulder problem. Your whole life starts to go downhill. You can't sleep, takes an hour to get dressed or undressed, have a hard time showering, shaving, or brushing your teeth, hell, I used to have to pick up my arm to shake someone's hand!
By
my review 4 U
6 months ago I was diagnosed with an impinged rotator cuff (truly think it was the doctors best guess). Avoiding the options of anti-inflammatories/injections I chose physical therapy, which brought to surface additional issues related to neck and nerves. While physical therapy helped me regain movement, I still suffered from major setbacks/pain and felt that I had reached a plateau in recovery. I was quite discouraged and decided to give the physical therapy a break.
After reading the reviews of "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff" I ordered the book. I was very surprised that in my 6 months of treatment none of my medical providers ever showed me visual images of what the rotator cuff looked like or how it was connected to the rest of my shoulder area. I was also shocked to discover that my physical therapist had only shown me 2 strength exercises and 1 stretching exercise. That being said, I read the book, which is very clear and well written and started the exercise routines. I have been doing the routines for several weeks and have noticed marked improvement in my flexibility, strength, and reduction in pain. I have been able to sleep on my side again, without pain or my hands going numb.
My husband, who is also plagued by shoulder issues and has been through physical therapy, started doing the exercises too and mentioned an improvement.
I highly recommend this book. It is based on scientific research and offers the tried and tested exercises to gain measurable results. The exercises don't take long and do not require any specialized equipment. The book is well worth the price.
By
T. Bundrick "Tboom49"
UPDATE 11/23/11 - I don't usually "update" my reviews as some do, but I wanted to extol the virtues of this very simple yet effective book and support the author in any way I can. Chances are if you are looking at reviews then you are where I was about two weeks ago. Searing, agonizing pain in my left shoulder anytime I lifted or rotated my arm a certain way. I have been doing these exercises for less than a week and I would estimate an almost complete recovery in my left shoulder. This is the same shoulder attached to the same arm that I couldn't lift to put on a sweater just ONE WEEK AGO. When sitting in a chair with arm-rests I had to keep my arm by my side because placing it on an arm-rest caused intense pain. I have been performing the stretching exercises the author recommends twice daily and will begin the strength training exercises as soon as I obtain a pair of light weights. I now understand that I have an inherent weakness in this shoulder so I hopefully continue doing these exercises. Once again, it is astonishing how quickly these exercises corrected my shoulder problems. To the author, once again, thank you....
On a recent episode of PARKS AND RECREATION, the character of Ron Swanson comments on his philosophy of recommendations. He states (and I am abbreviating) that he doesn't recommend anything he doesn't use and love. He then goes on to extol the virtues of a "military-issue mustache trimmer". Funny stuff. What isn't funny was the pain and discomfort I experienced until I purchased this invaluable book. As background, I am a 52 year old male, in reasonably decent shape. I do quite a bit of work around our house, which we just recently renovated. Lots of lifting, cutting, chopping, sawing....so a great deal of shoulder strain. About 3 months ago I developed a slightly stiff shoulder. Within a month this pain became almost unbearable. I was unable to lift my arm above shoulder length without SEARING pain in my shoulder area. My shoulder would not rotate, instead I had to move my entire body to accommodate my aching shoulder. I tried a prescription of Prednisone and when that didn't help I started taking three or four Advil just to do the basic, daily chores. I tried icing the shoulder, then slathering it with one of about 10 different rub-on liniments that people had recommended. I tried hot baths and hot showers. I used a compression shirt from UnderArmour because that seemed to help with my sore tennis elbow at times. Sleeping at night was a nightmare because every time I turned over the shoulder pain would wake me up. In fact, the only activity that provided any relief was raking leaves. Something in that motion was stretching out a muscle or a tendon, but then I ran out of leaves to rake. (One of the exercises in this book mimics the action of leaf-raking). All of these remedies provided at best, temporary relief. I never consulted a doctor or had an MRI done on the shoulder, but friends told me I had a frozen shoulder and possibly a tear in my rotator cuff. The pain got worse and worse until about a week ago when I needed help to raise my arm high enough so I could wear a sweater.
Three days ago I received this book. Instead of just rushing to the chapters where the exercises are located I started at the beginning and I am really glad I did. The author provides detailed explanations and drawings, which fully describe the various joints, muscles, and tendons at work in the shoulder area. Then I got to the stretching exercises. After doing all the exercises that first day I noticed I slept a little more comfortably that evening. On the second day of performing the exercises I noticed about a 10% reduction in pain with some improved mobility. Now it is day three and I can't believe it but I CAN LIFT MY ARM ABOVE MY HEAD. Yes of course there is still some pain, but it isn't the searing stabbing pain I had experienced. In fact I just reached up for something on a high shelf without experiencing any stabbing pain. THESE EXERCISES REALLY DO WORK. I don't know if the exercises will work for everyone with agonizing shoulder pain but it is working for me. I cannot thank this author enough for making this book available so thank you, thank you, thank you!
By
Yakutat
When I was diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, I first tried physical therapy at a clinic recommended by my doctor. Dissatisfied with my progress and with the explanations I was given for the course of treatment I was receiving, I decided to research the topic. I got 5 or 6 often-recommended books that dealt with rotator cuff tears. This book was far and away the best (and the only one I ended up keeping). What sets it apart from the other books is that all of the advice is based on actual scientific studies rather than some doctor's or some physical therapist's subjective "experience". Much of what was recommended in the other books, and much of what was being recommended to me by the physical therapists that were treating me, has in no basis in science at all. Using the advice in this book, I was able to design my own therapy program that proved to be very effective. Highest possible recommendation.
By
C. WellsJr
I ordered this book after injuring my left shoulder at work. I am a paramedic and familiar with the shoulder anatomy, and was skeptical this would work. After thirty days, though, I am skeptical no longer! I am now almost pain-free. A lot cheaper than surgery! I mean, why not try it? If you wait and have to have surgery, you'll wind up doing the exercises anyway in rehab afterwards!!! Highly recommended.
By
Blake Cooper "the blaster"
A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all others of its ilk. A job very-well done!
The next reason that I really like this book is that it only takes a few minutes per day to do the exercises. Yes, folks, rehabilitating your shoulders can really be done without needing to place the rest of your life on hold to make time for endless physical-therapy visits and countless mind-numbingly-boring exercises. While the exercises are still mind-numbingly-boring, you can finish them up well before your favorite news program has finished its coverage of the war in Afghanistan and moved on to the war in Iraq!
And are the exercises in the book effective? I have to admit that as soon as I realized that they were based on actual scientific evidence, my placebo response went into full swing, and my shoulders felt better before I had even started the exercises!
However, I've now been doing the exercises for around three months, long-enough for the placebo response to wear off, and my shoulders have definitely improved. The trick for me is to be consistent and do the exercises as specified. I found that it helped to read the book a second time, because I had missed and forgotten important details.
I highly recommend this book!
By
James E. Trost "JET"
Overall the book was useful. I was actually receiving therapy (physical) for my shoulder when I bought the book, hoping it would help me once therapy ended. The book was useful, explaining some things more clearly than my physical therapist (PT). Some of the explanations seemed unnecessary. Initially, there was a discussion of a study trial the author used to validate that what he was saying had been verified. This was good. However, he used this sort of discussion repeatedly to validate other statements. Really, I think I could use the first one as proof of the validity of his statements without the repeated "justification". A couple of exercises could have been explained a bit better ("stand facing a wall" ... but he never said how far from the wall) and more visuals would have been useful. On the good side, the exercises in the book were for the most part similar to what the PT had me do and I picked up a couple of additional ones from the book. For someone who doesn't want to, or can't afford to go the PT route, this is a worthwhile book.
By
Canman
This book contains ALL the right stuff to heal your shoulder. Other books have lots of information, but what a person needs is a specific program for recovery. This book is just that.If you have a Rotor Cuff injury you need this book.It contains a rock solid base on which to start the healing process. Then you can add more to your exercise program as your strength improves with other books, but really this book has everything you need. A solid 10!
By
FunHog
This information is excellent. You could find it by hunting around the internet and youtube on how to rehab/prehab your rotator cuff, but the author puts it all in one spot for you. The explainations of the anatomy and mechanics of the shoulder joint are very good, understandable and not overwhelming.
The stretches and exercises are simple and divided in to three sections: beginer, intermediate, and advanced. They are grouped depending on your range of motion/injury severity. The book gives you the tests to check your ROM.
Here's the testimonial: I am a life long athlete and been blessed with few injuries over time. I am dedicated to strength training in conjunction with the sports I do and do a lot of overhead lifts. I swim, run, mountain bike and am a serious rock climber. I developed a pinch in my rear shoulder that was causing a weakness in my overhead lifts. I tried to train through it, but it was becoming more painful. I was considering going to an ortho, which is always the last resort, but after poking around the net and finding some exercises and stretches, I cured it to about 80%. I picked up this book and now I am 100% and have full ROM and strength. I could have saved a ton of time and effort if I had known about this book from the start.
The author addresses everyone from the senior citizen to the conditioned athlete and discusses how by doing the simple exercises and stretches a few minutes (literally - the routines only take about 5min a day) a day after you are 100% you can maintain the strength in your rotator cuff muscles as what many would call "pre-hab." He also supports his information with scientific studies. This was very impressive to me because I have read some of the same studies dealing with theories on stretching and strength training (physiology and training is an interest of mine and I read about it often).
It is well worth the price, even though it is a short book.
By
N. Johnson
I bought this book in the hopes of avoiding the cost$ of physical therapy. I followed the book to a T and my pain is mostly gone. It's not overnight, the progress is gradual.
The first thing I really noticed was that I didn't have pain getting dressed. This happened about a week or two into it.
After about three weeks, I experienced less pain during my everyday movements. Eventually, I was able to get back to physical activity. It's been about 3 months now and I'm doing great.
I had a glitch recently when I went swimming and experienced pain - probably b/c a swimming stroke isn't an activity I've done since last summer. I'm using the techniques I learned from the book to try and exercise the muscles that I use swimming.
You do have to keep up the exercises in order to not slip back into tendonitis or whatever's bugging you. I learned this when I got a nasty cold for a couple of weeks. But it doesn't take long at all. If you just want pain relief, you can get it in about 10-15 minutes twice a week. If you want to be physically active - 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. Easy to do while just watching TV.
(And no, I'm not related to the author despite our same last name :)
By
T. Bledsoe "twb"
Well written, easy to understand and follow, extremely helpful. If you are having shoulder problems, this book is for you.
By
Don Carlos
This book is well-written for the non-medical general public. The author is to be complimented.
I am a physician, and have no link to the author; I simply appreciate his able communication to folks who have no knowledge of shoulder anatomy or function.
By
Robert Schreiber "Rob"
I followed the recommendations exactly and my shoulder became pain free in a few months. You do need to actually do the exercises, just owning the book is not enough. 5 times a week - 3 times about 30 mins., 2 times only about 15.
By
Carolyn J.
My husband was helping to move heavy boxes at home and hurt his shoulder. He is a very physical and active guy, and now he could not do anything! He was laying in bed and not going to work. Yikes! Income cut in half! How long was this going to last? The doctor told him his was doing the right thing by "resting". He was in so much pain that he could not even sleep. I could not sleep worrying about the bills.
I found this book and had them send it pronto. I read it before giving it to my husband. The author is a physical therapist and seen many shoulder problems: old and young, mild and severe. He breaks it down for us scientifically.
Basically, your shoulder is made up of four muscles. They each have a special job to do. Together, they all hold the arm bone in the socket. All muscles need to be stretched, strengthened and have increased endurance. He gives the exercises for each muscle for flexibility, strength and endurance. Then he gives three routines for beginning, intermediate and advanced. Everything he says is backed up by studies.
I especially like that each exercise is on one page, so that I can copy them and staple them together in a routine. It has a picture of the exercise, exactly how to do it, and what to pay attention to. Also, the "beginner", "intermediate" and "advanced" routines are each on one page. I copied those and stapled them to the top of each stack exercises.
He also says that according to tests, "doing nothing", does nothing to fix your shoulder. When the muscles are stronger and more flexible, they can do their job and the pain goes away. I am glad I found this book. My husband has just started using it, but I am feeling confident that he will be back to normal soon.
By
Jon C. Van Valkenburgh
For anyone that's having rotator cuff issues, I recommend this book highly. Has just enough technical info to get you acquainted to what is/might be going one, but has a lot of helpful exercises and stretches that should help you get to where you want to be, which is more important, anyway. Highly recommended.
By
R. Stout
If you are over 50 and have painful and limited arm movements due to your rotator cuff, I highly recommend that you buy this book because it certainly worked for me. I'm 61, and about a year ago I had intense pain and very limited range of arm motion in both arms due to rotator cuff injuries. These injuries were due to chronically stressing my shoulders while doing extended house painting and repairs.
Finding this book on Amazon.com was the beginning of my recovery.
I have followed the exercises and stretches described in this book, including the weekly frequencies and reps. Although it's taken nearly a year, likely because of my age, I have almost completely recovered, without costly doctor or PT visits, and without prescription pain medications. I've been pain free for months and have nearly regained full range of motion and strength in both arms.
I had confidence in the author from the beginning because he stressed that his recommendations were supported by the scientific literature (literature citations included!) and not merely anecdotal.
So, thanks Jim Johnson for taking the time and making the effort to write this book.
By
clearHead "clearHead"
The book seems expensive for a thin paperback and I was a little peeved when it arrived. But the exercises really did help.. A *LOT*
By
Tom Bodle
This is an excellent book. I was 55 and physically active (weights and running) when I experienced almost spontaneously pain (quite bothersome) in the arm when reaching. Using this book, the stretching and especially weight training exercises recommended were very helpful. My arm has returned to 98.75% of normal. Kudos to the author.
By
Robert Shaw
Johnson's book is an excellent resource for anyone with rotator cuff issues. It is well written and easy to understand.
By
Ashton Gate
Good introduction to rotator cuff problems, with the right balance of technical information and practical help. The focus on academic literature was reassuring and provides ammunition when discussing these issues with a doctor. I have been following the program and it has worked so far. Does not get 5 stars as it is a little pricey.
By
C. Williams "itwentinmyeye"
So easy to understand! I know have a good knowledge of how the shoulder works. The exercises are very helpful. Got me closer of achieving zero pain. Hardly have pain anymore, mostly tight or a little uncomfortable but that's better than chronic pain ay!! It only takes around 3-4 hours to read. DO IT IF YOU KAIN'T TAKES NO MORES!!
By
lady leatherneck
Jim Johnson explains the anatomy of the shoulder first followed by what studies have shown and why their findings are important. Not interested in the theory? Suggest you scan it anyway. Yes, he does provide exercises, a few key exercises for each type of shoulder problem. Great for self-diagnosis since, from his descriptions, you match where your pain is to the anatomical problem. Amazon asks periodically if they can buy this book back from me. No way, Jose! It's a keeper; never can tell when I, a friend, or loved one will need its information and exercises.
By
A. Gonzalez "Mental Master"
I bought this book after I went to therapy for my rotator cuff, I was with a range of motion of about 60%, after 4 weeks following the exercise protocol I'm about at 85% and getting better, If you have problems with your rotator cuff this book can help you to solve them. 5 stars.
Follow Up...
After 2 months of doing the exercise protocol I'm at 95% of my potential, I can press heavy weights without feeling that pinch in the shoulder, before this book I thought that I'll never get my shoulder to normal range of motion, but now I'm sure that in one month or less I can recuperate my 100% function.
My dad (62 yo) it's also using the exercises after an injury and in 2 weeks he improve a lot.H
By
R. Ron Elmer, CFA, CPA, CFP
I bought this book in hopes it would help my ailing shoulder. Initially, the exercises in the book did not help. I went to a shoulder specialist and after an MRI discovered I had 2 bone spurs that needed surgery. In my case, no amount of exercise was going to help. But, I should also point out that after my surgery, I have avoided needing to go to physical therapy because I have this book and can do the exercises at home.
So, no matter what your shoulder problem, the book is worth a shot. It may help, and if it does not help at first, you can use it after surgery.
By
L. Pecone "luv2read"
I love the no nonsense, get down to the business of fixing your rotator cuff, attitude this book exudes. Super easy to follow along with and really excellent stretches, as well as exercises. I have been trying to fix my shoulder and neck issues for several years now. This book is doing the trick. My pain is lessened in just 2 weeks of owning and using this.
By
J. Turner
In a world filled w/ "opinions", its nice to see a book that draws conclusions which are backed by studies. It is not a giant book, but the pages are filled with educational information that teaches you how the shoulder works, how the shoulder fails, how to strengthen it, and why that's important - all the while citing research studies which are the basis for the author's conclusions and advice. I buy a lot from Amazon but I've never written a review before - that's how impressed I am with this book.
By
David A. Walker
Excellent book. I sorted out my rotor cuff issue in 6 weeks with the exercises the book recommended.
By
No pain
I normally dont write reviews but I just had to for this book. After months of rotator cuff pain this was my last resort before going into surgery. my mobility was down to 30 percent...I followed the intermediate regime and honestly after 3 months I was completely healed I am still at 100% mobility..if you are thinking about it do it...my best investment in over 5 years...
By
Adele
easy to understand. easy illustrations make sense. great exercises. would recommend this book to anyone who has a rotator cuff problem or shoulder problem.
By
Salim Mitha "BusterBuster"
This manual is really well written in that the explanations build to build a better awareness.
Additionally, the insights on optimal number of reps and optimal amount of time for stretching & weight exercises is really fascinating.
I am only one week in, and i feel that i am on the road to healing my shoulder
Fingers crossed!
By
Frank
i wish i had found this book months ago. it has helped me tremendously, i love the way the book is laid out. i've learned how my shoulder works and what things do. i understand the fundamentals behind what i'm supposed to be doing. i didn't believe my dr or any thing until i read this book. i'm very glad i bought this book.
By
Reuben
explains the rotator cuff well and hopefully well keep me from damaging my rotator cuff more , a little to soon to tell how well it works.
By
A. Carbery
This book gives great insight as to the working of the shoulder,as well as all of the connecting tissues. This is not written on such a level that you will not understand the text, it is clear cut with direct ideas, that will save you having to go to a rehab center and pay big bucks to learn. I would suggest buying this book if you ever had a shoulder injury.
By
Richard B. Barnaby
I BOUGHT THIS TO HELP ME WITH SHOULDER PAIN FROM TOO MUCH SQUASH THE BOOK IS FULL OF GREAT EXERCISES AND I WAS ENCOUAGED TO USE IT MORE AND MORE WITH THE EXERCISES AND SOME MASSAGE THERAPY I WAS BACK ON THE SQUASH COURT WITHIN 8 WEEKS I FOUND IT EASY TO READ AND VERY HELPFUL I SUGGEST ANYONE WHO USES IT WITH MASSAGE THERAPY WILL HAVE POSITIVE RESULTS
By
Essie
Great book. Very easy to understand the rotator cuff after reading this. I'm still working on the exercises. Very informative and well done.
By
KEVIN MCGOVERN -
The book arrived and I thought I had wasted my money, nothing included that I could not find for free on the net.
Then I read it, the book is extremely well written, in a style for the layman and in a way that really helps you understand the issues, alternatives and solutions. I could not be more impressed (I wish he'd write one about knees!).
Would really recommend, the exercises you can find elsewhere but I personally found the background puts them in context, a great guide to the shoulder.
By
Mrs Valerie A. Shelley
A great book to use between Dr's visit and getting
a physio appointment - in fact the exercises are
good, advice sensible in every way.
By
marisol "Arlene"
This book was exactly what the doctor ordered - this special person is feeling so much better after following the advice and exercises in this book. It was perfect.
By
Karen Mardlin
After being diagnosed with a rotator cuff problem, this book was recommended to me by a physiotherapist. The book is very useful and gives detailed exercises to and a plan to follow. I would highly recommend this book. Money well spent in my opinon.
By
Dutchdude
Suffering from calcifying tendinitis I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but after doing the excersises for several months now I must say it does help with the healing process. I have no or a lot less pain in my shoulder and the mobility and strength is slowly returning. I will definitely keep it up and continue the excersises to heal my shoulders.
By
GB
This book really helps. I have had many shoulder injuries over the years and this pulls together many simple exercises that when done on a regular basis as instructed will not only help but also seem to prevent problems from arising.
They are great little exercises to keep your shoulders supple and stable so it will benefit you not only if you have an injury but also long term.
Simple and concise with illustrations along with a strategy/program of routines. Well worth it if you have shoulder problems or are concerned that you might be aggravating your shoulders.