Table of Contents

Praise

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One - How Our Body Talks to Us

Chapter 1 - The Path to Pain

The Path to Pain

The Story of Brian

The Whole-Body Approach

Only the Proactive Need Apply

Chapter 2 - A New Perspective

The Body’s Interrelatedness

Our Self-Healing Bodies

The Need to Take Responsibility

The Role of Your Doctor

Taking Charge

Uniquely You

Chapter 3 - Picture Perfect

What Your Posture Tells You about Your Body

How Some Problems Might Start

Like a Pebble Dropped in a Lake

Chapter 4 - Breakdown of the Mechanical Miracle—You!

Tina’s Story

The Unholy Trinity

When Are You Done?

Self-Tests

Chapter 5 - The Physical Laws of Our Bodies

Core Beliefs

Collecting the Data

The Villains We Don’t Think About

The “Healing Deficit”

Chapter 6 - Function First, Everything Else Follows

Dysfunctional Exercise

Functional Exercises

Chapter 7 - Form Follows Function

The Forms

Lifestyle and Occupation Classifications

General Comments about the Exercises before You Begin

Part Two - Regaining Control

Chapter 8 - Form 1 Exercises

Program 1.1

Program 1.2

Program 1.3

Chapter 9 - Form 2 Exercises

Program 2.1

Program 2.2

Program 2.3

Chapter 10 - Form 3 Exercises

Program 3.1

Program 3.2

Program 3.3

Chapter 11 - Form 4 Exercises

Program 4.1

Program 4.2

Program 4.3

Chapter 12 - Form 5 Exercises

Program 5.1

Program 5.2

Program 5.3

Chapter 13 - Form 6 Exercises

Program 6.1

Program 6.2

Program 6.3

Chapter 14 - The “Graduate” Program

HIP ROTATIONS SUPINE

SINGLE-ARM SHOULDER FLEXION

HIP ROTATOR STRETCH (UNASSISTED) (see page 98)

SINGLE-LEG SQUATS

SITTING TO STANDING

COBRA UP

3D HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

DOWNWARD DOG

Index

Advance Praise for The Pain-Free Program

“For decades orthopedists and neurosurgeons told me I’d simply have to put up with my bad back. Anthony Carey told me otherwise. I’ve been living pain free ever since.”

—Parvez Mahmood, M.D., F.A.C.S.

“We all have the capacity to make positive changes to how our body functions and feels. Anthony’s book will walk you through the simple steps of seeing where help is needed and what you can do about it. It’s your body—and, for the most part—you are in charge.”

—Morrissey, Multiplatinum recording artist and former lead singer of the Smiths

“Years of triathlon training and countless international airline flights take a toll on your body in their own unique way. The philosophy that Anthony Carey promotes and practices can erase years of misuse.”

—Jeff Jacobs, President of Global Development for Qualcomm

“The Pain-Free Program is a practical, safe, and effective approach for anyone to take control of their pain. This is a must-have book for those that want to keep control of their health, enhance their life, and live actively.”

—Tom Campanaro, CEO/President of EFI Sports Medicine and Total Gym

“With this book, Anthony Carey is breaking new ground in presenting ways to help us all lead healthier lives.”

—David Meggyesy, Western Director of the N.F.L. Players Association

“As a longtime dance and fitness advocate, I have always understood the importance of proper body alignment and body mechanics. Anthony Carey explains these concepts in depth and provides easy-to-follow exercises to maintain, regain, or prevent loss of physical mobility. I have sent many friends and associates to Anthony, and the result has been lots of happy, pain-free bodies.”

—Judi Sheppard Missett, Jazzercise Founder and CEO

“Read this book and open your eyes to a world of possibilities and hope for helping your aches and pains.”

—Greg Nelson, Cofounder and Board of Directors of Bregg Orthopedics

“The Pain-Free Program is not just an exercise regime, but a lifestyle that will free its followers from many physical disabilities and chronic pain. Anthony Carey’s simple, yet eloquent book is the key to a pain free life. I am walking proof of that.”

—Peter Kovacs, Former President and CEO of Nutrasweet

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Copyright © 2005 by Anthony Carey, Inc. All rights reserved

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada

Design and composition by Navta Associates, Inc.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Carey, Anthony.

The Pain-Free Program : a proven method to relieve back, neck, shoulder, and joint pain / Anthony Carey.

p. cm.

ISBN-13 978-0-471-68720-7 (paper: alk. paper)
ISBN-10 0-471-68720-0 (paper: alk. paper)

1. Chronic pain—Exercise therapy. I. Title.

RB127.C375 2005

616’.0472—dc22

2005001258

To Champagne, my wife and my soul mate.

If everyone could experience the kind of happiness and love that you bring to my life, the world would be a much better place.

Acknowledgments

First, I would like to thank the thousands of clients who have come through the doors of our office and trusted me in their time of need. I have learned something from each and every one of you. I am continually inspired by your courage, dedication, and willingness to take responsibility for your own well-being. I am a better practitioner and a better person thanks to you.

My parents, Patricia and Patrick Carey, have always been there for me with love, support, and encouragement throughout my life. The values and the ethics they raised me with have given me the necessary tools to see this project through. One of the most rewarding things in my life is to see them proud of their children.

I would also like to thank my business partner, Aaron Brooks. We came to the business as friends and will someday leave the business, still as friends. Aaron’s skills as a practitioner and his integrity as a business partner have been essential to the success of our business.

I will also like to thank the members of my Mastermind Group, Harold Fox, Dennis Santopietro, and Fracka Future. Their support, motivation, and drive are an ongoing source of personal and professional growth. They have seen me along the way through the entire process.

My friend and colleague Devon Kidd volunteered her time to help me by posing for some of the exercise photos. Devon’s mission is to help others (www.mentorfitness.org). Tina Luu’s talent through the lens and photo editing skills were a tremendous contribution to the appearance of the book. Ze Valagao’s unbelievable artistic ability and understanding of the human body brought the Categories of the bodies to life for me. My editor Teryn Johnson’s patience with me through the process and her critical eye for editing have made this book something we can all be proud of. Many thanks to all of you.

Introduction

If you are in pain, all you can think about is relief. For more than twelve years, I’ve worked with people just like you who have endured months, years, even decades of pain that ruled their lives. Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way. In this book, I’ve combined all of my knowledge and experience into one pain-free program that truly works. I promise that once you finish this book, not only will you have the tools you need to get rid of pain for good, you’ll also possess the knowledge to keep your body healthy and functional for the rest of your life.

As far as health-care concerns go, cardiovascular issues such as heart disease and high blood pressure get most of the media’s attention. While it’s true that cardiovascular disease affects the quantity of your life, musculoskeletal problems affect the quality of your life. When you’re in pain, you’re not really living—rather, you’ve turned your entire focus toward managing your discomfort. Because of the pain, you’re less likely to do any exercise, which can lead to those cardiovascular problems we hear so much about. In short, pain can be at the center of a vicious cycle that can undermine your happiness and your health.

If you understand that your pain is the product of many physical and environmental factors that preceded it, you can develop a strategy for change. I hope to provide a sensible guide to everyday events that are roadblocks to healing. We’ll look at the body, beginning with “what” hurts, to understanding “why” it hurts. Some core concepts of my program are the interdependency of all the body’s parts and the realization that a pain in one area of your body can result from other things going wrong far removed from that site of pain.

There is never a “one-size-fits-all” approach to addressing the body’s aches and pains. The more individually designed an exercise program is, the more effective it will be. Books, handouts, and videos that show a group of exercises for a specific ailment deny the uniqueness of each person’s body. If you and your significant other both suffer from lower-back pain, you each suffer for different reasons because your bodies are different. So, why would you do the same exercises? This book not only addresses the individuality of your physical structure, it will also let you further personalize the program by relating your exercises to the activities you do most often. If you focus on teaching the body to function correctly and stop beating itself up, you’ll be rewarded with a reduction in pain.

Chronic pain has far-reaching implications for our society, even for individuals who are not in pain. Pain costs money. Pain causes lost workdays. Pain reduces productivity. Reduced productivity results in higher costs, which are eventually passed on to you—the consumer. These financial implications should matter to everyone because they affect all of us.

Function First opened its doors in 1994, empowering people to control their lives by helping them function pain-free. Our program has benefited people who felt hopeless because we looked beyond the symptoms that everyone else was chasing. Since then, we’ve had the good fortune of helping people from all over the United States, South America, and Europe. The Function First philosophy works because when the body is given the right stimuli (exercises), it will function and heal the way it was designed to.

If you suffer from chronic back, neck, or shoulder pain, this book will help you find lasting relief. You’ll learn to assess and treat the underlying causes of your pain. Part one describes the way our bodies work. Don’t skip that section because you need to understand the Function First philosophy to obtain maximum benefit. Unless you read anatomy textbooks in your spare time, you’ll also appreciate the explanations of your muscles and how they function.

Part two will help you apply the Function First philosophy to your unique situation and will start you on the path toward pain relief. Find your body type and your occupation type, then go to the exercises that correspond to these. How you use your body every day makes a big difference in the type of exercises that you need to correct your pain.

If people come into our program and don’t do their homework, they’re fired. I can’t help you if you aren’t willing to do your part. So, as you read this book, keep in mind that at the end of the day, you need to put this advice into practice.

The goal of this book is not to dismiss the medical system, but to open you up to the possibility that the route you have always taken may not be the best one. If nothing else, that route is certainly not the only one. There are many ways to help yourself and your body.

Addressing the alignment of the body’s structure and its relationship to how you move is based on fundamental principles of physics and the human anatomy. The relationship between posture and pain is well documented in scientific literature. By not trying to “fix” anyone’s symptoms and by addressing alignment and movement, we provide the body with an opportunity to restore and heal itself.

To the millions who suffer from chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain, you can exercise the Function First way to relief in the comfort of your own home. This book will give you the essential tools and instructions to determine which Category you best fit into and what exercise program suits your lifestyle. The clear explanations and their accompanying illustrations will allow you to exercise at home without the need for expensive equipment or help from a professional. You can work at your own pace and allow your body to be your guide. You’ll be in charge.

Before we get to those exercises, however, I feel that it’s essential for you to thoroughly understand the human body—how it functions and how all of its parts work together. Then, it will be easy for you to see how a problem in one part of the body can relate to many other factors.

When I work privately with clients, I initially educate them about the Function First philosophy and how the process can change their lives. This is an absolute “must” before I even begin an assessment on someone. Your mind must be open to a new paradigm for achieving long-term health, and you must be able to relate that paradigm to your individual circumstances. You will be incredibly empowered by understanding the reasoning behind these exercises. If you read this book from start to finish, you’ll learn that

• It’s best to address the cause of pain and physical limitations, not the pain or the limitation itself.

• The body should be treated as a highly integrated structure—not as a series of unrelated parts.

• You can provide an optimal healing environment by removing daily “micro” injuries to your body.

• The Function First philosophy has a positive effect on spinal disorders and back pain, various joint pains, cumulative trauma disorders, headaches, and similar challenges.

• By addressing the cause, you are also preventing a reoccurrence of the same pain.

• It’s possible to transfer the responsibility of an individual’s health back to that person if you provide him or her with the tools for self-help.

You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from the Function First approach. With this program, everyone wins:

• the aging person

• the injured worker

• the accident victim

• athletes of all levels

• pain sufferers everywhere

People who win the biggest are those who can now overcome obstacles that they never knew existed. Please use these ideas and tools to take control of your own well-being for the rest of your life.

Part One

How Our Body Talks to Us

1

The Path to Pain

If you are reading this book, you are probably among the thousands of frustrated, angry people who are looking for help with their physical challenges and pain. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, for thirty-five million Americans—that’s one in every seven—their movement is restricted by a musculoskeletal disorder, such as a broken bone, myofascial pain, arthritis, or a sports trauma. Pain sufferers are everywhere, from all walks of life and all ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, and ages. The common thread connecting these individuals is pain, either chronic (typically defined as pain that lasts longer than three months) or acute (pain that has more of a rapid onset to levels that often motivate a person to seek intervention).

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!