I have a recurring low back injury and a neck that cracks. It hold me back from doing thing I want to do. Is it all in my mind? Can stress trigger these episodes? Can I control it? I feel stagnate as a person because I am hindered with this condition. I've tried rehab, medication, and some stretching. All have had limited success. Is there hope for this middle age-r? I'm not looking for a miracle, just a sound holistic approach to wellness. I don't want to be the old grand-pa in the chair when that time comes.

Thanks for fielding this question.

I encourage you to try stretching out your hamstrings and hip flexors to relieve your back pain. Have you gotten the book, The Genius of Flexibility, and tried out the stretches yet? That is a good place to start to get a general feel for the system and the exercises. You can try out all of the beginner stretches and see which you identify with and which provide relief for the issues you may be having.

Is it all in your mind? Well, I wouldn´t say it´s ALL in your mind, as the mind is only one part of your self. But, stress can definitely cause issues to appear in the physical body. I understand that you feel held back from doing what you want to do. The positive side is that you now have the drive to heal yourself now that you have come to terms with the fact that your back pain is limiting your life.

Check out the book and go through the energy series so you can stretch and strengthen all of the major muscles of your body. I think the hamstring (Spleen/Pancreas, Brain, Bladder), hip flexor (Sexual), and quad (Stomach) stretches will help you with your back.

Keep in touch. I´d like to hear about how you feel after you have started RFST.