Reddit reviews 7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life: How to Rapidly Relieve Back and Neck Pain

I'm going through the same thing. My doctor recommended this book to me and it has helped a lot.
Link to book on Amazon

You are probably excessively kyphodic despite your exercises. Computer work no matter the adjustments can be killer, especially after percussive calisthenic movements that compress the disks and cause the spine to straighten in reaction. There are a series of exercises that can be done to mitigate your pain, even if you have nerve damage or herniated disks (I have three herniated disks in my neck from having my head fully snapped around in martial arts).

Likely what you are doing is strong work, but you are not controlling your core and so your neck is getting micro whiplashes as you do the exercises. You also might have damaged yourself excessively, and you are over exercising to try and get the neck rehabbed. When you were doing standard weightlifting, did the strain/pain occur when you were doing squats? Sometimes the position of the bar/neck can cause strain to the cervical spine.

If this is the case, you need to give it a chance to heal. Also disk pain (when it's minimal) feels like muscular pain (mine did) and I would agree that you should see a doctor.

Here are my recommendations though in the meanwhile:

• Look at a Spinal-Q vest. When you have damage it is a great way to heal. My insurance covered it fully. It has taken the time from when my neck goes out from 2-3 weeks of recovery to 2-3 days. I swear by mine.
  
  
• Also check out a Linear Traction Pillow. Mine alleviated a lot of the serious pain that you get waking up with a stiff and messed up neck.
  
• And the book 7 Days to a Pain Free Life has a bunch of really great exercises that can help with any kyphosis that you are causing by your time on the computer.
  
  

This book has excellent neck exercises. I originally got it for the lower back exercises following an injury, but after trying out the neck routine on a whim, I discovered that my neck was super out of whack. It turned out to be the root cause of my other persistent muscle imbalances.

The McKenzie Method stretches are a solid way to reduce back pain that isn't invasive whatsoever. Also, I saw drastic improvement with swiss ball exercises. Depending on how severe your situation is, the combination of these two could drastically improve or even cure your back/leg pain.

http://www.amazon.com/Steps-Pain-Free-Life-Rapidly-Relieve/dp/0452282772

https://www.amazon.com/Steps-Pain-Free-Life-Rapidly-Relieve/dp/0452282772 would this be a good book to get info from? and how would I go about looking for a mckenzie certified PT?

Could be a million things. A lot of back pain problems are caused by distorted discs which are located in between the vertebra of your spine. When these discs become distorted over time, they may eventually press against your central nervous system which may cause pain and discomfort. Their distortion can be a result of bad posture or poor lifting technique; really anything (Mine became distorted when I went up for a dunk and landed flat footed).

Try these three stretches and if they provide you relief, then purchase this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Steps-Pain-Free-Life-Rapidly-Relieve/dp/0452282772

1. lie on your stomach flat on the ground with your head turned to the side and your arms by your side. Try to completely relax for 2-3 min and specifically try to relax your lower back muscles.
   
2. immediately after, support your upper body by resting them on your elbows, make sure to completely relax any muscles below your pelvis. take some deep breaths and stay for 2-3 min.
   
3. Starting from laying on your stomach, use your arms to extend your back back as far as possible for 2 seconds, then release back to the ground.
   
   this link has pictures that illustrate what I'm trying to explain. VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT DO EXERCISE 4,5, OR 6 AT THIS TIME, your body may not be ready for these stretches yet.
   
   https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAQQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipcphysicaltherapy.com%2FMcKenzie.aspx&ei=CiTtU_qNDtGAygSNxIKYCg&bvm=bv.73231344,d.aWw&psig=AFQjCNG_yHCDxeVTtvMEcidR1R0H1wSAMQ&ust=1408136586277999
   
   Really help this helps and hope the pain goes away!