I believe that I solved the CPPS puzzle better than anyone – or at least, better than anyone I’ve ever met, watched, or read. The problem came to me, and I was well-equipped to tackle it.
That said, there are better trainers, better therapists, better biomechanists, even better anthropologists who can teach you a lot if you want to push your knowledge and understanding even farther. And I would be horribly remiss not to acknowledge what they brought to light.
So here they are.
Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein, M.P.T.
Nearly 70% of my content can be found in Amy’s book. Her understanding of CPPS and general pelvic issues spans men’s and women’s issues, and she’s a wizard. It’s good to learn from wizards.
Buy Heal Pelvic Pain if you want:
- A great understanding of pelvic pain and symptoms
- A comprehensive set of stretches
- A solid explanation of self-massage
- The most comprehensive explanation of pelvic pain in a small, applied-principles book
Heal Pelvic Pain lacks:
- A fuller explanation of anxiety and what it takes to battle it
- A man’s perspective on pain, anxiety, and rehabilitation
- The calf stretch, which I find crucial for frequently-sitting westerners
Nutritious Movement for a Healthy Pelvis DVD by Katy Bowman
Bowman is a grandmaster of movement and rehabilitation. Think of a top-level engineer on the human body – somebody who God might have even consulted when he built homo sapiens. But she also translates technical content to plain English, is a lot of fun, and makes therapy accessible and actionable.
Bowman is the author of both books and DVDS. I own (and love!) the book Move Your DNA. IBut for learning exercises and stretches, it’s a lot easier to follow a video than it is to look at a few pictures. If you’re fixing yourself, get the DVD. If you want to know the science behind why it works, get the book.
Buy Nutritious Movement for a Healthy Pelvis if you want:
- Visual walkthroughs of comprehensive pelvic stretches
- A better understanding of how your muscles and movements affect symptoms of disfunction
Nutritious Movement for a Healthy Pelvis lacks:
- Information on the mental components of CPPS, like anxiety etc.
- I found the stretching routine hard to do without a lot of space – like an open wall
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
How to Stop Worrying is a series of stories from both famous and ordinary people on how they went from crushing and even near-fatal anxiety to free-flowing states of mind and achievement. The common thread is letting go of control, although some arrive there through logic, others through faith and spirituality, and others through a creative combination of the two. All of the stories have a course of action for the listener.
Written by the same guy as How to Win Friends and Influence People, Worrying is, in my opinion, the better book. Or at least, it made a greater impact on my life. I had cured 60% of my CPPS until I found this book free on YouTube. I downloaded it to my iPod, and the first few chapters gave me the insight I needed to significantly reduce my anxiety.
The stories are wonderful, and the lessons are invaluable. And you can listen on YouTube if you want, or pick up a copy in the library.
Get How to Stop Worrying and Start Living if you want:
- The most comprehensive collection of wisdom on how to beat anxiety
- To feel great while reading or listening to stories
- To learn how the wisest and most successful people had to hit rock bottom before understanding how little they actually controlled
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living lacks:
- Any content about treating your body for CPPS
- Each course of action for letting go is still remarkably difficult. From all of the books I’ve read, sermons I’ve heard, and advice I’ve gotten on letting go, it’s still crazy hard. It’s the most counterintuitive thing you’ll ever hear – and yet the only thing that works.
- Help for those with deep-seated pain, like abuse or trauma
- A single course of action – you use what method resonates with you
YOUR MISSION:
If you’re read about the above resources and they pique your attention, get them. You will not regret it.