  We study the long wavelength limit of a spin 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic
two-leg ladder, treating the interchain coupling in a non-perturbative way. We
perform a mean field analysis and then include exactly the fluctuations. This
allows for a discussion of the phase diagram of the system and provides an
effective field theory for the low energy excitations. The coset fermionic
Lagrangian obtained corresponds to a perturbed SU(4)_1/U(1) Conformal Field
Theory (CFT). This effective theory is naturally embedded in a SU(2)_2 x Z_2
CFT, where perturbations are easily identified in terms of conformal operators
in the two sectors. Crossed and zig-zag ladders are also discussed using the
same approach.
