Tools in Bob and Brad's Toolbox

The “tools” we are referring to are exercises, stretches, positions, and educational tips that should help you in your quest to fix your back pain. Use the tools that you feel are helpful and disregard the rest.

How do you know if your back pain is getting better? An important point to underscore is generally the more your back is irritated, the further down the leg the symptoms of pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and/or burning occur.

The reverse is also true, as the nerve becomes less irritated the symptoms generally improve in an ascending fashion. That is less pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, and/or burning in the foot or lower leg. This can help you gauge whether your self-treatment is helping.

Is a tool helpful? Three scenarios:

1. You try a tool in the Bob and Brad toolbox and your back starts feeling immediate pain. STOP using the tool! Period. A slight bit of discomfort at the beginning of a stretch or exercise is acceptable, but outright pain is not.

2. You try a tool in the Bob and Brad toolbox and your back feels fine while performing the stretch or exercise, but overall, the pain is worse immediately after. In that case, cease performing the exercise. However, if the pain is only worse the next day you cannot assume it is from the exercise. You might try it again and see if there is a correlation.

3. You try a tool in the Bob and Brad toolbox and your back feels better while performing the exercise (hurts so good), and it remains better after the exercise. You can continue with the tool. You try a tool in the Bob and Brad toolbox and your back feels better only after performing the exercise. You can continue with the tool.

Check out the full Back Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/back-pain-relief-program