Tools That Can Fix Your Back Pain

How to Know If Your Back Pain Tools Are Actually Working

Bob and Brad's "tools" are exercises, stretches, positions, and tips to help your back. But how do you know if they're actually working?

The Real Sign of Improvement

The key indicator isn't pain disappearing—it's where the pain moves. The more irritated your nerve, the further down your leg the symptoms travel. As the nerve calms down, pain retreats upward: from your foot → lower leg → thigh → lower back.

This upward migration means healing is happening.

Which Tools Should You Keep?

Stop if: You feel sharp pain during the exercise. (Slight discomfort is okay; outright pain isn't.)

Stop if: Pain spikes immediately after. (Exception: if it's worse the next day, you may have done something else.)

Keep if: It feels better during and after.

Keep if: It feels better only after performing it.

The Bottom Line

Don't push through pain. Use what helps. Disregard the rest. When your pain starts moving upward, you're on the right track.

Check out our full Back Pain Program for more tips.