If your knee pain was caused by an injury (sports, fall, work, etc.) you should seek out medical attention if any of the following conditions exist: 1. You have a deformity of the joint a. Compare your knees to each other. If your painful knee appears misshapen compared to your healthy knee, you may have a bone fracture or a dislocated kneecap. 2. You have significant bruising and or swelling after the injury. a. The greater the swelling and bruising, the more likely you have experienced a more serious injury. 3. You have difficulty walking after an injury. a. If your knee pain is causing you to limp or make you avoid walking, see a doctor. Intense pain can indicate a bone fracture, or a torn muscle or ligament. 4. You have an inability for the knee to hold weight. a. When you stand up, does it feel as though the affected knee cannot hold your weight? If so, you should seek medical attention. This symptom can indicate several knee conditions, all of which could require medical care. 5. Knee Instability a. If you notice that your knee is unstable or feels like it will collapse, seek medical help. An unstable joint may indicate a ligament problem, which could become worse if you continue using your knee as usual. 6. You heard a popping noise at the time the knee was injured a. The popping sound could be a torn ligament or tendon. 7. Reduced Range of Motion a. When your knee becomes injured, it may swell internally. This swelling can reduce your knee’s motion, making it difficult to straighten or bend your leg completely. An injury to the cartilage can also affect the motion of a knee. 8. Less Sensation in the Knee a. While many knee issues cause pain, lack of pain can also indicate a serious health concern. If you have leg or knee pain that does not increase when you press on the knee, your discomfort may be caused by sciatica or another non-knee condition. 9. Long-Term Pain or Discomfort in your Knee a. If your knee pain is chronic and ongoing, a doctor or physical therapist can help. 10. Knee Pain That Affects Your Daily Activities a. If your knee pain is ongoing and affecting your ability to perform daily activities, you should seek medical attention. 11. Pain That Affects Sleep a. Many patients with knee pain have trouble with sleep. If your knee pain is affecting your sleep, it is time to seek medical help. 12. Redness or Swelling Around the Joint a. Like deformity of your knee joint, changes in the shape and color of your knee can indicate serious problems. If you notice redness or swelling, touch the area to see if you feel any tenderness or warmth. These symptoms can be signs of infection. If you experience a high fever along with these symptoms, seek out emergency medical care. 13. High Intensity Knee Pain a. Do not try to wait out your knee pain. If you experience pain that is high intensity, or if you notice a sudden change in your symptoms for the worse, seek medical attention. If you notice a sudden change in your symptoms or experience symptoms of high intensity, schedule an evaluation with a knee expert, especially if you’re an athlete. If you experience extreme symptoms such as a high fever, seek emergency medical care immediately. Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in July of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/SwOv8zUzUpg Mike: Most doctors will never discourage an older adult from walking unless they have a heart condition or severe arthritis. Brad: That's right. This reminds me of a case where I knew two people personally. They were both over 90 years old, very alert, very mobile, very healthy, and they had one thing in common. Mike: What was that? Brad: They both walked on a daily basis. Mike: So, whether you're an avid walker or you want to get into walking to become healthier, this will have the detailed plan for you. Brad: That's right, we're going to help you out, get back out there, and walk away. Let's clarify some of the benefits that walking offers. Number one, it's great for your heart and for your lungs. Mike: Number two is that it helps increase leg circulation. Brad: And as we age, we know our balance starts to deteriorate. Walking is a good functional way to exercise your balance. Mike: And number four, it's just good to get outside and be a little social. Brad: That's right. Walk with someone else. Maybe not every day, but at least twice a week. Keep each other in check, so you keep doing it week after week after week, it becomes a habit. Something you enjoy if you don't enjoy it now. Alright, now we've got five very common problems that actually stop people from walking. And then we're going to go through five solutions on how to avoid them or work around them so you can continue your walking habit. Mike: The first reason people commonly stop walking is due to foot pain. This can be caused by plantar fascitis, bunions, or hammer toes. The list can go on and on. And a common cause for most of these issues is your shoes. So, if you look at this shoe on the right, this is a standard shoe. If you look at the shoe on the left, this is a wide toe box and zero drop shoe. Mike: You could see we actually cut apart the bottom of the shoes here. You could see how squished your toes actually get, which can cause bunions and hammer toes and a whole array of issues, whereas, if you have a wide toe box, it allows your toes to actually separate and be in their natural positioning. The zero drop, you don't need to get minimalist ones like these. Brad: What's minimalist? Mike: There is not much cushioning underneath your foot between you and the ground; you can buy more cushioning. Just make sure from the forefoot to the heel, it's the same height off the ground. Brad: That's right, now I personally have had great luck with getting the wide toe shoebox in my late 50s. I realize how much more comfortable they are, the minimalist shoes, where they're really thin, can be good for your feet. But for myself, it's too uncomfortable. I have Morton's neuroma, and that irritates it. But the wide toe box is a great benefit. This is an example of a nice cushioned shoe. This one is not zero drop, but it's not too far off from that. Brad: Anyways, let's go on to point number three. So good footwear, make sure you're wearing a wide toe box. Mike: We're going on to point number two. Brad: Oh yeah. Mike: Okay. The next thing is joint pain. A lot of people develop knee pain, hip pain, and even ankle and foot pain. A lot of times, from arthritis, whatever it's from, it can be irritated and oftentimes is by how you walk. Typically, people strike with their heel first. Mike's going to explain it and tell you how to avoid this and change your walking pattern so it becomes pain-free. Brad: Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So with the common day shoes, we have an elevated heel. This has caused us to heel strike a lot while we are walking. Mike: So, if you actually walk barefoot in your house, heel striking is very uncomfortable. You feel the shot going through your leg in through all your joints. It's much more obvious. Try walking around in your house barefoot. You're naturally going to start walking with a soft knee. Mike: This'll take the pressure off the joints and put them more on the muscles where they should be going. Also, when you're walking, some people really put the foot way out in front of them. This is going to put more force through the leg. You're just going to be taking those nice short steps with the soft bent knee, land more on your forefoot or with the flat foot, and this'll help engage your muscles more, taking pressure off all the joints. Brad: Right, I just want to clarify one thing in case some people didn't catch that. Typically, people heel strike and look at the knee is locked out straight. All that force from the heel strike goes directly through the joints. The muscles are not taking up or absorbing the shock like when he goes on his forefoot. Brad: And actually sometimes you can have the heel come off a little bit. The knee is flexed. So that has a little give there. The ankle has worked so that the muscles take the shock, and then you have your leg actually becomes a shock absorber as opposed to a shock creator. Mike: This walking pattern also engages your glute max a lot more, which is appropriate for walking, which will really help take pressure off the joints. Brad: Right. I like to practice this on a hard floor or actually concrete at home. Go barefoot and you can really feel the difference when you walk on your forefeet versus that hard, direct heel strike. Okay, the next thing is people start to have a gait disturbance, in other words, a Trendelenberg gait or a waddle walk, where you go like this. Brad: There could be other problems that are created by pain and compensation, leading to pain and the weirdness of walking, where it's not attractive to other people, and it becomes a personal thing. We need to get rid of that. We're going to talk about how to do it. Mike. Mike: So what you want to do is actually the first two steps we talked about, looking at your footwear and walking with the bent knee will really help this as well. However, most people, when they're in this predicament, have weak hip abductor muscles, so the side hip muscles as well as a weak glute max muscle. So your buttock muscle. So we're going to show you two strengthening exercises you can do. Brad: We're getting this information from an expert in the field. He has written a number of books and taught people this with great success. Mike: His name is Rick Olderman . He is a physical therapist, and he wrote a book with Bob called " Top 3 Fix ." Brad: That's right, so let's go through and talk about the two exercises to address these weaknesses. Okay, we're going to show you a couple of ways to strengthen the hip abductors, which really helps with that Trendelenberg or the waddling. If I'm doing the right side, I'm going to bring my feet a few inches apart, good posture, and keep my trunk vertical throughout the whole exercise. Bring the leg out to the side here and back in. Two things that are critical. Again, don't lean to the side; that's not going to work that muscle. And also look at my toes. If I point my toes out like this, which is really kind of a compensation, that's a no-no. Keep the toes straight ahead and just go out to the side. We're not going really high. Good control and then back down, and do that going slowly in and slowly out. Brad: I'm using a Booyah Stik for balance. You can hold onto the wall or a cupboard. If you want a little resistance, Mike, what can they do? Mike: You can use a band. It's also important that the leg that is stationary isn't locked out. Try to have a slight bend in the knee. You're actually going to work both hip abductors, because to stand up on this side, your hip abductor has to engage. So you can use a band if that seems easy for you. Typically, if you can do three sets of 15, it's time to get some resistance. You can start with yellow. So all you do is place it between your heels here, in front of your heels a little bit, and you're just going to kick out to the side. Preferably have your shoes tied, unlike me right now, so I'm going to pull up, the higher up the bands, the more resistance I'm going to feel. Again, I'm not going to rest this right leg, it's going to make it work a little bit harder. Try to work up to 15 reps on one side and switch again. If you start to notice you're swaying a lot during this, it's not time for bands yet. Brad: Good job. The next one is the glute maximus muscle. Oftentimes, that muscle does not work as well as it should. So we need to do an exercise that focuses on it and makes that muscle turn on. We're going to show you one of the standing options that Rick Olderman does, and that's using cupboard space or something you can lean on. You're going to lean forward, you're going to put a 90-degree bend in this knee, and then we're going to go from this position up to this position. We're not trying to kick up really high. We're just doing a mid-range oscillation, and then we're going to do that for 15 to 30 seconds. And one thing you can do to isolate that glute max is actually to turn your foot in and then work it. You'll just work that, and you'll feel that muscle start to fatigue and burn in the muscle fibers of that glute max. I'm starting to feel it now. Brad: Again, 15 to 30 seconds. Do both legs. You can do two to three sets once you get used to it. Another really common thing that happens as we age is that we get unstable. Sometimes there's joint pain, sometimes we just start to lose our balance a little bit, and you feel like you're going to fall. Good reason to stop walking, but just take your pride down a little bit and use either a cane or a walker. Mike's going to talk a little bit about how to use a cane. They work well. They show dignity in that person. Mike: So what you want to do is make sure to get a cane that is either set up for your height when you buy it, or it's adjustable. Typically, when you stand up, your arm is relaxed at your side. It is roughly at the crease of your wrist. Now, the side depends upon your dominant hand or your weaker leg. So, say my right leg was weak and bothering me, and I had balance issues, I'm going to actually use it in the opposite hand in that case. If you have no weakness or issues in the legs, just use whatever hand you prefer and make sure to sequence it with the opposite leg. When you walk, your arm swings opposite. So, make sure to put the cane on the opposite side when you're using it Brad: Yeah, just walk normally with it. It can make a tremendous amount of difference. Just having that extra stability. If you do need more, which is not uncommon, then I recommend going to a walker with four wheels and make sure the wheels are larger in diameter. That's going to make it more stable on uneven surfaces, on sidewalks, gravel, et cetera. And it's nice to have a seat there, and they're just as stable as can be. You can walk as far as you want, and a nice added benefit. If you get tired, you lock the brakes, turn around, sit down, and take a break. When you're ready, get back up and keep walking. There are a lot of people who take advantage of these, and don't be shy. It can make a big difference. Mike: When purchasing a walker. Just make sure you look at the height options on it as well as the weight, because depending on your height, they might not be able to get tall or short enough. Brad: Right, they come in different widths and weights. Some are rated at like, I think, 300, and then there are other ones at 450 pounds, and just, you know, find out what you like. It'll all work into place. Wel,l we also, one more thing Mike: We do. Brad: One of the problems that happens with people who start an exercise program, doesn't matter if it's walking or not, is that they lose motivation. Mike: So, sometimes just finding someone to walk with can help. Oftentimes, if you have to get up early in the morning and go for your walk to beat the heat during summer, you don't always want to do it. So sometimes having a partner to keep you reliable or you don't want to let down, can help. Brad: That's right. Make sure you do that or find a group. Oftentimes, there's a group in the local area, walk with them. Maybe not every time, maybe just once a week. And then when you talk to them, when you do get together with them, you can talk about, oh my walk Wednesday morning, I saw an Oriel right in a tree, six inches from me. Mike: A cookie? Brad: Something like that. Yeah, socialization. A cookie. My god. Yeah, and that's what happens. You laugh a little bit, you talk about silly things or personal things, whatever. It's all part of the activity. Alright, so keep up your walking, or if you want to start a walking program, make sure you look through these. We really wanna walk. Not every day necessarily, but at least three times a week. Three to five times a week is a really good number. Don't walk too far if you're just starting. You don't want to overdo it. Good judgment. Enjoy the walking, and Mike, you've got some other relative information. Mike: Yeah, so if you'd like to check out more videos on walking, check out " One Incredible Trick To Improve Your Walking ." This one looks at more if you have trouble tripping over your feet, which muscle you should strengthen. Brad: Ah, yes, there is one muscle that really makes a big difference, but I'm not telling you, you'll have to watch the video. We're not telling . For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop ​ Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to honor the women who give so much of themselves every day. This year, consider giving the gift of relaxation and relief with trusted wellness tools designed by physical therapists Bob and Brad. Whether she’s managing a household, working long hours, or simply in need of well-deserved self-care, these handpicked products will help her feel supported, restored, and appreciated. Eye Massager – Help Her Unwind and Sleep Better The Bob and Brad Eye Massager provides gentle air compression, heat, and soothing sound to help reduce eye strain, tension headaches, and improve sleep quality. It's a convenient way to support mental and physical relaxation after a long day. Ideal for:  Eye fatigue, tension relief, and nightly wind-down routines. Foot Massager – Restore Tired Feet For mothers who are constantly on the go, the Bob and Brad Foot Massager delivers deep kneading massage and soothing heat to ease soreness in the feet and calves. It’s like having a personal foot spa at home, ready whenever she needs it. Ideal for:  Sore arches, plantar fasciitis, and general foot fatigue. Hand Massager – Soothe Hard-Working Hands Perfect for mothers who experience hand fatigue or discomfort, the Bob and Brad Hand Massager uses gentle air compression and heat to relieve tension and improve circulation. Ideal for:  Arthritis, overuse, and daily hand relief. Heating Pads – Reliable, Targeted Comfort Our high-quality heating pads provide consistent, therapeutic warmth to areas like the neck, back, or abdomen. They’re available in various sizes and contours to suit her specific needs and offer a simple solution to everyday aches. Ideal for:  Muscle tension, menstrual discomfort, and stress relief. Back Massagers – Comfort She Can Count On The Bob and Brad Back Massagers are designed to deliver effective deep tissue massage with adjustable settings and optional heat. Compact and easy to use, they provide relief without the need for appointments or extra time out of her day. Ideal for:  Shoulder tension, lower back discomfort, and relaxation at home. Thoughtful Tools for a Well-Deserved Break This Mother’s Day, give her more than flowers. Give her comfort, relief, and a chance to prioritize her own well-being. With Bob and Brad’s expertly designed wellness tools, you can show your appreciation in a meaningful and lasting way. Explore our full line of health and recovery products on Amazon .

INTRODUCTION This program is designed to help you with your knee pain. Specifically, it may help you with knee arthritis, knee tendonitis, iliotibial band syndrome, knee bursitis, patella-femoral syndrome, knee chondromalacia, knee muscle or tendon strain, and, with some exceptions, Osgood Schlatter Disease (see our specific video on Osgood Schlatter Disease). Knee pain is extremely common, and many people are surprised at how intense it can be. Many of our patients believe there must be something seriously wrong with their knee for it to hurt that badly. We approach most knee pain issues with the thought that the knee is not working or moving quite right. This dysfunctional movement is causing your pain. The abnormal movement may be from weakness, tightness, or laxity in the knee. It could also be caused by problems with your hip or ankle/foot. An obvious exception would be an injury to the knee from an accident, fall, or some type of physical trauma. Our first goal is to get your knee joint working correctly. Once it is working correctly, we can work on getting it to move pain-free through proper strengthening and exercises. At least, get your knee working as well as it can be expected. The second goal is to eliminate or lessen the knee pain makers in your life. In our world, a pain maker is an action, a position, or a thing that causes pain. We will cover this in detail in future videos. Our third goal is to strengthen the knee so it will continue to work correctly, remain pain-free, and be able to handle the stresses of work and everyday living. 1. It is up to you to get better. You oversee your body and the outcome. You are in charge, and you are responsible. Somebody is not going to swoop in and magically heal your problem. There is no magic pill, surgery, or shot that will solve your problem. 2. The body has a great capacity to heal, and it wants to heal. Provide the environment where it can heal. 3. You must believe and follow recommendations. If we recommend exercises and you fail to perform them, you will not get better. It is as simple as that. 4. We are not big believers in having a therapist or doctor do something to you (manual therapy, massage, some type of modality). We are big supporters of people managing their own bodies with therapists serving as consultants. DISCLAIMER : This video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may, however, serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional, make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about knee-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/PbatyQqqHAQ Mike: Dan Bracaglia, who does tech product reviews, wrote for Tom's Guide an article titled " 7 reasons why I like this budget-friendly massage gun better than my $200 Theragun ." Brad: Now, Dan is actually a very physical person. Likes to snowboard and a number of other activities where you get sore muscles. He has a lot of experience with massage guns, particularly the Theragun massage gun. Now, what brought this to our attention was that Dan thought the Bob and Brad Massage Gun kind of had a silly name. Of course, we kind of questioned that, maybe took a little offense to it, but we looked into his article, and we're very pleased to find out what he had to say about us. Mike: So in this article, Dan decided to compare the Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun to the Theragun Mini. And these are seven things he found interesting about our massage gun. So, the first thing you looked at in the article is the PPM or percussions per minute, meaning how fast the speed settings are. Now with the Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun, it can range from 1,800 all the way to 3,000 PPMs. Brad: With a total of five settings. Mike: Five different setting options in between them. Brad: And the Theragun Mini has a total of three different settings from 1,750 to 2,400. Mike: The next thing he looked at was amplitude. That is how far the massage gun actually traveled into the body, into the muscle. Now, the Q2 Mini here has seven millimeters of amplitude, and the Theragun Mini has 12 millimeters of amplitude. Meaning the Theragun actually traveled deeper into the muscle bellies. Brad: Now, for a lot of people, that probably is not a big deal. For me, for example, I don't care if I have 12 millimeters. If you're a very large person, have a lot of muscle mass, and are very toned up, you may want that. So, that is definitely a concern, or maybe a concern for some people. Mike: Now, Dan actually said he prefers a seven-millimeter amplitude when he is really sore or tender muscles because it doesn't travel as deep and doesn't feel as aggressive, he found that somewhat of a positive. The next thing he looked at was the size and weight of the massage guns. Now obviously, we don't have a Theragun Mini here, but he said the Q2 was much more lightweight and portable in comparison. The thing he liked the most was when you remove the massage head. Our massage gun is flat here, where the Theragun actually protrudes out a little bit, making it easier to travel with. Brad: The next thing Dan brought up was a topic of volume, or how much noise the gun makes when it's running. He did note that the brushless Q2 is very quiet. He did not find specs on the decibels for each one, but he did have a functional test in which he was talking on the phone while massaging himself with the Q2. And he said he could speak very easily, communicate with the other person on the phone while using it, whereas he was not able to do that with the Theragun. Mike: The next thing Dan looked at was the battery life on both models. Now with the Q2, it is estimated to run four hours on a full charge, and a Theragun Mini typically runs two hours. Obviously, that depends upon how intense you have it and how frequently you use it. So, it can vary between those things. Brad: One thing that Dan also talked about when he was on a trip snowboarding for four days, he would use it every day after the snowboarding activity to massage and loosen up his muscles. On day four, he was still using it on one charge. Now, this actually plugs into a? Mike: The USB cord is simply on the bottom. Dan also mentioned that the Theragun Mini has the old school, big style chunky chargers, which he doesn't like that much. The sixth thing Dan looked at was the different massage heads we offered with the Q2 massage gun. He said that when he bought the Theragun Mini, it originally only came with one massage head. However, he bought it a long time ago. So now, it comes with more options. He liked that ours came with five options right away. He specifically liked the round foam head as well as the air cushion head Brad has on his model. He says they were his favorite, but he says he appreciates that ours come with an instruction guide on which massage heads to use in which body parts. Brad: There you go. Mike: So, the last thing Dan looked at was the shape and size of both massage guns. Now, ours is kind of a "T" shape, as he described it. The Theragun Mini is more of a triangular shape. He preferred the "T" grip because he found it easier to turn it on and reach behind him to say, massage his back region. And he also liked that the button on it is relatively small. You have to hold it for three seconds to turn it on and off. And he said the one on the Theragun brand is about the size of a penny and only takes two seconds to hold to turn on and off, which it doesn't really seem like a big deal when you look at it, but when traveling, his other massage gun would turn on and cause quite a scare. Brad: Well, it was in his traveling bag. You kind of wonder, where's that noise coming from? Not a big deal. It can easily be changed. Now, let's talk about another. There's one more big thing, I think, that we need to look at is the cost. The Theragun is definitely a good quality gun. Very powerful, more travel. But if you don't need that and you look at the cost, that may change your mind about which is best for you. Mike: Yes, he said, typically, this is a third of the cost of what he paid for his Theragun Mini. So, you can get a massage gun of pretty similar quality for a lower price. Brad: Now, we do have to finalize one thing, our name. The question was, "Is Bob and Brad a silly name?" Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun? Well, it's still up in the air. We think it's an outstanding name. We're very proud of it. We'll leave that up to you. Mike: I want to know when we're going to get the Mike gun. Now, if you want to check out more videos on massage guns, specifically how they work and how to use them, check out our video " Massage Guns: Why They Work & How To Use Them- Bob and Brad Concur ." Brad: That is a good idea. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop ​ Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in July of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/HVWdzdW7eQ0 Brad: Now, this is our best information if you're a senior and you're concerned about increasing leg strength, blood flow, and improving your balance. Mike: So we're going to show you three functional exercises you can do, which will address all of these concerns. And you can do them at home in less than three minutes. Brad: Just a little warning, if you do them, you're going to want to have shorts on or some pants that are stretchy and flexible. Alright, before we get started, we need to talk about how you're going to do this safely, because if your balance is off a little bit, you may want to have some support. Let me give you an example. You could have a chair on both sides of you so that you have balance, or maybe you only need one chair off to the side, or you may have it in front of you. Or you can simply use a wall for balance. And as soon as we get into this, you'll understand why. We're going to go through each exercise briefly, and then we're going to go through the whole routine without stopping. So you can go with us at that point. Mike: You can also use a railing if you want, if you have a handrail in the hallway or near your steps, that's definitely an option for support as well. And all these exercises are functional. They are compound movements, meaning they work more than one muscle group. They're all gonna be focused on the legs. And let's just get to it. Brad: There you go. Okay, now I'm going to use the Booyah Stik for balance. You could use that, a walking stick, a cane, or whatever we talked about. First thing, let's just do a little warmup for about 20 seconds. Simply marching in place is good. If you want to get the hips warmed up a little bit more, make circles with your knee and just think about doing that. Mike: If you feel unsteady, you can take shorter steps or smaller steps initially, and work up in height over time. Brad: Okay, now the key to this, as far as balance is we're going to work in three different directions. First of all, we're going to do a simple squat, up and down. Mike: You just go wherever's comfortable for you. You can even have a chair behind you if you want, or a surface so you don't feel like you're going to fall over. Brad: Right, if you go too deep and you can't get back up, then obviously we're going to fall. And that's not desirable, so just be cautious. Use good judgment. Now, the next thing we're going to do is a sidestep. We'll call it a side lunge. Now, don't go real far out and do not go real deep. Just take the little ones to start out with. Get a good feel for it. We're using large muscle groups. This is incredibly helpful for keeping your balance because, oftentimes, when you lose your balance, you need to sidestep to regain the balance. This does the exact same movement. Make sure you do it in both directions. Mike: We'll do 10 repetitions each way and 10 repetitions for the squat as well. You can alternate going both ways. We're just kind of limited in space, and we're going to kick each other if we get too close. Brad: Yeah, we want to be safe and have no issues. Mike: What are we on? I'm on a hundred, I think. Brad: Okay, and the third and final exercise is a lunge going forward. Notice I'm taking a small lunge, not going very deep. Mike's feeling stronger, more advanced. He's going to go down, and he put a cushion down so that if his knee does hit the floor, it doesn't create pain. Mike: Yeah, so you can do this holding onto maybe a bed or a countertop, something for support, maybe at your stairs as well. Just having a cushion or pillow or something down there kind of saves your knees. You don't have to have one. Again, make sure to do 10 repetitions on one leg. Take a break and catch your breath if you need to. Make sure to switch to the other side. Brad: And in regards to balance, you can see why oftentimes walking forward, if you stumble, you need to get one leg out in front of you to catch your balance so you don't fall. Exact same movement as what we're doing here. So it all fits together. Keeping you stronger, safer, using all muscle groups, so that your blood flow is going to increase in the legs. It's a wonderful combination. I did want to mention that if you're feeling a little more advanced, you actually can do a step backward. Mike: Yes, this actually works the same muscles, but it'll engage your glute max on the front leg a little bit more. The leg that's always in front should be working more than the back leg. Brad: There you go. And again, as far as balance, moving backwards is a common area where balance is lost, and you need to have the ability to step back and catch your balance. So it works that wonderfully. Alright, let's get on and just do the whole routine, Mike. Alright, so let's get ready. We're going to go through this. It should only take two to three minutes. I am actually going to use a wall for balance. It's a good option. Everyone has a wall to use. Mike is going to be facing you with a stick. Do what you need to do for safety. Okay, ready to go, Mike? Mike: I'm ready. Brad: Okay, let's start out with our squats and let's go. There we go. Mike: 10 repetitions total. These are not Jack squats because that means nothing. So we're doing full squats. Brad: Mike, this is a family show. Mike: What does Jack have to not be family for? I don't know what number we're on. Brad: We're on seven. Mike: Okay, good. Brad: Eight. Mike: Again, go to what depth is comfortable for you. Brad: Now let's go to the sidestepping. Start with the left leg going to the left. Again, don't go out too far, take your time with it. If it is too easy, simply go a little deeper, but not too much too soon. Be cautious. Mike: We're just going to do five on each leg for time's sake here. Brad: Yeah. Mike: So we'll switch sides now. You can do more at home. You can do 10 on each side. If you need breaks in between all these, that's perfectly acceptable as well. Brad: That's right. Remember that you're breathing, you're relaxed. Breathing through your nose, out your mouth if you can. That makes a big difference in your endurance and how you feel. Mike: I already hit 10. Brad: Oh, sorry about that. Now we're going to go forward with the right leg first. Take a step, and all the weight is going through that front leg, or most of it. You're going to feel your quadriceps really working now. Mike: And you want to make sure to have an upright trunk with this. Don't lean forward too much. It kind of destroys part of the benefits of this exercise. Brad: Yeah, we don't want that. Make sure you do the opposite leg. Now we're going to add the extra credit on at the end of this, going backward, but we want to get at least five on each leg. Mike: What do I get if I do extra credit? Brad: Extra credit, well then, you get a donut. Yep, cream-filled. Okay, now again, if you feel like doing the backwards, I wanted to make sure you have good control. Take a step backward, because your vision is now out of the picture, which is a very big part of balance. Squat down, hold that wall. You know here and here. Sometimes a hallway works well, especially if you have some handrails. Okay, now I think we might have done over five. Mike: I did five on that side, I'm switching sides. You can alternate these, too, if you really want to spice it up. Brad: Yeah, that's true. You're going to feel it a little bit differently when you do it this way in your quadriceps. It is different. It has some nice advantages. There you go. That's it. And I think we did it in less than two minutes. It was right around there. I know at home, I did it in less than two minutes. After you do them a few times, it'll go very well. Make it a part of your day. Get up after you've moved around a little bit. Go ahead and do these exercises. If you want to do them twice a day, that's okay too. But the big thing is, the first day you do it and you haven't done it before, you might feel sore the next day you get up, and those quads and legs might be a little tender. Mike: So maybe, yeah, take a break that day and do it every other day. Brad: That's right. Mike: Now, if you want to check out more videos on how to improve leg circulation without exercising, check out our video " Best 3 Options To Increase Leg Circulation/Blood Flow Without Exercise ." Brad: There you go. So you could do this one day and the next day do that without exercise to recover. And then the day after that, you'll go back to this. Mike: And get your cream-filled donut. Brad: That's right. You always need a little bit of reward after the hard work. There you go, we don't need to talk about that with seniors because seniors know they're very wise people. I'm a little bit of a senior. Mike: This is rambling on a little bit now. Brad: Yeah, that's right. 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Posture Squats - no movement in the back 1. Practicing Squats: A broomstick or Booyah Stik is helpful for alignment. First, squat with the stick in place. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly (back of the head, mid-back, and pelvis). Assess knee position. Knees should be aligned with feet (not in or not out). The knees should remain over the feet (halfway between the heel and toes). 2. It is helpful to stretch the overhead arm as far above the head as possible to give a sensation of stretching and straightening the spine. All motion should come from the hips. We want you to bend forward as deep as your hips allow and repeat 5 times. Make sure the glutes (butt muscles) are working and contracting. If you have pain in your back while performing this exercise, try tightening your abdomen at the same time. 3. How to tell if you are tightening your abdomen? Take a single finger from each hand and poke yourself on each side of your belly (abdomen). Tighten up your abdomen and when doing it correctly you should be able to feel it with your fingers. 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

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/Mei9bmFquRI Brad: All right, I personally have been using bands for resistance training for over 10 years, and I'm going to show you, and we're going to tell you why and how to use bands for biceps and triceps to give you the best workout possible. Many people won't agree with it, but we're going to tell you why, and it might change your mind. Mike: So we're going to show you five different options to help tone your arms. Plus, you're going to get a little bit of core work involved as well. Brad: More than just a little. Wait until you try it, Mike. Mike: So, some of the benefits of using a band versus a weight itself are the progressive resistance you get while going through the motions. So, for the biceps example, as I pull up, it's easier down lower, but as I get higher and more tension in the band, it becomes harder. Now, with a weight, you're going to be stuck at whatever weight you can do at the bottom range here and start to curl up, because as you curl more, it becomes easier. Brad: That's right. That's a system that a lot of people actually work with who are serious. They'll actually combine bands with weights. The other thing is if you're traveling, and you want to get your exercises done in a hotel room or whatever, it's easy to put these in your luggage. Not so easy with weights. Mike: And number three, you can do vertical or horizontal resistance with bands. Brad is using horizontal. I am doing vertical. With the weight, you're always going to be stuck in some sort of vertical plane, even if you're benching, technically, you're pushing in a vertical plane. Brad: Gravity always goes vertical. Now, one of the big advantages, particularly for people who are 55 or over, when you go with the horizontal resistance like I was doing, not only is my bicep getting strengthened, but my core is, because the resistance is pulling my body back this way. My core has to engage to maintain my vertical stance as well as balance. If my feet are working, you may not be aware of it, but they're really working on balance as well as the core. Big benefits, particularly, like I said, for people with gray hair. Mike: So, some general rules for all these exercises are to start with one set or up to three, depending on whether you're a beginner or more advanced, and try to do 10 repetitions each time. And also make sure to do them every other day. Give your arms a break so the muscles can actually repair and grow. Brad: Right, so we're going to try to get to 10 repetitions. That's one set. Rest, and then do another one. It all depends on where you're at as far as your conditioning. All right, we're going to show you five different ways to exercise those arms, tone them up, and we're going to start with your typical vertical standing one. Then we're going to get to the ones that really add the benefits we just talked about. Mike: So, when you're standing, you can use one band like Brad is. You can use two, three, four, however many you want. That's the benefit. And the wider your stance is, the more resistance you're going to feel. The closer my legs are, the less resistance I feel. So go with whatever's comfortable for you. Hold that position and try to do 10 curls. Try to keep your elbows tight to your body. Don't be doing hurling over. I like to keep my elbows in tight. Keep them there. Brad: Yeah. Mike: And that gives a good bicep workout. Brad: That's right. And notice, for resistance, you can use different bands. Typically, you'll get five bands. Each one has a different color. They have different colors, where you know what the resistance is. Mike is actually doubling up, using the red and black, because he's much stronger than I am. I just have the red bands. It works out very well and very efficiently. Mike: So with this next exercise, you're going to need to use the door anchor if you're going to do this system. Brad will show the wall anchors. Simply put it on the bottom of the door frame, and then close the door, and it will stay in place. Mike: So, for this exercise, we're going to do a curl again, but we're going to hit a slightly different angle. And you could start with just one band. And I'm going to curl across my body. And if you want to make it more challenging, try to grab both handles at the same time and then do it, and it's going to be a lot more oomph. You can also change the angle with this if you want to hit different parts of your bicep. Brad: There you go. Again, we're working on balance and core there. Depending on the angle here, I'm going to show that if you happen to have the wall anchors , they're handy because you simply just put them on right there. And you don't need the door. Hard to travel with the wall anchor, though. And we're going to work on that here. One hand, two. And actually, I'll go and do both from this angle. I usually do it on the next angle up at mid-stance, but we will get into that a little bit later. So it really gives you a nice stretch, good posture, good core, and everything works together. Let's go to the next one. Mike: For the next bicep exercise, you're going to need to put it in a top position, either the top of the door or the top of the wall anchors. So simply get the band in nice and taut and make sure your arms are straight out in front of you. And then you're going to curl up, bring your hands towards your head, and then back like this. Try to have a nice, controlled motion. Try to keep your arms in the same place. Don't let them sway up and down. And you're going to, again, try to do 10 repetitions. Brad: Good. Now I'm going to do it with two bands on the wall anchors. And this is the way I really like to do them. I'll start at this angle. It's going to give me the benefit of bicep as well as the core. And this part of my back, remember, is an important part of your core. So I actually lean into it or lean back. So it's working my core, ab, tightening my abdomen, and I'll work it here. And I feel my back right around my lumbar spine, those muscles really working right now as well. You can stagger your stance a little bit if you feel a little awkward or like you're going to fall. It's kind of a nice, unique way that most people never think about. Brad: Okay, the next one is with the door anchors. Simply put it at about chest level. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So with this one, you're going to face away from the door, and I'm going to have my arms nice and taut behind me, and then I'm going to curl up like this. Brad kind of showed it earlier. Gets a good core activation as well. Again, try to do 10 repetitions. If you have to do a staggered stance, that is fine, but you're going to hit biceps here, and Brad's going to show how you can hit triceps in the same position. Brad: That's right. I really want to emphasize postural benefits with this. It pulls the shoulders back, stretches the pec muscles in front for people who have this rounded posture. Another benefit of using this particular technique, I'm going to use the anchor on the top. You'll typically get three anchors with a set. If you go to BobandBrad.com, you actually get four for about the same price. And the wall anchors work really well. I'm going to pull down, and when I do this, it's all tricep. I'm not going to bring the arm all the way down. That wouldn't be a bad exercise for the shoulders, but for the triceps, try to keep the elbows stationary. And right now, my abdominal core is working overtime so that I don't get pulled backwards. And I'm going to work here. Yeah, there we go. And I usually do 10 of these. Really works the core well, and the triceps. Mike: Okay, the last exercise we're going to do is triceps. Brad and I will show different variations. Now, if I had more bands, I could possibly do the standing. However, to make it more taut, I'm going to grab up a little higher, and then I'm just going to bring my arms down like this. Good tricep activation. Again, I'm not bringing my arms way up. Keeping them at my side, keeping my core engaged. I'm trying to pull straight down. If you pull towards your body more, you get a little bit different activation of the muscles. If this is way too easy for you and you're a taller person, you could certainly try kneeling down like this and then doing the tricep exercise. But it's just a good way, and I can feel it working. Brad: Right. Now, the option of grabbing the band, I would never do because it just seems silly. So I'm going to use them like this. You can go body against the door or against the wall and work. Now, this really isolates the triceps, so you don't get any of the other benefits that we talked about, as far as core, balance, those things. But what you can do if to make it more resistant. Here, I have two bands on there, and I'm going to squat down and do the isometric chair, working my legs, hips, etc. And now I'm going to do my triceps. It's just another variation, something to break up your routine. All of these different variations, you can try one, two, or every week, do a different one. Good way to work it. You'll find your favorite ones very quickly and work those. Mike, you want to finish it up? Mike: Now, if you start to have some sore muscles after working your biceps and triceps too much, you can simply try using a massage gun on the area to help loosen it up. Make sure you pick a nice massage head. The Q2 mini massage gun is a little less aggressive. So if you're a smaller body type, they'll work well. Brad: That's right. Now you don't have to have a massage gun. You can simply do a manual massage on that bicep or tricep. It works very well. Do it 'til your hands get tired, then work the other one. The massage guns do work very nicely, and I like that airhead because it's not too aggressive, not too, it's easy to use, and you can get around on both sides well. I like to work all the way up into the shoulder. You can really do a complete job with it. So, they're really nice, these smaller ones, for this type of massage. Is there anything else? I think there's another video related to this. Mike: Yes, if you'd like to check out more videos on arm exercises, you can check out our video " Lose Arm Flab, Using Body Weight, Dumbbells, or Bands. " Brad: Great. So we're using all the methods on that one. Mike: Is your wife in that video? Brad: Yes, she is. And she's a lot better looking than both of us put together. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop ​ Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvfm3Lb3Ojs Brad: All right, the Achilles tendon. If you've got Achilles tendon pain, we're going to show you the biggest mistake people make when they have this pain, and we're also going to show you how to remedy it. Mike: So we're going to give you five steps to help calm down this pain to prevent limping from happening, and get you back into action. Brad: That's right. Now, you have two of the Achilles tendons, and it's the largest tendon in your body. It accepts almost 100% of your weight every time you take a step as you walk. Now, when you jog, run, or jump up and down, that tendon can experience up to 10 times the amount of your body weight. It really has a big job to keep you up and moving. Mike: Yeah, this tendon is actually part of a long chain running from your calf muscles down to your Achilles tendon, and actually it turns into your plantar fascia. So it's a large chain. It takes the brunt of the work when you are walking, jumping, etc. Brad: Now I'm going to tell you the biggest mistake a lot of people make, and I actually did this myself years back, is that we get a strain in the Achilles tendon, and the first thing we think we have to do is stretch it. No, no, don't stretch it. Bob actually read a whole book from a person who studied this in detail, and we're going to show you the alternative to stretch it, because if you tear some tissues and then you stretch it, you simply retear the injured tissues. It's like pulling the scab off a cut. It just makes it prolonged, and the injury just lasts and lasts and lasts. If your Achilles tendon is really flamed up, sore, and it's just very tender, you really need to give it some rest. And I mean non-weight bearing rest, you don't have to lie down like Mike is here, but you can if you want, put some pillows under there. Get comfortable. You can do it in a recliner or in bed, whatever, but get a cold pack , one that is nice and pliable when you pull it out of the freezer. It'll work much better than if you get one of those that are stiff. Here we have his tendon marked in green. Lay it down, and it's nice to actually wrap it around. Get yourself some Velcro or some Ace wrap and get it so it conforms, and you get a lot of contact over that sore area. 15 to 20 minutes. Do that two, three times a day. It should settle down within a day or two. Then we can get onto the next part of the program. Brad: I do want to follow up if you're using that cold pack. Now, this cold pack is a really nice one. It actually has a felt-like cloth surface on one side, so your skin doesn't get too cold. A lot of them don't. If that's the case, you're going to want to take a towel and put that over the cold pack and then wrap it around that ankle or make sure you have a sock on so you don't get too cold and you can actually irritate and frost bite your skin if you get too cold of a cold pack directly on your skin. Now let's talk about step number two. Mike: Step number two is self-massage. What we're going to do is called cross-friction massage. So what we're going to do is actually grab the tendon, make sure this isn't too painful. If it's really painful just to the touch, it's too early for this step yet. If that's the case, you can certainly massage up in the calf muscle, belly into the tendon if it's not painful there to begin. If it feels good when you grab it, you can certainly massage it. You can actually kind of pinch your tendon because it's so thick, and you just kind of go back and forth working in spots that may be tender going up and down. This is just going to increase blood flow to the area, which can help the healing process. Brad: That's right. That actually does do some as it's healing. There's going to be scar tissue, and it can break up scar tissue where it shouldn't be. Now, if it's sore when you first start doing this, but after about 30 seconds, it starts to feel good, or it feels numbish, then you know it's ready for that cross-friction massage. You're only going to do it for two or three minutes or until your thumbs or fingers get sore, which happens first. Mike, let's talk about the option if you want to work the muscle, so you don't wreck your fingers or irritate your fingers. Mike: If you happen to have a massage gun , you can certainly use that instead of here. And I'm not going to go directly onto the tendon, going more at an angle, and again, I'm going to work this thick part of the tendon laterally. Do whatever area feels tender where it feels good. You can kind of dig in there like this. We have the round head on. Brad has an air cushion head. They're less aggressive, so it won't be as painful, especially if you're still healing in that region. Brad: Yeah, you're not going to use one of these bullet heads or something that's too aggressive. The round head at an angle really makes a big difference. This one's a soft cushion head, and that would be a nice option as well. Brad: If you happen to have one of those large guns that has 10 or 16 millimeters of amplitude, you're probably not going to use it at all down here. But if you want to work the calf muscles, which you do want to make sure your calf muscles stay supple and relaxed, so it takes stress off that tendon, go ahead with the larger gun if it's tolerated. You'll probably find one area that is tender and tight. Spend more time on that when it comes to the calf muscle, and you'll know once you get a feel for it and you work with your leg. Yeah. Mike, anything else? Mike: No, let's go to the next part. Brad: There you go. I'm having fun. This feels good. All right, now this is absolutely one of the most important keys to getting your Achilles to start strengthening, and this is very important. What we're actually going to do is isometric stressor strengthening on it before we start doing some strengthening, going up and down, like a lot of people make the mistake and jump right to that. It's too aggressive. Go ahead and explain it, Mike. Mike: So to begin, start with something lower, maybe a two-by-four book, and over time you can progress to a stair if you like. Right now, I'm actually stretching my Achilles, which is what we don't really want to do. So what you want to do is just lift your feet up a little bit so your foot is level. This is going to start strengthening that Achilles tendon, and we're going to hold it here. Now you can go 15, 30 seconds if it feels hard, up to 45 seconds, just hold and stand in this position. You can use something to hold onto for balance if needed, and then relax. You can do that a few times a day. We don't want to do the full range of motion strengthening exercises like calf raises quite yet, early on. Just get a nice neutral position and hold it. Brad: That's right. And you can see Mike is doing it with both feet, which is a good way to start. If it feels good for 45 seconds times three sets and you want to intensify it, simply take this foot and hold it so you can do it all the weight. And that's going to progress it accordingly before we start doing range of motion. Brad: Okay, now after you've done the isometric, so you can do it on one foot, there's no pain, 45 seconds, two to three sets, and you do that three times a day, it's feeling better, and you notice that you can start to walk with small steps. It's not hurting so much anymore, it's actually starting to feel back to normal. Then we can start to do the strengthening exercises with range of motion, and Mike, show them how we're going to start with that. Mike: So we're going to do calf raises. We're just going to start on a flat surface. So just stand on the floor. Again, hold onto something if you want to. We're just going to focus on going up on the toes and then back down to the floor. Nice slow, controlled motion. No hard jarring effects here at all. We're obviously not going to jump. So, just nice, slow, controlled motions. Again, five, 10 repetitions. You can work out the 15 if you want, and do three sets. Brad: Now, when you feel comfortable doing three sets of 10 with this, with both feet, then you can start to go on one foot. But again, I would definitely have your hand on somewhere so you can assist or even up to a cupboard. So you can push a little bit with one or both hands to help that sore one and use good judgment. If you're developing pain after you do three or four of them, it's not ready yet. You want to get to 10 without pain before you go to the next step of exercises. Mike: Now, once you've progressed to those exercises, feeling easy, comfortable, no pain, and say you are more active, you like to run, hike, whatever, bicycle. Now you're going to want to strengthen it a little more through a full range of motion. To do this, you're going to actually stand on the edge of a step. I would suggest wearing shoes. I just don't have them on for video purposes. So you're actually going to go down into a slight stretch and then up and do the calf raises. Again, start with both legs when you do this, five, 5, 10, 15 reps, whatever feels easy. If this becomes easy, you can go to one leg, do both legs. You may notice a difference. See if one side is a little weaker than the other, but this is going to strengthen through a full range of motion. Brad: Again, no pain should be experienced while you do this. Perhaps a little stretch pain, but nothing that feels like a knife at all. That's going to be too aggressive if you do experience that. All right, now we want to get from this phase into the functional phase. Again, I just want to emphasize that if the most active you're going to get is a walking program or there are no real high-impact activities, you can skip that and just go walking. The big thing is just start feeling good while walking. Don't go out and overdo it too much, too soon. Just walk perhaps a block and back, see how it feels while you're walking, and the next day. If it feels good while you're walking, but the next day you notice it's a little sore, you may want to take that day off, wait till the day after, and go for a walk again. When you can go two days in a row walking a block, no pain while you're walking or the next day, then bump it up to two blocks. Don't go from one block to six blocks and think that that big of a step is going to be tolerated, because you might just take a big step backwards. So that's really important as you progress, getting back to your regular activity. Mike, do you want to talk about people who are going to be active, playing tennis, jumping rope, you know what else, whatever people do? Mike: You're going to want to slowly progress in increasing your activity with that as well. So, say you are active for 20 minutes and it feels good, keep doing 20 minutes. Don't go up to an hour with an activity. You're going to have to slowly progress over time so your body gets acclimated and accommodated, preventing any injuries from recurring. Brad: That's right. So if you are a tennis player, you're not going to jump from walking to playing an active, full-on on 100% game of tennis. You're going to do some side-to-side activities at a low 50% level and then work your way into that full level activity, and make sure you don't irritate it or tear it again. Mike: So if you want to check out more videos on, say, progressing your Achilles tendonitis or other issues to be more active, you can check out our video " Fix Achilles Tendon Pain in 60 to 120 Seconds, Including Tendonitis, Strains, & Tears. " However, if you want to just learn how to massage your Achilles tendon region a little bit better, you can check out our video " How To Use A Massage Gun On Achilles Tendonitis. " Brad: There you go. We've got all the answers A to Z, and just keep those Achilles tendons strong as you walk, run, play, and have fun. Take care. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/b8tuWH1-sFQ Brad: All right, Mike and I are going to show you a short, two-minute warmup routine done in standing that's going to focus on tight muscle groups that are very common to older adults. Mike: Yes, it's going to help loosen up the muscles, break up blood flow, and hopefully, improve your mobility a little bit so you can get your day started on the right foot. Brad: That's right, we're going to strongly encourage you to do this daily. It's very simple once you get used to it, and it's going to improve your mobility and your ability to get moving. Mike: Dance? Brad: Yeah, well, whatever. All right. Oh, that's right, you're doing this Mike: So everything that's important needs a name, so today, we're going to call this routine the Fantastic Five. Brad: That's right, because it actually focuses on five different important muscle groups, and it starts from the head and works down to your feet. Mike: Now, if you need some support for this routine, that's perfectly fine. You can use a Booyah Stik , cane, cupboard, chair, or something to hold onto. Everything is going to run for 15 to 30 seconds each, so you can follow along if you want. Brad: There you go. First, we're going to take our time to explain it so you know how to do it properly, and once you do that, repeat it a couple of times. It'll all fall into place and become very short. All right, the first one is stretching the neck. We're going to do this for 15 to 30 seconds or about five repetitions. First of all, we're going to do chin tucks, and that's where you bring your chin and simply tuck it in towards your Adam's apple or your throat, so it's not in and down. It's in and back, in and back. If you want to stretch it, gentle pressure on the chin, you'll feel a stretch back here. Brad: Mike, all about some rotation. Mike: So when we're in this position, try to do some rotations right to left. You may notice one side is tighter than the other. If one side is tighter, you can take your hand, place it on your chin, and push just a little bit as long as it's comfortable, not causing any pain. Again, 15 to 30 seconds, or you can do 10 to 15 repetitions. Brad: That's right, make sure your shoulders stay still and don't turn your entire trunk. We want to stretch the neck, not rotate the trunk. Very important. Brad: Let's go to the second one. Okay, number two, before we get going, I do want to mention, we're going to go through all five of these without instruction right afterwards, so you can follow along and get a feel for how it's really going to go. Number two, again, shoulder posture, so critical, Mike. Mike: So we're going to do the famous "W," so you're going to make a "W" shape with your arms. Brad is doing against the wall. Once you're here in this position, you can try and bring your arm straight up and then down. Make sure to breathe throughout this. Again, we're going to do 15 to 30 seconds, or you can do 10 reps if you like to do reps. Brad: Yes, now, you can use the wall only if you want, butt, shoulders, arms up against the wall as you can. If you're really tight, you may not be able to touch the wall. That's okay, the goal over time is to get to that position. All right, let's go to number three. All right, we need to address all the joints and muscles in our hands and fingers, and rest. Mike, go ahead. Mike: So first, we're just going to do open fist and then close, make a fist. Just gentle, you don't have to squeeze hard and make a hard fist like you're fighting someone. Just do 10 repetitions, 15 to 30 seconds, whatever's comfortable for you. Brad: Don't forget to roll the wrists and circles a few times in each direction. Oh, that feels good. Yes, and then you could play the piano after that. Mike: Well, you have to know how to play piano first. Brad: Well, there are a few that do. Mike: Number four, we're going to work on the hips and knees at the same time in a standing position. Again, if you need to hold onto something, go ahead. It's simply marching, but focusing on a good knee bend while you're doing it. Go up as high as you comfortably can. If this seems easy for you, Brad is showing you can give a little extra stretch by using your hands, or if you want a little bit more hip motion with it, you can also kind of do a circular motion. I feel some cracking and popping going on right now. Brad: Now, if balance is an issue, do not do this. Go to the wall, hands against the wall for balance, and then work it. You will not be able to get the extra pull, but that's okay. You can still do the circles. Really use that wall for support. Little lean up against it is always helpful. There we go. If you wanna do a little squat in there for the fun of it, that's up to you. Let's go to number five. Brad: Number five, down to the ankles and the heels. Go up on your toes as far as you feel comfortable and then rock backwards. Be careful rocking backwards. It's a good way to fall. Put your back against the wall if you feel uncomfortable with that, so the worst that could happen is you hit the wall, and everything is good. Mike's using a stick, or you can use a cane or even a walker. Safety, safety, safety. Use good judgment, be safe. Brad: All right, so now we're going to do the real-time thing without all the explanation. First of all, chin tucks, two, and I'll count a little bit. Three. We have a timer going, so you know how to do this as far as the good time. Rotate right and left. A little push if you need a little extra. Do not get aggressive. Now, the shoulders! Mike: We still have 10 seconds left. You are speeding through this. Brad: That's right. Well, people always say, "Why take your time when you can go fast?" Actually, take your time. Mike is absolutely right. Take your time with it. I'm getting a little nervous in front of a camera. Mike: We still got 20 seconds of this one because you were early on the other one. Brad: That's all right. It all works out in a while. Mike: Now, you can go up and down like we are here, like Brad was doing, kind of a pulling back, retracting motion. We still got 10 seconds on this one. Brad: I'm going to the next one. I'm not waiting. Mike: You can't wait! Brad: That's right. Get going with the day. Open and close those fingers in circles. So you know, these circles really feel good on my wrist, so I'm going to take my time with those, so you can adjust these for your body's needs. There should be no sharp pain with any of these. If there are, skip it and go to the next one. Mike, how about the next one? Mike: So we're going to march again, so do which one works for you. You can do the straight normal version at a wall, whatever works, and you can also do the circles or extra stretching. That feels kind of good. You almost feel like you're dancing a little bit. Brad: Well, we could be dancing if we put some music on. Maybe a little Frank Sinatra. Mike: I didn't say I was good at dancing, but it would be something. Brad: All right, number five, ankles. Mike: So we're just going to go up on the toes and back on the heels, and Brad's using a wall and trying to push it over, I think. Brad: Yep, so you can face the wall or you can go back to the wall, as I mentioned on the first one. Now, we're only coming up on two minutes. You could go through it this fast. If you want to do more, feel free. It is a short stretch, and you can be done. Now, there is a little bonus, if you want, we were talking about dancing before, you can always work the bonus of the Ziggy Zag. This is great for balance and ankle strength, but do it against the wall if you need some balance. This is strictly optional, don't worry about it. Brad: If it looks like something you don't want to do, forget about it, and naturally, can you do the Charleston knees here? Mike: I'm not good at that one, no. You can go ahead and do it, though. Brad: I always have fun doing this. I've done it many times on this, but that's just something for fun. Anyways, let's go on. What else do we have to talk about, Mike? Mike: Another video that I can't see right now. Brad: And what is that video, Mike? Mike: " One Incredible Trick to Improve Your Walking ." Brad: There you go. Enjoy the walk, but do the stretch first, the Incredible Five or the Fantastic Five. Mike: You don't even remember what you called it. Brad: It's good either way. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

The goal is to get your pants, shoes, and socks on without putting your back in the C-position or a painful position. ➢ Put on your pants in bed. In bed, lie on your back and flex one leg toward you. Slip one pant leg in and repeat with the other. ➢ Put your pants on in the chair. If you have a very good hip range of motion you may be able to place the right ankle on the left opposite thigh and slip the right leg into the pant leg. Repeat this with the left ankle on the right opposite thigh, and slip the left leg into the remaining pant leg. All this must be done with the back held straight. ➢ Put pants on using a “reacher” or “grabber”. Putting on Shoes The shoes can also be put on in bed. In bed, lie on your back and flex one leg toward you. Rotate your hip and bring the foot closer to you. Slip on the shoe and tie it. Repeat with the remaining leg. Use slip-on shoes or ZEBAs. Use elastic shoelaces and a long-handled shoehorn. (Elastic Shoelaces) (Long Shoe Horn) Get help from a friend or partner. 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 How to Put on Pants, Socks & Shoes With Back Pain

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/Ih-4jTxOuvE Brad: If you're looking or feeling hunched over and you may be experiencing neck, shoulder pain, or back pain, then this is for you. Mike: Or if someone has been rude enough to tell you you're kind of hunched over, then you definitely want to give these exercises and stretches a try. Brad: That's right, so we have a three-step program to work this through. We're going to go through it step by step. You can do it at home. All right, now a lot of people aren't even aware of their posture. I want to give you an example. This is a story that Bob has told many times, it's about his cousin David. He works at this location, and he's talking to the security guard, and they're having a chat. They know each other. He's worked there for a long time. And he's looking at a film of someone walking out of the building that he himself works in. And this person walked out of the door, and he's looking at his backside, and this person's all hunched over and walking forward. He asks the security guard, "I work in that building, and I know everyone who works in that building. And who is that old person? I've never seen him before." And the security guard stops and looks at him, and says, "That happens to be you." So his posture is hunched over. He had no idea until he saw himself in a video. And this can be your situation unless you have a family member or friend who actually says, "You are looking pretty hunched over." If it's a stranger, then you know you're hunched over badly. The three primary demons that give you hunchback or that rounded poor posture is, number one, is when you're a child are people telling you, "Sit up tall" and making that a habit at a early age. Mike: Number two demon, as Brad is saying, is modern-day technology. Obviously, looking down at your smartphone or maybe your laptop over there. Mike: Oftentimes, we do not have good posture unless we have a good ergonomic setup or hold our phones like this. Brad: And number three is gravity. Once you start this posture, gravity continues to work against you every day, all the time while you're standing or sitting. And you have to actually fight that and consciously prepare yourself to be upright. So we're going to talk about how to do that. Now, if you were to actually test if you have this hunch back or this rounded posture, simply go up against the wall, put your bottom side against the wall, and then your shoulders here and then see if you can straighten your back so that your shoulders are touching, your chin is tucked in, and everything is touching. Then you know you have a good range of motion, and that's a good sign. Brad: If you go against the wall and you cannot get back flat, you definitely need to go to step number one. We're going to show how to break things and stretch things up so this is possible. Okay, now Mike is going to pretend he has poor posture, and he's so tight when he lies down on the floor, he can't even get his head down to the floor or his shoulders. And I have worked with people like this in the clinic, it's not that uncommon. Mike, can you talk about how you're going to use gravity to stretch yourself out to get good posture? Mike: So first, if you're this bad, you may need to take a pillow or two for support and rest on that. Just be going from here, say if I'm tight to here, it may feel like a stretch. This is where you can begin. Just lie down like this for a certain duration of time, maybe 30 seconds, a minute, maybe you can go for five minutes if it feels okay for you, and work on it eventually over time, getting fewer pillows if possible. Eventually, try to get to the floor. Now, if you're someone that's kind of hunched over, you notice, but you can easily touch your head to the floor, we can show you how to stretch it a little bit more by either using a ball or a rolled up towel. Brad: So if you take a towel or two towels, roll them up so it's about six inches in diameter. We're going to put that right there. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So we just lie on that. And then I'm going to need a pillow for this because I'm so high up here. But you could see how just having the towel here, you can even put your arms up to your side. Now this is really going to stretch. Because oftentimes when people are bent forward, their pec and shoulder muscles also get tight. So this will actually help stretch those out as well. Brad: So it's really important that you learn how to relax and breathe. And when you can do that, it'll actually allow the muscles to stretch. So if you're tight and it's a little uncomfortable and you're really breathing with shallow breaths, it's going to be more difficult to get the stretch. Mike: This feels good. Brad: Yeah, it does feel good, doesn't it? Then you can bring your arms from straight out and do that upwards. There you go. Get a more aggressive stretch. Mike: Oh, now I'm really feeling it. Brad: Yes. Mike: Yeah, this is going to work on your shoulder motion more, but it'll help with your kyphosis. Brad: Now, the towel we put under there was pretty big in diameter. You may want to start with a smaller diameter towel. You could also use a ball that's soft, like a kick ball, and that can be a good way. That's a pretty big ball. You'd probably start with a smaller one. Mike: Yeah, this is pretty aggressive, but you can use a smaller one, it'd be fine. Brad: Okay, now it may take a few days or even longer, depending on how tight your muscles are in your joints and your back, but once you get to the point where you can lie on the floor comfortably, your head is flat, you can tuck your chin in and you can lie out like this, then it's time for phase number two. Brad: You're going to do the same thing I had done before to assess and go to the wall so gravity is no longer assisting you. It's all muscle contraction. Mike, take it away. Mike: So, go against a wall like Brad showed earlier. We're going to make contact points first with our buttocks. Then we're going to try to do shoulder blades. And last, you're going to try to touch the back of your head. In order to do this, we want to do a chin tuck, so retracting this way. We don't want to look up towards the ceiling and turn our head. So we're going to do a chin tuck. If you can't touch the wall and it feels okay, you can try and just take your fingertips, push back a little bit to try to get there. You can just perform chin tucks if this seems hard. Mike: Now, if this is easy, you get more advanced, you can try to do a "W." I have some little wings here hitting on the side, but you can make the "W" shape. It can go up and down if you want. This is really going to work on your posture. This is even pretty challenging for me, but you can also just hold it here if this feels like a good stretch. Brad: Yeah. Can you put your arms down once, Mike? Now Mike is against the wall, we actually want to see if we can touch the shoulder blades back because that is one thing, and I've done this with patients many times who are tight here. I'll just gently put some pressure there and stretch, and it's a nice, gentle stretch and relaxing. And there you go. Boy, you've got a lot of beef. You've been lifting weights. Mike: I feel like a football player again, doing that. Brad: All right, now when you get to the point where you can touch your buttock, your shoulders, and you feel flat up against the wall, this may take again days or a week or two, depending on how tight you are, then the maintenance exercise comes along. And this is one of my favorite posture exercises. You actually face the wall. We want to strengthen the muscles in the back that help pull you into that upright posture, good posture. Now what you're going to do is hands up against the wall, feet out about a foot or two feet from the wall. You're comfortable, and you're going to make sure your head is back with good posture, not sagging down. Now this is the part I really like because it works those muscles in a certain manner that promotes good posture. The left hand is going to go up in this direction, and at the same time, the opposite leg with the straight knee is going to go out. So you tighten them up, and you arch, and you will feel the muscles. Mike, can you point out where these muscles are working? That cross-sectional thing from there, from there to the opposite hip. And then you go here and you go back. Mike: So he's working the shoulder muscles, retractor muscles up in the shoulder, and he's working his low back, lumbar paraspinal muscles down here. Brad: Yep. And it's important that you do it opposite, arm, takes you a little bit to get used to for some people. There we go. And I can really feel those muscles working, and I'm feeling tall and strong, and it really is a good stretch. I do want to mention that there may be people who can already touch the wall in the first step. They can go straight to the wall. You don't even have to go to the floor. Step one, you can skip, you can go right to step two, and then possibly to step three very quickly, depending on how tight your body is and your muscles are, if they're contracted or not. Mike: Now with a hunched-over posture, if you're younger, you may get to these progressions quicker. You could typically have more elasticity in your muscles and tendons, and ligaments, so you can get stretching. If you're older, it may take a while. You had more years to get more rigid and in that posture. So just take your time and eventually, hopefully, it'll improve. Brad: And we also have another video. And this actually addresses posture, hunched over while you're walking, and how you can correct that. Mike: Check out the video " How To Stop Walking Hunched Over! 5 Best Fixes. " Brad: There you go. Mike: It's good. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.