We hope to convey to you one of the key points with all forms of sitting and back pain, the benefit of movement and change of position. The most important tactic you can use to combat back pain while sitting is to intermix sitting with walking and movement. The person who attempts to sit with the perfect posture should still intermix change of back positions, movement, and walking. Use of a Standing Desk I (Bob) hurt my back when moving furniture to a new apartment in 1985. I began to experience sciatica-type symptoms. Over the next month, I avoided sitting. I did all my notes for treating patients standing at a counter. Eventually, the sciatica pain subsided, and I have not had any symptoms since. If I were to injure my back now, I would use a height-adjustable standing desk or desk converter. In fact, I am typing this document while standing at a desk converter. There are many great desk companies out there, but we have found the quality of our Flexispot desks and converters to be excellent. Link for Flexispot desk: https://amzn.to/3ILoc4o 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 April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/RJ2XxNHMVTk Brad: All right, so if you're experiencing pain or a muscle knot in one of your shoulders, we're going to show you a technique that has been very successful in releasing it in a very fast manner. Mike: And the only things you need are a chair and a pillow. Brad: It's that easy. Good job, Mike. Mike: Thanks. Brad: Now some real typical ways of treating these muscle knots to get rid of them is a Thera cane like this, or a hooked cane where you get in and you try to massage that out and it actually works fairly well. Also, massage gun like Mike is doing to get at that spot. It's a little awkward though, isn't it, Mike? Mike: Yeah, it's a little hard to reach back here, especially if you have a knot right there already. Brad: So this technique takes an opposite approach that works incredibly well without all the effort. So the technique that we're going to show you is developed by Dr. Lawrence Jones. This was a number of decades ago actually. It has been researched thoroughly and has had positive results, and even more importantly, in my mind, has had positive results in the clinic on a consistent basis. Mike: So it used to be called strain, counter strain, and now it is called positional release technique. Instead of aggressively stretching the painful area, going the opposite direction, and digging in hard with massaging, we're actually going to shorten and relax the muscle area to give it some relief. Brad: That's right, it's kind of like the gentle spirit moves all kind of a theory. All right, Mike is going to be the person in pain. He happens to have a nice knot right in that right shoulder. He's been working on the computer wondering why this knot is here, and we're going to use this to get rid of it, and resolve the pain. Then we'll see if it actually works. So the first step is to give this an objective level of pain. So, Mike, you want to show them how to do it? Mike: So take your good side, palpate the painful area, find it, and press down. If I'm pressing down, and let's say it's an eight out of 10, that's my subjective number. Brad: So typically what we find is a trigger point right there. Everyone has it. And that's the spot that actually knots up. And Mike actually, when he said palpate, he meant push on it and massage around there. It's a very tender spot over that trigger point, and that's where he gets that pain number from. Okay, now these next steps are very critical to follow in order. Now the muscle actually is from the shoulder blade here to the neck or up to the base of the skull here. Brad: That's the muscle we want to shorten and relax. So this is why it's called positional release. The position of your body is absolutely critical. The first thing we're going to do is elevate the weight of the arm and the shoulder up here. So we're going to shorten the muscle from this point of view. Go ahead, we're going to use pillows. So you do need a chair with armrest so it can support the pillows and you'll want to use one or two pillows, whatever it takes. And this elevates the shoulder. Brad: Are you relaxed, Mike? Do you feel good there? So we took the muscle and shortened it from one aspect distal from the spine or furthest away. Now we need to position the head to shorten the muscle the rest of the way. So, Mike, you want to go through? This is specific to how you do it. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So first, sit with a good upright posture. I'm going to look straightforward. Now this is saying I have pain in my right shoulder and trap there. So what I'm going to first do is extend my neck. So go backwards. Then I'm going to side bend or bring my ear to my shoulder. Then the last component is I'm actually going to turn and look away. Now this should feel comfortable on this side, should be nice and relaxed. If you're feeling a stretch on the other side, maybe don't turn as far. You should feel comfortable on both sides when doing this. And you're simply going to hold this for 90 to 120 seconds. Brad: Absolutely a minimum of 90. You do need to take a watch or a clock, whatever, and time it. Make sure that's your minimum of 90, no more than 120 seconds. Now, before you start this, you may want to just move your head around a little bit to find the most comfortable position for that painful spot. That's when you start the timer. Maintain there and really relax. Think about relaxed breathing. You know, 90 seconds, actually it takes a while when you're trying to stay in one spot. So really think about relaxing and just hold it. And when you get done, it's critical that you just don't get up and move around quickly. You get out of that position and back into a neutral seated position, slowly. So you just take your time. We'll take the pillows out. And at that point, you can move that shoulder around a little bit slowly. We're just getting out of there slowly. You can move your head around slowly. If you want to do a gentle massage with the other hand just to kind of massage it gently, we're not getting into it. Brad: And then at this time, you're going to reassess that trigger point by pushing down on it and comparing the number of pain to what it was when we started. Mike, what do you have now? Mike: So what you're going to say, is it's a six now. It got better. Brad: Okay, so went from, what was the first one an eight? Mike: Eight. Brad: Eight to a six. Now I've had a lot of people that actually went from eight down to a two or even a one. It could be that dramatic. Now if that's the case, if it did go down, you want to do this technique every hour. Each time you reassess and see how it goes. Now if the problem is from a different area, say you have a problem in the spine or your posture when you're working at the computer is really poor, it may not respond as well. So if you get a good response, continue to do it hour by hour, and within a day or two it should be resolved or even less than that. So this is a really nice technique, easy to use. It's not aggressive at all, and it's been scientifically researched to have worked very well. Now, if it's not working for you, we do have another video that approaches this in a different manner. This is one of Bob's favorite techniques. Mike: Yeah, so if you're having some pain in that same region while working on the computer, the video is called " Stop Shoulder Neck Pain with This Simple Hack " and Bob explains what he did to fix his issues. Brad: There you go. 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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 April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/Tc94WefcrLQ Mike: Today we're going to discuss the six worst exercises for sciatica. Brad: That's right. Now some of these exercises can be good and help you out, but if you have sciatica, they can actually make the sciatica worse or just give you more problems and drag the problem and the pain on. All right, now we actually have a high-tech model here at Bob and Brad, but it does a really nice job of visualizing what happens to the disc that actually causes sciatica, in other words, a pain down your leg. So here we have representation of a vertebra, L5, L4, which is a very common, place to have a bulging disc, creating sciatica and then the markers represent a nerve, the spinal nerve. There it is. Now a bulging disc can be caused or created, made worse, by certain movements of your back. Mike, do you want to talk about it? Mike: So if you are bending or flexing forward and you have a compromised disc, which is the red gel-looking thing here, you can actually go forward, you can see the disc will push backward touching that nerve root and that can cause your pain. Obviously, if it's sciatica, it's hitting your sciatic nerve root region, which will refer to pain from your back down into your leg region. Mike: So these exercises commonly can push that disc back there if it's already weak or herniated. Brad: Now keep in mind this is not exactly anatomically accurate, however, the concept is. Mike: First is hamstring stretching. We're going to show a couple of variations that can be problematic for some people. I am doing what's known as the hurdler stretch. So sitting in a long position, I'd be stretching my hamstring on the right leg and then I'd bend forward and if I have sciatica, this is probably painful and irritating my back and my leg right now, mainly because I'm rounding my back and flexing forward like this, putting that disc pressure on the nerve root like we talked about earlier. Mike: So if you get an upright seated position like this and there's no pain, that's fine. If you can manage to keep a flat back and bend forward, it's okay. Mike: But if any of this causes pain, just do not do it. Mike: Right. Be very cautious or, again, I would just avoid it. Another common one is when people's hamstrings stretch with one leg up on a bench or other high surface. Watch my lower back. This is really a big no, no. I'm rounding the back, everything is being stressed, a lot of stress on that low back on that disc area. Brad: If you do it with a straight back and go forward like this, then it may be tolerated. Again, it's still a red flag. There are other ways to do hamstring stretches and we do have some videos on that as well. Mike: Now if you don't have sciatica and you can do the stretch with a flat back, it's perfectly fine. But if you have sciatica, just avoid it. Brad: And number two is forward bending or forward stretching. Simply fingertips to the toes like Mike is demonstrating. Brad: People use this for a hamstring stretch as well. Again, the rounded back really puts stress on that disc where the problem is and could flare up that sciatica, even if you go forward and bend the knees, that takes the hamstring out, but it still does the same thing here. Brad: This is the type of thing, we just don't do it all. If you do this with your back arch and straight, there may be an argument that that's going to be helpful for it. But if you have sciatica, I would just not do the bend forward at all till it resolves. Mike: So the next exercise you want to avoid is double leg lifts. This is commonly a core-type exercise people will do. So both feet are together, I bring them up as high as I can. You can see right here my back is starting to flex and round. Mike: It's just the opposite way of a forward bend because my legs are moving and not my upper body. Now if you do these with a single leg, keeping a nice flat back, something like this, this is okay. But if you have sciatica, you probably just want to avoid this altogether for now. Brad: Right. Mike: So the double leg lifts avoid. You get a lot of rounding in the lower back, you can see how this is problematic. Brad: Right, right. Again, this stresses the lower back quite a bit. Big caution with it and hold off. All right, now if you like this Superman, quote-unquote, superman exercise to strengthen the low back, this is one I would definitely avoid if you have sciatica. Brad: Stuart McGill, who's done a tremendous amount of research on the back, talks about how much stress it actually puts on the lower back. He does not recommend this one. So even though it strengthens the back, too much stress with sciatica puts it on hold and actually puts it on hold forever. Mike: Number five is any type of twisting motion with the spine or rotation component. Typically this can irritate sciatica as well. Brad, I'll show some stretching variations people do. I will show a core exercise. So this is often a core exercise. Obviously, I'm sitting weird on the mat right now, but just so you can see it. People will lift their legs up and turn from side to side. Yes, it is working at my core. It's a workout, but if you have sciatica, it's going to cause some irritation. Brad: That's right. The other thing is a common stretch we call windmills, where you bend forward, even if you keep your back straight, you do not want to do this with sciatica where you're simply working this rotational stretch. So avoid that. Mike: Exercise number six is a full sit-up. When you sit up all the way like this, you can see how my back is rounding and this is causing bad posture. Mike: Now it is a core exercise, but if you have sciatica, this is going to flare things up terribly. If you want to do core strengthening, something Stuart McGill recommends for people that have back pain is to actually lie in a bent knee position like this to begin and just simply lift the back of their head and their shoulder blades go up straight towards the ceiling, keeping my back in full contact with the mat the whole time and you can strengthen your core this way. Mike: If you do enough repetitions of this, you're going to start to feel it. Brad: Right, it doesn't look like much and it really isolates the low back out of the equation. So it's a good option while you have sciatica. So why don't you sit up Mike? Mike: I am doing sit-ups. Brad: All right, so avoid all those exercises for your lower back safety. However, we do have a wonderful exercise program from Rick Olderman who has a program. Can you talk a little bit more about this? Mike: So you can click the video link on the screen. It'll bring you right to that video. These are " One in 5,000 Know This About Treating Sciatica ." So these exercises are safe for you and will probably help. 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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.

We hope to convey to you that a key point of sitting and back pain is the benefit of movement and change of positions. The most important tactic you can use to combat back pain while sitting is to intermix sitting with walking and movement. Even the person who attempts to sit with the perfect posture should still intermix changes in back positions, movement, and walking. Foam Back Supports We believe it is important to use back supports to help avoid the “C” position and to obtain a good sitting posture when in the car. Driving in a vehicle is generally very hard on your back. This is especially true if you are driving with a slumped posture. Vibration and road shock will place even further stress on your back. In this picture, one can see a foam roll being used to keep the spine from slumping into the “C” position. Proper Placement of a Foam Support The foam roll should be placed approximately at the level of your belt (either a little higher or lower - depending on comfort). Your bottom should be slid all the way back into the seat. Lean back against the roll and attempt to keep your body in a straight alignment. Your body type and the specific back problem will dictate the size of back support you need. A larger person with greater curves is more likely to require thicker back support. If the roll feels like it is too much, you may want to try thinner support. Before you purchase a foam back support, we recommend you try the following: Take a towel and roll it into a tube shape. Place it behind your back when sitting and gauge your comfort level. We have also generally found our patients who are suffering from back pain want thicker support (or a thicker towel). Those who are not currently having back pain generally desire a thinner roll. Experiment and decide. If you decide to use the rolled towel for a longer trial period - you may want to duct tape the ends to prevent it from unraveling. Once you have decided on a thickness you have the option of purchasing a back support with a similar feel. We also recommend using a support to help prevent back pain from occurring or reoccurring. It is important to follow these rules when driving or after driving. 1. Avoid long trips when recovering from sciatica or a back injury. 2. If you need to drive, stop every half hour and walk a bit. Perform standing back extensions if allowed by your therapist. 3. Do not slump. Use a back support or rolled towel as already suggested. 4. Use your left foot to prevent your bottom from sliding forward on your seat, which causes your back to slump. Use the stationary inclined footrest located to the left side of the brake pedal (if this feature is available in your car). 5. Try moving your car seat slightly forward. When your knees are too straight, the tendency will be for your bottom to slip forward on the seat and cause you to slump. Slumped with knees straight Correct Posture 6. Lower your hands on the steering wheel. The least stressful and fatiguing position for the arms, neck, and back when driving is with the arms hanging nearly vertically. This is accomplished by placing your hands on the steering wheel in the nine o’clock - three o’clock position or the eight o’clock - four o’clock position. Place your hands on the steering wheel in the ten o’clock – two o’clock position will cause your upper back and shoulders to round forward. 7. Excessive back inclination will also cause your back to slump forward. 8. Avoid reaching into the back seat. This will cause your back to bend and twist. 9. Use proper technique for getting into and out of a car. When getting out of the car, pivot your whole body as a unit on the seat while you bring one leg out of the car at a time. For support, grasp the doorframe or steering wheel. When both legs are out of the car, scoot forward on the seat. Move your feet back, under you as far as possible. Then, lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight. Finally, stand with assistance from the doorframe or steering wheel. 10. Do not lift any heavy objects immediately after a long car ride. A long drive leads to fatigue of the lower back muscles, increased pressure on your discs, and stretching of your back ligaments. You are at a higher risk for developing low back pain and sciatica when involved with lifting activities after such a car ride. Remember your goal is to keep your back in proper alignment. By keeping your back in proper alignment, you are STOPPING THE CAUSE OF YOUR BACK PAIN. 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 April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/dYGEUayqCOs Brad: Anybody who has worked at a desk for any period of time has experienced neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, et cetera. Mike: And making some changes to your chair or your desk and computer screen can make all the difference. Brad: That's right. We're going to show you all you need to know. Mike: So the first thing we're going to do is look at the chair you're using and how to adjust it. First, we'll look at how you can do a standard chair, and then we'll show you if you happen to have a computer chair, some adjustments you can make, or if you don't have one, what to look for if you're about to purchase one. Brad: That's right. Now some people already have one of these, but they're not aware of the adjustments that are available. So we're going to actually show the Flexispot C7 Mesh FT model, which we like very much. As a matter of fact, I'm taking this one home with me because I like it so much. Mike: So the first thing you want to check is the height of your chair. Now if you're stuck in a standard chair like me, you want to make sure your feet can touch the ground comfortably and you roughly have a 90-degree bend in your hip and a 90-degree bend in your knees. Mike: This is actually an okay chair for me. However, the other chairs I've been in are sometimes too tall or too short. If they're too short, oftentimes your knees may be way too high, where your knees are higher than your hips. Mike: This is going to get uncomfortable, especially on your back. Now if I happen to be in a taller chair or my feet are dangling and cannot touch the ground, simply placing a pad underneath your feet can help fix that issue. Mike: If you are in a chair that is too short, stick a pad or pillow underneath your buttock and it'll make you taller. Brad: That's right. You could use two pillows or two pads depending on what you need, but you definitely want to get the chair or the seat pan at the right height. Step number one. All right, now if you have a professional-grade chair, it's very nice because I have the levers, which are easy to get to so you can make the adjustment. My feet are hanging and dangling, I am too high. Simply grab the lever and drop it down. Brad: There we go. My feet are flat on the ground, a 90-degree bend in my knee, and my hips are in the right position. So that works very nicely. To get it back up, you simply stand up and it'll go back up and down. Works wonderful. Brad: Let's go to the second most important thing with computer chairs. Now the next thing that's really important. It's going to make a big difference on your shoulders, as well as neck and headaches is the proper height of your armrest. The weight of your arm should be supported by the armrest. So the height needs to be adjustable. Right now, this is way too high. My arms are resting but my shoulders are going up towards my ear. Brad: These are easily adjustable. Simply push a button, up and down. I'm going to get it to the right level. That feels much better. I can rest my arms here. And the nice thing about this chair is not only can you go up and down, but you can rotate in or out. I like to go in a little bit, and they can go forward and back to fit your body ergonomics. It's a great combination. If you have a chair like this, what can they do, Mike? Mike: So you can't lower this obviously if they're too high. However, you can put a cushion underneath you to raise your buttocks up. If the armrests are too low like this one would be for my work desk here, you could see how low it is, in comparison to the table. So what you can do is fold up a pillow like this and then I have some armrests. Obviously, you need some pillows, you're going to lose a little bit of the seat room. But if you have a standard chair, this is what you can do to get the optimal position for your arms. Brad: That's right. And Bob actually did something with his. He took a cushion, cut it up with a knife, and taped it onto the armrest of his existing chair before he got a chair like this. So there are options. Mike: He's extremely tall too, so that's why he had to do that. Brad: That's right. Now, lumbar support, the area right above your belt line can be really critical in getting some good support there. This chair has a really nice, as you can see, lumbar support that's separate from the backrest. That's very nice. With this lever, you can actually adjust it in or out. Once you get it to the right position, you pull it up and it locks it in position to whatever you want, and then you'll have that support there. Brad: I really appreciate this. Then another nice thing about it is you might want to change it every hour or so to have more support or less support. Just changing your body position can make things more comfortable. Mike, what about a chair like that? What options are there? Mike: So obviously I don't have a built-in lumbar support in this chair, so what you can do is either take a rolled-up towel, this is a medium-sized one. You can use a large one or a small one depending on your body size and what's comfortable. I'm just going to place this in my lower back right here. Lean against the chair and I have some lumbar support. Mike: Another option is to take a pillow of sorts. I just have a throw pillow here. I can put this in my lower back region and there we go. Now if you have a computer chair with lumbar support that you don't like and you try a throw pillow in, which I have done, really doesn't work because it's too much. So you need to get a good optimal computer chair. Brad: That's right. But there's one more option that we have from Rick Olderman and that's actually using a pillow from your bed. Put it in vertical in a chair like this and it's amazing what that little bit of support can do with comfort in the back and sitting. Brad: All right, those are three very important adjustments, and those you can make on any chair just like we had. Now, the rest of these adjustments are going to come with a professional computer chair like this one. The first thing we're going to address is the seat pan. And first of all, you'll want to adjust the tilt of the seat pan. Watch how this goes backward and forward. Brad: Now if you have stenosis, you might want to go backward, otherwise, you may want to go forward. It's an individual preference. Get it adjusted where it feels good on your back, and lock it in. There's a nice lever here. Easy to reach. That's set. Now the next thing is the seat pan moving forward and backward. There's simply another lever here. I'm going to push it and let's get a better view of this if I want to go forward or back. Brad: You're going to do that in accordance with how it fits on your desk. So find the right position. So, a lot of times with these, you're only going to make one adjustment with it and it's set for you. Another person on the chair may adjust it for them. All right, let's go to the next options. All right, another really nice feature with a good chair like this is the ability to adjust the backrest. So it can go back like this in a variable range or you can actually simply go back and lock it and keep it there. Brad: So when you're working, you want to take a little mini break. You can simply lean back, stretch out those arms and shoulders, and relax that lumbar support, really feels good there. Take your little mini break and then back to work again. All right, there's another nice little feature here. There's a little adjustment that you actually crank and what it does, is it adjusts how far you go back with it. Brad: It's one of those little things, that can make a difference. I'm not overly thrilled about it, but it's nice to have. All right, now the headrest is nice and adjustable because if you've got someone like Bob, six and a half foot tall, or someone five foot four, you're going to need to adjust this up and down. It's very easy and you can go forward and back with it, all with resistance. It works very nicely and there it is. I'm set to go. Brad: Now this last feature is very nice. It can set this chair apart from other chairs. It actually has a built-in and adjustable legrest. Pull it out to the distance that fits you, bring it out, lock it in place, and there you go. If you want to take that little mini break, you can go here and simply recline back. I'm going to lock this into place, and I can relax, and take a snooze. You know, as long as the boss isn't watching. You get your five-minute break, keep it on your timer, and then it simply goes back into place. Brad: A push of a button locks it in and you're ready to go again. Nice feature. That really is fun to do actually. So what else do we have to look at? A big important thing is the height of the screen can make all the difference in the world for headaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain. We'll show you how to get rid of that very quickly. Mike: Now when it comes to your screen height, as Brad is demonstrating here, this is not a good posture because his screen is too low. In order to see it, he has to bend forward. He's putting a lot of strain on his shoulders and neck, and discomfort there. Mike: So in order to get to a more optimal level, we want to lift the monitor up. This is an adjustable monitor, which is really nice. So you can pick the option that's good for you. Obviously, your desk height is going to play a role in it as well. But if you do not have an adjustable monitor, what you can do, say you just have a laptop, is get some type of foam pad. Or if you have a pile of books, you can stack them to make your computer screen be taller. Typically, you want to be able to look straight ahead. So his vision line is at the monitor, so he can just look up and down versus tilting his head up and down. Saving strain on your neck. Brad: This can make a big difference. I always say parallel across. This is about as low. I almost want to put the pad underneath it to get it a little bit higher because that's going to bring it from this position to here. Tremendous differences in ergonomics and back and neck strain. Always make sure your screen is at the right height. It's very critical. Mike: So again, this chair is the Flexispot C7 Mesh FT . Also, if you want to check out more videos on the best setup for a desk, check out " I Get Pain Working At My Computer! " Brad: That's right. We did not mention the mesh, which is nice for a cool place to sit. It's nice and comfortable. This chair is coming to my house. I can guarantee you that. Mike: Yeah, it was already there. Brad: Yeah, I know. It's just coming back. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun C2 Massage Gun  (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat D2 Mini Massage Gun Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun   Knee Glide   Eye Massager   EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager White EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager Black EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote T2 Massage Gun   T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt Fitness: Resistance Bands​   Pull Up System Pull Up Bands   Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener   Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Stress Balls   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 is 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.

Shopping for the men in your life can sometimes be a challenge, especially when you’re aiming to give a gift that’s both thoughtful and practical. This holiday season, why not treat them to the ultimate in relaxation and recovery? Bob and Brad’s range of innovative massagers is perfect for husbands, dads, brothers, and friends who deserve a little extra care. From high-performance massage guns to soothing eye and leg massagers, these gifts combine comfort, functionality, and wellness—all in one package. 1. Bob and Brad Massage Guns : Recovery Made Easy For the fitness enthusiast or the guy who’s always on the go, a Bob and Brad Massage Gun is the perfect gift. These devices are designed to target deep muscle knots and provide instant relief from soreness and tension. Whether he’s recovering from a workout or simply needs to relax after a long day, the massage gun’s customizable attachments and settings make it a versatile tool. Why it’s perfect: Compact and portable design Multiple speed settings for personalized relief Professional-grade quality for everyday use 2. Bob and Brad sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt : Versatile Pain Relief The Bob and Brad sWave Massage Gun with Belt is a game-changer. This versatile combo is designed to target both large muscle groups with the massage gun and smaller, more delicate muscle areas with the massage strap. Perfect for full-body relief, it provides both deep tissue therapy and precision targeting to ensure optimal muscle recovery and pain relief. Designed for targeted relief, this device uses adjustable settings to soothe muscles and improve circulation. This tool is the perfect gift for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, office workers, seniors, or anyone experiencing chronic pain. Why it’s perfect: Adjustable fit for different body types Combines powerful massage and convenience Easy to use at home or on the go 3. Bob and Brad Leg Massager : The Ultimate in Comfort After a long day, there’s nothing quite like the soothing embrace of a leg massager. Bob and Brad’s Leg Massager is designed to provide full-coverage compression for tired legs, combining air compression and heat to improve circulation and reduce fatigue. It’s ideal for men who are always on their feet or suffer from leg pain. Why it’s perfect: Adjustable intensity levels Targets calves, thighs, and feet Promotes relaxation and recovery 4. Bob and Brad Eye Massager : Relaxation for the Tech-Savvy Man For the man who spends hours staring at screens or struggles with sleep, the Bob and Brad Eye Massager is a thoughtful gift. With a combination of heat/cooling, vibration, and air compression, this device reduces eye strain, alleviates headaches, and promotes better sleep. Why it’s perfect: Compact and travel-friendly Reduces tension and puffiness around the eyes Perfect for unwinding after a long day Wrap-Up Relaxation This Holiday Season This Christmas, give the gift of wellness and relaxation with Bob and Brad’s massagers. From powerful massage guns to soothing eye and leg massagers, there’s something for every man on your list. These gifts aren’t just about comfort—they’re about showing you care for his health and well-being. Ready to shop? Visit Bob and Brad’s website  to explore their full range of massagers and find the perfect gift for the man in your life. Don’t wait too long—order now to ensure your gifts arrive in time for the holidays!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/tgoZ0RTuEOs Mike: Today we're going to go over a beginner stretching routine that you can do on your own. Brad: That's right. We're going to be covering six stretches that loosen you up head to toe. Mike: This program is designed for someone who has never done stretching before, so they're pretty easy and you can do them just in your house. Brad: Now each stretch, you're going to hold for 30 seconds, but again, that's a long time to hold if you've never done it before. So start at your own pace, and do it one to three times. Mike: The first stretch we're going to do, you're going to need a doorway or a frame at least. You can open up the door. We're going to be stretching our pec muscles. I'm going to make kind of a field goal post-looking shape like Brad is doing here on the door frame. And then you're going to slowly lean into it. This is going to stretch those pecs out. We're going to hold it for 15 to 30 seconds. The further in I go, the more stretch I feel. If you're tight and still on the backside of the doorway, that's fine. If your shoulders have trouble going up, you could certainly keep them down. Mike: Do whatever is comfortable for you. You could even go down lower, I guess, if you'd like. Brad: That's right. Yeah, so this is a nice stretch. Once you can do it, every time you walk through a doorway throughout the day, simply do a stretch. It's nice for posture, just don't let your head get way forward. We don't want that. Keep the head over the shoulders. Mike: Okay, the second stretch we're going to do is for the calf muscle. Now you have two calf muscles per leg. So we're going to show two different stretches. Brad will demonstrate it. All you need is a wall. Brad: That's right. You don't have to go to a farm to find a calf animal. You know what I'm saying? You know. Anyways, the wall, we're going to stretch our calf muscles. Take one foot, and put it back away from the wall. Both hands are firmly on the wall. Make sure your hands are clean so you don't leave marks. I'm guilty of that. Mike: Cheeto fingers. Brad: Now the foot, seriously the foot is important. If your foot is angled out, you will not get a good stretch. Point it towards the wall. My heel comes up a little bit. Flattening it gives me a stretch. And there are two ways to do this with your knee straight and you lean into it. You'll feel a stretch that gets the gastroc muscle. You don't need to know that. But it is important to do it with the leg straight. Brad: To be complete, you're going to bend the knee and stretch again. This stretches a different muscle and it's really helpful. Brad: Make sure you do both legs straight. And with that knee bent. You can hold it for up to 30 seconds or you can repeat it on/off, and relax. You know if it's the first time you don't want to get too aggressive, you may have sore muscles the next day just from stretching. So be gentle with it and then carry that on. Mike: The third stretch we're going to do is for the hip flexor. The hip flexor makes you flex your hip or like marching. In order to stretch it out, you have to go backward to stretch it. There are many ways to stretch this. This is the most optimal way if you're having back pain of sorts, it's a pretty safe stretch. You're going to need a firm surface to sit on, whether that's a dining room table or a bed. Just beware on the bed, sometimes the edges are soft and you can kind of slide off. So what you're going to do is begin in a double knee-chest position. The closer my buttocks are to the edge of the mat, the more stretch I will feel. I'm going to stretch my left one here. I'm going to bring it off the mat. Then I'm going to bend the knee. It's important to take your other leg and bring it up to your chest. You can see when I do that, I have some tightness there because you could see my leg pulling up. I'm going to hold this for 15 to 30 seconds. Breathe through it. Make sure your leg is in a nice straight line. Don't let it venture out to the side like that. After you're done with 30 seconds, relax, reset, and do the opposite side. You may notice a difference, maybe perform an extra set on the tight side. Brad: That's right. So again, this little point that Mike brought up about bringing the foot and that actually stretches a different muscle. It's the rectus femoris that goes from the knee up that is actually forgotten in a lot of hip flexor stretches. That's the beauty of this one. We're stretching the deep muscles up in the hip and then when we add this, we get that rectus femoris. Brad: You will feel it stretch all the way the length of the thigh when you do that. So play around with it, get a feel for your body, and learn it. If you do not have an option to get off your bed or a table that's safe where you don't feel comfortable doing that, you can do this one in a lunging position and you know, with a pillow or a cushion, go like this. Keep your body straight. And this is another option for a hip flexor stretch. Doing the same, similar thing just at a some more optimal or convenient for some people. Mike: Yes, if you're comfortable getting down on your knees and doing it, that's typically the way I do it. It feels good. Brad: That's right. Alright, let's go to, what are we on number what? Mike: Four. Brad: Four, the big four. Mike: Stretch number four is going to be commonly known as child's pose. Sometimes we call it prayer stretch or down on all fours. It's actually going to stretch your hips, your knees, your lats, your shoulders, a little bit of everything. So you start in kind of a quadruped position like this. I tend to bring my feet together just because it's more comfortable for me. And then the wider I go, the easier it is to sit my heel towards my butt. And once you're down here, if you're not feeling much of a stretch, you can certainly extend your hands out in front of you. Again, breathe, relax, hold it for 30 seconds. Mike: If you're stuck off the mat more and can't go down as far, that's fine. Just start there. If you can't get down in this position like this, Brad will show you an option you can do seated in a second. Again, if say one side feels tighter, say my left side is a little tighter, I can bring that hand over to the right. Get a little more stretch and hold it that way. Or you can do vice versa and stretch the other side. Brad: I want to emphasize this is really not a full body stretch, but really covers the hips, the shoulder, and the shoulder blade, and it really works everything well, even in the ankles for plantar flexion. Now Mike is wearing jeans, I don't recommend wearing jeans unless you have stretchy jeans like Mike. Yeah, he's got those fancy ones that are elastic, otherwise, you know, shorts or something stretchy is always recommended with this particular one. If you do not feel comfortable going on your knees on the floor or your bed, a chair, or office chair that has wheels works really well. You can put your hands on the table. A firm surface is a nice, nice surface to do it on. And then simply roll the chair away and I can start to feel the stretch in my lower back and my hips, my shoulders. And we're just going to breathe gently. Brad: Now, if you do not have a chair with wheels, you simply take a towel and put it down on a table that's smooth and shiny. It'll work nicely. A chair there and you simply slide forward, and get a similar stretch again. You can cross over like Mike did. You'll feel that more on one shoulder as well as the opposite lower back and hip. It's a nice little addition to it and feels good. Brad: It's really nice when you get a stretch that feels good. You get done, it feels good, you're right on the money. Continue to do it. Alright, let's go to number five. Mike: Next, we're going to work on the hamstrings, which are on the back of the leg. You have three per side. We're going to give them a stretch. For this one, there are lots of ways to stretch the hamstring. The variation we're showing you will have to be kind of on the edge of a bed like this in order to do it. I'm going to stretch my right one here. So I'm simply going to put my leg out in front of me, keep it nice and straight. If I am back too far, I don't feel much of a stretch. Once I get more neutral, I feel a little bit, some people can really bend forward. I'm not that flexible in my hamstrings. But if you do bend forward, make sure to keep your back straight. Do not round like this. And I'm just going to sit with a nice flat back and I feel a hamstring stretch right here. I'm going to hold it for 30 seconds to perform on the opposite side. Either switch sides of the bed or just turn around. Again, you can isolate that one leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Brad: That's right. This is a nice stretch. Remember on all these stretches, breathe and relax. If you do that, your muscles will relax and stretch much better as opposed to if you grunt and really force it. So allow the muscle to stretch. Don't force it. Number six, this is one of my favorite ones. Prone external rotation. Simply in a seated position you can do it or lie down on your back in a chair. I do this every time I put my socks or shoes on. I have my foot up on my opposite knee. If I relax and let it down I'll give it a little extra push. Brad: That feels good. It's one of those things as you get older, sixties and seventies, this becomes more difficult, making it more difficult simply to dress. So if you simply do a little stretch every day before you put your socks and shoes on, it's going to help you out a lot. Sit up. And Mike, do you want to show her how to do it in bed or lying on the floor? Mike: So a similar position to Brad is doing your opposite leg will need to be bent. You can do this on the floor or bed like Brad said. Now if you can easily push this leg down here, don't feel much of a stretch. Simply bringing this foot closer will do more. Or I can take my hands on this leg and pull up and I really feel a stretch. I actually prefer to do this at home with this foot next to a wall up on a wall. That way I can just push. But this is certainly an easy way to do it as well. Brad: But wait, there's more. Mike: There is? Brad: So if you happen to be a beginner or you're real tight lying down, you may not be able to get your foot up to the opposite knee and it's like, oh, I'm stuck. What am I gonna do? Simply straighten the leg out start in this position and just relax. Let gravity pull that down. And after you can do that like Mike is doing, you simply elevate that knee, give you a little more stretch, and then get into the more advanced stretch like Mike was doing. So yeah, it's a nice stretch. Really good for the hips. Brad: Alright, we've got another video with some similar stretches. This one is actually focused on seniors. What is it, Mike? Mike: " Seniors: Five Must-Do Stretches to Stay Independent ." It kind of shows some functionality along with the stretches. And I think we're in it. Brad: Five must do! Yeah, so you must do them. They're good stretches, you'll like them. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun C2 Massage Gun  (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat D2 Mini Massage Gun Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun   Knee Glide   Eye Massager   EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager White EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager Black EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote T2 Massage Gun   T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt Fitness: Resistance Bands​   Pull Up System Pull Up Bands   Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener   Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Stress Balls   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 is 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.

The holiday season is the perfect time to express your love and appreciation for the special woman in your life. Whether you’re shopping for your mom, sister, best friend, or partner, giving the gift of relaxation and self-care is always a thoughtful choice. This Christmas, elevate their comfort and well-being with Bob and Brad’s top-notch range of massagers. From soothing eye massagers to powerful massage guns, these gifts are designed to relieve stress and bring a little extra joy to their daily lives. 1. Bob and Brad Eye Massagers : A Vision of Relaxation For the woman who juggles a busy schedule, the Bob and Brad Eye Massager is a dream come true. This device combines gentle heat, air compression, and vibration to reduce eye strain, alleviate headaches, and promote better sleep. Perfect for moms who need a moment of tranquility or anyone who spends hours in front of a screen, this gift offers a luxurious escape from daily stressors. Why it’s perfect: Enhances sleep quality Eases tension and puffiness around the eyes Compact and easy to use at home or on the go 2. Bob and Brad Back Massagers : Relieve Tension, Anytime, Anywhere If she often complains about back pain or simply loves a good massage, a back massager is the way to go. Bob and Brad’s EZBack Massager provides targeted relief to tight back muscles with ergonomic support and adjustable settings. It’s like bringing a spa treatment into her living room—an ideal gift for those who prioritize self-care. Why it’s perfect: Ergonomically designed for comfort Adjustable intensity to suit her needs Lightweight and portable for convenience 3. Bob and Brad Foot Massager : Soothing Relief for Tired Feet After long days on their feet, women deserve a break. The Bob and Brad Foot Massager is a game-changer for tired soles, offering a combination of kneading, rolling, and heat therapy. Whether it’s for your hardworking sister or your best friend who’s always on the move, this gift is sure to be a hit. Why it’s perfect: Relieves foot fatigue and promotes circulation Customizable settings for ultimate relaxation Compact and stylish design 4. Bob and Brad Hand Massager : A Gentle Hug for Her Hands For the woman who loves crafting, gardening, or simply using her hands all day, the Bob and Brad Hand Massager provides much-needed relief. With air pressure and heat therapy, this massager helps reduce stiffness and improve mobility, making it a thoughtful and unique gift. Why it’s perfect: Relieves soreness and tension in the hands Improves circulation and promotes relaxation Portable and easy to use 5. Bob and Brad Massage Guns : Power and Precision for Deep Relief If she’s into fitness or frequently experiences muscle soreness, a Bob and Brad Massage Gun will take her recovery to the next level. Designed with professional-grade features, their massage guns are perfect for targeting deep muscle knots and promoting relaxation after workouts or long days. Why it’s perfect: Lightweight and easy to handle Multiple attachments for customized relief Rechargeable and long-lasting Wrap Up the Gift of Relaxation This Christmas The women in your life deserve the very best, and Bob and Brad’s massagers make it easy to show them just how much you care. With options to suit every lifestyle and need, these gifts combine practicality, luxury, and wellness in one thoughtful package. This Christmas, let your gifts reflect the love and gratitude you feel by choosing relaxation, comfort, and care. Don’t wait too long—shop now to ensure your gifts arrive in time for the holidays! Visit the Bob and Brad Store to explore their full range of massagers and find the perfect present for the women you cherish.

When you sit incorrectly, you are likely to settle into the C position (slouching, slumped, flexed) with the accompanying stress to the parts of your back. (C-Position) For many of us, the sitting stress continues throughout much of the day. We sit when we eat, drive, work, watch TV, and when we are in the bathroom. Many researchers believe the significant increase in cases of back pain over the past few decades has much to do with the fact that more and more of us are spending our workdays in chairs. Improper sitting is a common contributing factor to back pain, sciatica, and the delay of healing. Yes, at the root of all back pain, one can generally find a chair. Even more distressing is that the poor slumped sitting posture begins to shape your standing posture. Your body remembers the sitting position and attempts to continue the posture when standing. Instead of having an erect and correct posture like a marine soldier, you begin to stand slouched and slumped. Therefore, it is important for you to understand sitting and sitting postures. We recommend our patients in pain avoid sitting as much as possible. They are advised to lie down or stand up whenever they can. Avoid sitting on overstuffed furniture, easy chairs, and recliners when you are experiencing back pain. If you feel that you must sit on such furniture, use a throw pillow behind your back to prop yourself up as straight as possible. Toilet sitting: one possibility is to sit on the toilet backward, gaining support from the back part of the toilet. A bedpan is another option. (Sitting on the Toilet) A bedpan is another option. We hope to convey to you that one of the key points about all forms of sitting and back pain is the benefit of movement and change of position. The most important tactic you can use to combat back pain while sitting is to intermix sitting with walking and movement. The person who attempts to sit with the perfect posture should still intermix changes in back positions, movement, and walking. We will provide you with some general rules or strategies for reducing the stress on your back while sitting at home. A. Sit on the couch with low back support using throw pillows. B. When sitting on a couch or recliner vary the amount of recline in the recliner. Keep a throw pillow in the lower back. C. Every half hour or so, increase and lessen the arch in your lower back. Keep it moving. D. Get up and walk around the room on a regular basis. E. Change positions every 20-30 minutes or so. If you have a stand-up desk, use it. 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 April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/I3keaSfrc-w Brad: Today we're talking about keeping our shoulder joints as healthy as they can. They're very mobile, reach behind, over. You can do circles in both directions. Let's keep them healthy when we strengthen them. Mike: So we're going to go over five shoulder exercises you should avoid and what you can do instead, or how to perform them correctly. Brad: That's right. Let's get to it, Mike. Alright, let's talk a little bit about the shoulder mechanics and why it's so complicated and we want to really take care of it. If we look at the ball of the humerus here in the socket, this joint moves very well. It does a number of motions, but this is only approximately 60 to 65% of the shoulder's motion. Brad: We must think about the scapula and all the motion that comes from the scapular motion. Sam shows really good motion of the scapula. So he goes up and it actually slides across the rib cage and that goes up approximately 30, 35%, and the rest comes from the ball and socket. Brad: If these don't work together and the scapula gets scarred down or tightened down, too much stress on the shoulder here causes problems like, what's that one again? Mike: Shoulder impingement! Brad: There you go! Shoulder impingement. A little brain fart from my 60-year-old brain. Anyway, let's go on and show the right way to work the shoulder. Alright, now the first one I talk about is the military press or overhead press. Mike's using just the Booyah Stik , demonstrating as if it were a barbell. Can you show it from a profile? And what happens is, particularly if you go behind your head, it really does stress that GH joint, we do get this, especially if you have tight scapulas already. Brad: So what you want to do is bring it in front of your head. That stresses it less. A lot of times if I have a patient with shoulder pain, I say just stay away from this exercise. There are other options and this goes with dumbbells too. If we're doing it back like this versus in front of you, or even best a bench that wreaks inclines a little bit. We don't have one here. Other things, if you have bands and you're stepping on them, this is a nice way to work it. Brad: But again, it's overhead. We're arm-impinging a little bit. Let's just stay away from it, particularly if you have pain while you're doing it, it's a red flag. You need to stop. Mike: Yeah, with a barbell movement, especially in standing, you want to kind of almost arch a little bit back. That way my pecs are going to get involved and then I press and bring it overhead as I go up. But it always starts in front of my body. This allows the GH joint to move and function like it is. If you're having pain or discomfort, just don't even do the exercise. It's not necessary. Brad: Let's go to number two. Alright, now we're going to talk about flies. This is actually one of my favorite ways to work the pecs. However, if you do them improperly, you're a beginner, this is a really good way to stretch or actually tear a muscle or hurt the joint. And if you do this with straight elbows, Mike, do you want to talk about this? So that we can go through it. Mike: As Brad is going down, he is going into an uncomfortable position. Even though he has the mobility, it kind of hurts him and his elbows are super straight. This can put a lot of strain on your shoulder joint. Mike: So what you want to do instead is, I'm showing in the same position here, go down elbows slightly bent and just bring it down to what is comfortable for you. Once you start feeling a bit of a stretch, hold there, and then come back up. It's good to maintain that position throughout the motion. Mike: Don't, you know, go into this weird curling motion. If you're doing that, the weight's probably too heavy. This goes for cable flies, for banded flies. Any variation of this. It's good to have a slight bend in the elbow as you do the motion. Brad: Yeah, let's go right ahead and show it. If you do have bands that are at home and you're working it and you have it strapped up to a wall anchor or a post or whatever you may have to anchor your band. The same thing here is to make sure you got that bend here. We're not going back like this and stretching that muscle. You get a stretch, but when you have a stretched muscle and you put a lot of resistance on all at the same time, it's a good way to strain or tear a muscle. Mike: We'll say you're going to be safer with the band if you go too far because the amount of force on it in that position is less. So you're less likely to injure yourself. Brad: Right. Little safer there, but still be careful with those joints in those extreme ranges. Alright, number three. Mike: Number three is commonly known as the upright row. It has lots of other names as well, but essentially you're still working the shoulder joint, but you're bringing the weight in front of you. Normally it's a dumbbell, barbell, or band like Brad is showing. And oftentimes, people keep their elbows up kind of high. Now, yes, it's working your shoulder joint, but oftentimes, this can feel uncomfortable for people, especially if you have shoulder impingement. Mike: The primary motion with this is technically shoulder abduction, which is the next exercise we're going to show. So that would be a better option to hit this muscle group versus this. Brad: Right, and there's a good way and a bad way to do that. We're going to get to that next. Alright, number four, lateral ranges working the abductors, that was deltoids. Now, we like going out to the side, but once you get above 90 degrees here, you can impinge on those shoulders, that GH joint, and cause some tendon irritation there. So we just like to go up to 90 degrees. This should feel comfortable, back down, and good control. Mike: I often see a gentleman in my gym doing this and he goes like this and he kind of winces and he pushes through. Yeah, simply make sure your palms are facing down too. I see a lot of people kind of do a neutral grip, so down and then it's important to control it on the way down. That's going to develop more muscle growth, holding it for a duration of time and going down. You don't need a lot of weight for this. Brad: That's right. That's the eccentric, right? Mike: Yes. Brad: Not that you're eccentric, but the movement is eccentric. Mike: Sometimes I'm eccentric. Brad: That's right. I'm just kidding. Let's go to number five. Alright, we're going to talk about pushups. Now you can do pushups without irritating your shoulders, or you can do pushups and irritate your shoulders, or put stress on them. So I'm going to show the way that you do not want to do it first. So you know whether you're doing it on your knees or on your toes and you let your elbows go out to the side and up. Brad: So I'm actually, Mike is showing it there. It's like you got, you know, you've got wings or whatever you're abducting. Brad: Ooh. And it actually kind of hurts my shoulders doing that. Now when I point my fingers forward, and bring my elbows alongside my ribs, like this, much better, feels much better for me. You get more tricep there, and less stress on that GH joint. It's a great way to do them. Brad: So again, you know I used to do pushups with my arms out wide in different positions to work all the muscles in my shoulder joint. Now I just do them here. My shoulders have had enough irritation over my life. I do them the way they should be done and I'm safe. And then work the other way. Mike, have you got some additions? Mike: Yeah, so if you're out at 90 degrees with your elbows, this is putting a lot of stress on it. If you go somewhere like 45 degrees and it feels good, that's fine. It's going to get a little more pec activation. If you go closely like Brad is doing, it's going to get pec and tricep. Mike: So just kind of find the sweet range. At 90 degrees is normally problematic for most shoulder pain issues. Brad: Wonderful. All right shoulders, keep them healthy, fine, and pain-free. Let's go on, we have another video, I think. Mike: We do. Brad: Yeah, let's see what we've got that's going to help. There it is. All right. Mike: So if you'd like to check out more videos on shoulder exercises, watch " 3 Essential Daily Shoulder Exercises For Ages 50+ (Only 2 Minutes) . " Brad: Well, and they're good for if you're under 50 too, but particularly over 50. Mike: I'm not 50 yet. Brad: But you could, and you will be someday. And then you'll understand why we talk about these things. Alright, carry on. Have a good day. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun C2 Massage Gun  (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun   Knee Glide   Eye Massager   EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager White EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager Black EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote T2 Massage Gun   T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long Fitness: Resistance Bands​   Pull Up System Pull Up Bands   Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener   Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Stress Balls   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 is 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 April of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/ck_1LTVRdB0 Brad: If you are having problems with leg circulation, swelling, and blood flow, you are not alone. Mike: We're going to give you some excellent options, and ways you can treat this simply lying down. Brad: Exercising your legs, a contraction of the muscles is an excellent way to get more blood flow and circulation in your legs. However, we understand many people have limitations or are compromised and are unable to exercise on a regular basis. Mike: So we're going to give you three options that require no exercise or little exercise and you can do them lying down. And some of them are even high-tech options. Brad: That's right. For example, what we're wearing on our legs right now, people may have seen these. We're going to tell you what you need to know before you actually consider purchasing these and find out if they work for you or not. Mike: I feel like a kid in a snowsuit. So the simplest method you can do to help with circulation and is free is to simply lie down on your back and elevate your legs above your heart. To do this, you'll need some pillows. Brad is nice enough to place them underneath my legs here and we are up, we're above my heart level. Mike: If this works for you and is beneficial, you can start with this. However, it gets uncomfortable and you need a lot of pillows after a while, so sometimes something like a leg wedge could be a good option. Brad actually has one of these at home that he likes all the time and you simply place that there instead. Mike: You could just find these on Amazon. They're relatively inexpensive. Now once you're here, we'll show you some exercises you can do to help with circulation: We're going to start distally. So meaning at our feet here, simply do some ankle pumps. You can do 10 to 15 repetitions, 30, whatever feels good for you. Mike: Then we're going to work on the knees. So we're going to just do little kicks. This is kind of nice to have the leg wedge here because it just holds my knees in place good for this exercise. Mike: Again, you can do 10, 15, 30 repetitions on each side, whatever feels good. Then we're going to work up to the hips. Bring your knees towards your chest as much as you can. The higher up you are above your heart, the more it's going to help with circulation. Obviously, if you have some back or hip pain, this is uncomfortable, don't do this one. Or just go with what range of motion feels good for you. That's just some way to help get blood flow back up into your trunk and away from your legs. Brad: Right. I do want to emphasize as Mike demonstrated, start with the ankles first, then work, kicking the leg up. That's working the quads. And then the last one, knees to chest, helps the fluid, the circulation going in the right direction, so a specific order. Mike: Now we're going to show you another variation. If your bed happens to be close to a wall or if you're comfortable getting on the floor and you have a wall space, you can do it there as well. Brad: Right. This next demonstration is actually going to really take advantage of gravity, making things go a little better. Alright, now this technique is, like Mike mentioned, you'll have your bed up against the wall or on the floor. You're going to get your butt or your trunk closer to the wall and straighten your knees out. You will need socks, no shoes for this. And you'll see why in just a minute. So now we really have gravity working that blood flow and that swelling, that fluid is going to go downwards towards the trunk. Brad: And that's the whole goal. Mike's going to talk about the exercises, which can actually help with that and really give you additional help. Mike: So get as close to the wall as comfortable. If you have tight hamstrings, getting closer might be a little uncomfortable. Find that good spot. Then you're going to simply start with the ankle pumps. Again, try to keep your legs straight. Having socks is really beneficial because I can just slide on the wall like that. Mike: Again, do 10 to 30 repetitions, what's ever comfortable. Now for the next one, you can't really kick up and down. You're actually going to use the wall, but we're not going to go way down because you're actually putting kind of a tourniquet effect here, bending your knees too much. So just stay around 90 degrees and then go up. Just kind of alternate, you're just kind of skiing on the wall essentially. Mike: You can do 10 to 30 repetitions of this as long as it's comfortable. And the last one, we're going to start from a straight light position again, and you're just going to do like the marches, bring your knee towards your chest. Obviously, I'm going more downhill, but having this much gravity and angle pulling is really going to help if you're comfortable in this position. Now, if you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy, or having issues with this, this is probably too extreme of a position. Simply go back to the pillow position like we showed earlier. Brad: Right. And you know, as far as the exercises, if you don't tolerate that because you have joint problems, or whatever it may be, just elevating them at this angle may be helpful enough. Again, only if you feel comfortable doing it. Otherwise, you do it with the pillows or the leg wedge. Nice work, Mike. Thank you. Mike: It's like I'm running up the wall. Brad: Yeah. Mike: Now another inexpensive option with no exercise required is compression socks. There are many different brands. They all work, they're all fine. Brad has one on his foot right here. Mike: What happens with these is there's typically more pressure in the foot region. And as it goes up the calf towards the knee, there is less pressure. You normally want one that will not go over your knee. That can be problematic for some people. You also don't want to curl it too much like Brad is showing here. Mike: It can cause a tourniquet effect. So you might have the circulation and swelling just stuck right here. That's not good either. So make sure you get a good length. If you are concerned about these, maybe check with the doctor before. They can even give you specific numbers in ones to order. Brad: Right. Now the thing with these is you can use them with exercise or without, they're beneficial. As a matter of fact, healthy people who are active and running or other sports like that will wear them just because they offer better circulation and will deter sore muscles and that type of thing. Mike: Yeah, they allow your calf muscle to relax a little bit. Brad: Right. I know people who wear these at work who are on their feet a lot at work and they feel tiredness, and some pain in their legs. Putting these on can help the circulation and remedy that as well. Mike: Now, if you're new to them, they are a little tricky to put on it first. After a while, you'll figure it out, because getting the foot part pulled over gets a little tight. Brad: Right. They are compression socks for a reason. That's a good name for them. Okay, so let's talk about these high-tech compression garments where you put them on and they actually blow up like a balloon and they put pressure on your legs and actually force fluid, blood flow, swelling up towards your trunk, which is the goal and it is good. However, when you look them up on the internet, you'll find a lot of different varieties of them. For example, this, it blows up and it compresses around your ankle and your calf and then there is an open section here and then it compresses around your thigh. Brad: The problem with this is this can compress and actually form a tourniquet where there is no compression. Let's explain this with this. Now you can see these are full-length garments. Brad: Now this actually does a really nice job in the fact that it compresses in the foot first, then it compresses at the ankle and then it compresses around the knee and then the quad. So it pushes fluid and circulation in the right direction. You would never want to have it compressed at the thigh first, then the knee, then the ankle, which actually pushes it towards the feet. So the full-length garment, in my opinion, which gets the fluid to go in the right direction, is a better option than the open knee. So is this something that you would want to buy if you have circulation problems? Well, that's what we want to talk about in just a little bit more detail. All right, now if you have swelling, if you have any health problems, this is one of these things you need to understand. These can work for you. However, if you have any problems, for example, heart problems, pulmonary problems with your lungs, fragile skin, lymphedema or severe swelling, weeping of your skin, kidney problems, history of a DVT or a blood clot, venous insufficiency, there's a lot of problems. If you have any one of those, you do not want to purchase these and use them unless you talk to your doctor and have instructions from a professional. One of the biggest problems it can have is if these push too much fluid up into the trunk, your trunk and your heart and your lung system can get overloaded and it can be a serious health problem. So again, if you want to use these and you do have problems, you're not a healthy person, then you're going to definitely want to talk to your doctor and have them do it. And actually what'll happen is they'll have you go with a professional that knows how to use them and monitor, look at your diagnosis, and get you to use them safely and properly. They may not be for you in a lot of cases. Now there is an instance where you do not have to see a doctor to use these. And that's if you are a very healthy person, you have good circulation and you're probably athletic or do a lot of exercise and you want to use them for recovery. So for example, you've run 20 miles, your legs are sore, and then you want to help recover the sore muscles using these. Either one of these is good. Now, Mike is one of these people, he exercises a lot, he lifts weights, he's a marathon runner and he does use these. Mike, do you want to talk to him about your experience? Mike: Yes, oftentimes I would use them either later that day or the next day to recover a bit. They just help with circulation and blood flow. I just put them on, run them for 20 minutes, pick the cycle, and any amount of pressure that works best for you. And yeah, they feel good, they're comfortable. I've never had any problems after using them. But yeah, definitely if you're more active, you could just go out and try and them out for yourself. If not, obviously get your doctor's advice. Brad: Alright, so I hope we have given you some good advice on how to improve your leg circulation. And we cleared up questions that you have if you thought that maybe types of devices would be helpful for you. Mike, we do have one more thing to talk about. Mike: If you want to check out more videos on how to improve your leg circulation, try our video, " You Can Instantly Improve Leg Circulation & Blood Flow ." For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun C2 Massage Gun  (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun   Knee Glide   Eye Massager   EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager White EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager Black EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote T2 Massage Gun   T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long Fitness: Resistance Bands​   Pull Up System Pull Up Bands   Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener   Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Stress Balls   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 is 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.

The CAT/CAMEL exercise can be attempted if none of the previous exercises are working. It can be performed along with the nerve flossing exercise. Start in the quadruped position to perform CAT/CAMEL. Arching the back up and arching the back down is one repetition. Repeat 10 X. This exercise should be PAIN-FREE or do not perform. Cat Camel The Windshield Wipers can be attempted if none of the previous exercises are working. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed. Gently rotate your knees back and forth. If the movement hurts to perform in one direction (i.e., to the right) avoid the right and just initially perform to the left. Perform 10 times. This exercise will relax the muscles and get some movement in the spine and hips. 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