This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in January of 2024. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/8W45bukzPVY Brad: We will show you the 12 best options that you can do to reduce and tone up those flabby arms. Jule: The three options we will be showing you are bodyweight exercises, bands, and dumbbells. Brad: Nice job. I am very pleased to announce that we're going to have Julie, my wife, to show the exercises and do a great demonstration, plus it's much more pleasurable to look at her than Mike and I. I think Mike is out golfing somewhere, playing Frisbee golf, but yeah, so what do you say, Julie? Julie: I'm happy to be here. Brad: That's right. Let's go to work. Julie: Okay. We'll be focusing on the biceps, triceps, and more. Brad: That's right and I'm going to observe and talk about body mechanics so you get the best conditioning that you can get. We're going to start out with bodyweight exercises, two or three of those, then we're going to work with the resistance bands, a couple of exercises with that, and the dumbbells. Julie: Yes. Brad: Before we get started, Julie, I just wanted to ask a question about your shirt. It's very nice. What's it about? Julie: On Wednesdays at our Burn Bootcamp, we always wear pink in support of breast cancer. Brad: Right, to help people out with breast cancer research, et cetera, nice to have an organization that supports those types of things. All right, we're going to start the first body weight pushup using the wall and standing away from the wall, approximately two to three feet. Arms and hands about one shoulder width apart. Julie's doing an excellent job. She's got a nice straight body. She's tightening her core, so we do have some core benefits and we're going to do 10 to 15 repetitions. How are you doing, Julie? Julie: I can do 10 more. Brad: Okay. Well, we can do 100 more, I bet. All right, now the next, if this is too easy, we're simply going to use a cupboard or a firm, solid piece of furniture about this height and you're going to do the same motion with the arms, shoulder width, or a little bit wider apart, feet shoulder width apart and nice straight body, tighten the core up. There you go, head up, looking good. Don't let your head flop down. Be a strong person, and look at these triceps. They are working here. She's doing good, that 10 to 15 reps. Brad: Are you counting Julie? All right, when you get done with those, or if they're too easy, we're going to go right to the floor and do a traditional pushup on the floor. Now what we're going to do, it works best for Julie and maybe for you too, is we're going to modify and use a pillow or a cushion. Julie does hers modified on her knees as opposed to on the toes, so the cushion is just for comfort, that's all it's for. You can use a pillow, like I said. Now straighten that body out. The core is going to tighten up. Okay, and go ahead. How are you doing Julie? Julie: Great. Brad: She's doing so excellent. It's just fun to work with her. Go ahead, her elbows are staying in close to the ribs, not winging out. We want to focus and isolate the triceps in this situation. All right, good. And now we even have the advanced version coming up. Now we're actually going to use a chair with a solid armrest for the advanced tricep exercise. Go ahead, Julie, and show how we start them. There we go, up and down. Now, if this is too easy, take one foot and kick it straight out in front of you. Now, I didn't tell her that we were going to do this exercise. Complete surprise, wasn't it? Julie: Yes. Brad: What's your favorite exercise, dear, out of these so far? Julie: I like these. Brad: Good. Julie: The next one we're going to show you, actually, it's a little bit harder. Brad: Right, so if this is too easy, go ahead and show the next hard one. Brad: Now the chair, you need a good armrest, a good solid chair that's not wobbly, not one of the plastic lawn chairs. Now again, this does stress the shoulders, so if you experience any pain or discomfort, do not do this one. We want to stay healthy, but this does get after those triceps and it helps the core as well as the legs. Nice job, dear. The thing about bodyweight exercise for the biceps is it's very hard to find one unless you're doing pull-ups. Most people don't have pull-up bars. We're going to get the biceps in just a bit. All right, now we're going to go on to exercises with the bands. Now when you get bands, they typically have a door anchor. We're going to use the wall anchors, but if you have the door anchor and you're not sure how to use it, you put the band in it and open the door. You don't have to have anybody on the other side, but I close it in the door and lock it. Then we can pull and do the exercises. Brad: It's important that if you do have the door anchor, and someone like Julie opens the door while you're exercising, it's not safe, so just make sure nobody would do that. You can also go at all different levels. You can go up high and lock it in, which works out really well. You can go to the top of the door and lock it in, and you can even go to the bottom of the door so you have three or four different options. Okay, so we're square with that. All right, we're going to go to the band exercises. The first one we're going to do is triceps and it goes right into the bicep very simply and conveniently. The level of the band is going to be locked in at the anchor at approximately shoulder, or chest level, and then let's do triceps first, Julie. All right. There you go, get situated. Brad: Good, now her elbows are okay here. Probably best to be a little bit lower. Whoa, I gotta watch out so I don't get smacked. Just below chin level and the elbow needs to be as stationary as possible, as opposed to going up and down. This is what we do not want. We want stationary elbows. Good, 10 to 15 reps. Can you turn around, Julie, and go to biceps? Yeah, there we go. Now there's a little twist in the band. That does not matter at all. That's the beauty of banding. They're forgiving that way. She's doing an excellent job. Look at those biceps bulge. Brad: There are a lot of guys that wish they had biceps like that. She's doing a nice job and look at those elbows staying still, perfect. Now, one thing you do not want to do is drop the elbows with this and do them down here. Brad: That works, but you want the full range of motion. You really want to maximize the benefits of doing the biceps, and triceps with the bands. Let's go to the next one. Okay, I really like this tricep exercise. It works them really well. Now with Julie, she's going to need a little more resistance so she can actually put two bands that easily fit into the anchor and she's going to go back against the wall, elbows closer against the wall. Go ahead, start them, Julie, feet are shoulder-width apart. Some people have a tendency to keep their feet together, you absolutely need a wide base for everything you do in exercise. Good, now Julie, does that feel like you need a little more resistance? Julie: Two bands have quite a bit of resistance. Brad: Are you ready for more? Julie: Yeah. Brad: All right, so the nice thing about this is we need to make the bands longer, simply by lowering Julie. You put a stool against the wall, sit down, and there we go. Elbows perfect. Does that feel like a little more resistance? Julie: Yeah, definitely adds a lot of extra tension on there. Brad: Do you want to do 20 or 30 of them? Julie: I'll try. Brad: Okay, good job. All right, now this exercise is going to work the triceps also, but it's actually going to work the abdominals and put some good stress and pull on those too. It's a bonus, double bonus. Go ahead, Julie. The anchor and the bands will be on the top anchor. Two bands for Julie. She's going to be stressed with this a little bit and she's got her feet wide apart. How's it going, Julie? Julie: Good, good, I got it. Brad: Too much tension, or are you going to make your reps? Julie: I'll make it. Brad: Good job, and so right now her stomach is actually tight, nice and tight there and that is why this is a nice benefit of doing exercises this way. All right, good job. Now we've got another one after this that's one of my favorites. This next exercise is really nice because it combines the biceps, triceps, and shoulders, all together with one fluid motion. We're going to start with biceps. You're going to need to stand on the band like Julie is. Now, go ahead, you can start, Julie, and she's working just a bicep. Now, if this is too easy, you can simply spread your feet out a little wider, and that adds resistance. Brad: If it's still too easy, you simply get a darker color band. A black one's the most resistance. Now these have a carabiner with a strap and it's as simple as that and then you'd simply go on with the exercise like Julie is working with. Now we're going to add the full kit and caboodle, I like to call it. Go ahead, Julie, up and over the head. And there we go. So we get biceps, triceps, shoulders, and we're going to do 10 to 15 of these. If you happen to have some shoulder pain going overhead, it's not for you, don't irritate your shoulder for that. There are other options. What do you think of this one, Julie? Julie: Yeah, I like it. Brad: Yeah, it's kind of fun. I'm having fun watching. It's not a problem for me. All right, good job. All right, onto the dumbbells. The first tricep exercise we're going to work on is standing. Julie's going to demonstrate it right now. Now, there are two ways people do this. They either do it right or they do it wrong. We're going to show you both. Go ahead, start going, Julie. All right, now this is the correct way to do it. She has her humerus or this arm bone horizontal. Her elbow stays stationary and she's isolating that tricep muscle. Brad: Now what a lot of people do without knowing is they do it wrong and they bring the elbow down and this does absolutely nothing for the tricep and it works the bicep a little bit. You're just doing some range of motion. Brad: So keep the arm up, make sure you feel that, and work that. Again, 10 to 15 reps, and the other side. The thing about dumbbells is, when they're too light, you have to get a bigger dumbbell, so there's a little cost with that, where the bands, you get the set and you don't need that. I use bands all the time because they're cheaper and they work really well. Okay, let's go to the next one. All right, this next option's a different way for triceps. I call it the overhead tricep reverse curl. Call it whatever you like and there we go, go ahead, Julie. Julie: Sometimes I like to put my fingers right under my elbow so that I can remind myself to keep my elbow high and then I get more of that, I can feel more of it in the lateral arm. Brad: The lateral head of the tricep, good anatomy, nice work. Now, Julie did say that these are way too light for her. She usually uses 20 to 30-pounders. Julie: All right, another option that I like to do is just using one weight and going up overhead and then back again. You get both lateral at the same time. Brad: That's very nice. It works really well for maintaining good body mechanics while you do that. You get a nice stretch in the shoulders too, as long as it's not painful. All right, now we need to get onto the traditional bicep curl. All right, now, with the dumbbells, you can do the almost identical exercise with the bands. The only difference is you cannot vary the resistance by spreading your legs or changing bands. And also what else would you like to do for that, Julie? I think one other addition. Julie: Yeah, sometimes I just raise them, and do the overhead portion as well. Brad: Good, so you get that full shoulder tricep and everything working together. All right, nice job, Julie. We are extremely happy to have you. Maybe you can come back and help us out again. I'm sure everyone was pleasantly surprised to see Julie here instead of Mike but don't tell Mike I said that, it's very critical. All right, we do have another video that's related to this. It's a really nice video because it actually works with posture in conjunction with working the arms and toning those up. So the name of it is "How to Fix Neck Hump and Flabby Bat Wings," believe it or not. We do have another woman that's a little older than you, Julie. I think she was 64 and what are you, 60? Julie: 62. Brad: 62, all right, very good. Any comments? Do you want to say hi to anyone? Say hi to the grandkids. Julie: Yep, to the grandkids. They love watching us exercise and we try to motivate them. Brad: There you go. Julie: And my Burn Bootcamp crew. Brad: There you go, another group. All right, take care. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. 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Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is a common but poorly understood condition that causes pain and decreased motion at the shoulder. While a frozen shoulder is minimally understood, what is known is that when you have it you typically experience three phases: 1. Freezing Stage: You begin to lose motion in the shoulder, and it becomes increasingly painful. This phase generally lasts 6 to 9 weeks. 2. Frozen Stage: The shoulder becomes less painful, but the stiffness remains. This phase can last 4 to 6 months. Unfortunately, activities of daily living can be exceedingly difficult to perform during this time. 3. Thawing Phase: During this phase, the shoulder begins to gradually improve and return to normal. Both strength and range of motion are often regained. This usually takes 6 months to 2 years to occur. So, two things to note. One, it often improves on its own over time. And two, it can take several months and even a few years to make it through all the phases. Can exercises move things along? It seems yes. Especially in the thawing phase. Exercise can give you the best chance of regaining a normal range of motion and strength. But this is where the big lie comes in. Here are 10 titles from YouTube we have gathered from YouTube. They tout a miracle cure -often in seconds - for frozen shoulder. 1. Frozen Shoulder GONE in Seconds with AMAZING Chiropractic Adjustment 2. FROZEN SHOULDER CURE: NON-SURGICAL DISCOVERY! Dallas, Tx 3. 5 Months of Frozen Shoulder Relieved FAST (+ FOLLOW-UP !!!!) 4. SEVERE * Frozen Shoulder RELIEVED In Minutes (REAL TREATMENT!!!!) 5. Frozen Shoulder Patient Amazing Natural Cure Before & After 6. 60 Second Shoulder Release for Frozen Shoulder / Adhesive Capsulitis - Dr Mandell 7. FROZEN SHOULDER release by James Waslaski using CRYODERM 2 Shoulder Program: The Big Lie About Frozen Shoulders We See Again & Again. 8. ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS FROZEN SHOULDER FIXED WITH ONE TREATMENT! TRIGENICS OAT PROCEDURE 9. Successful Treatment for Frozen Shoulder—using Applied Kinesiology/Chiropractic 10. Frozen shoulder exercises – how I got relief in just two days. We have looked through the research and there definitely is no quick or miracle cure for frozen shoulder. We believe the above titles to be misleading at best. However, we would highly recommend you work to stretch and strengthen the shoulder. Exercises will give you the best chance of regaining your shoulder range of motion and strength. Even if it does take a good amount of time. Check out the full Shoulder Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/shoulder-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in May of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/4zLWc1NS7b4 Mike: Today we'll be discussing a common problem many people face as they age and it may be causing some pain in your neck. We are going to be talking about the neck hump. Brad: That's right, we're going to help you understand three common causes of neck hump as well as how to reduce or eliminate it. Mike: We'll be guiding you through three exercises and tips to help improve your posture and eliminate that pain. Brad: That's right. So with a neck hump, there's a big problem. The number one problem is your posture may look like this like Mike is showing you right now. Brad: The biggest problem even preceding this, causing this, is people are not aware of this unless someone at home says, "Mike, your head has forward terrible posture." My wife does that to me regularly, which is helpful for me. She does it because she loves me. So make sure your family members or friends let you know about forward head posture. It stresses the muscles, it stresses the joints. Some nerves can become pinched causing pain down the arm, and headaches. I can continue on with pain all day long and the neck hump certainly does not look good as well. We can show you ways to help you out with this and it's going to be not that difficult. All right, there are two hinging points that you need to understand to really get this correct and have a grasp on it. And that is here, it's the first joint at C7. That's where there's a bump at the base of your neck. Brad: And then right below the skull, there's C1. And that's the second hinge. Now when those hinges are working properly, you have good posture, very little stress on the neck and everything is going very well. Brad: Okay, so let's look at an actual human body. At C7, the first hinge is right here. Brad: C1, the next hinge is right here. Those are stress points and they were worked properly. It's all good. Brad: Now, Mike, demonstrate using the hinge on the first one. Flex forward. Okay, now that's not good. That's okay for a short period of time. Come back up to good posture. Now just flex forward at C1 or the top hinge, okay? And that's okay, that can be a good stretch. Here is the big no-no, and this is where the neck hump comes in. When you flex, the bottom hinge goes forward and the hinge on top goes in the opposite direction. We've got this down and the hump and then down. This is so common when you're on the phone, when you're at the computer, when you're driving your car, when you're sitting, or when you're watching TV. Brad: Okay, well I made up a little posture or a little model. Bob worked with me on this idea. We've got Wilson, the tennis ball. The top ball is the head, the band represents the neck and we have the C1 hinge and the C7 hinge. The bottom ball represents the body. So if we have good posture, it's in line. If you want to look down, you can properly at the C1 hinge. If you want to just flex the lower one, that's okay. But here's what happens, is the bottom hinge flexes forward, the top hinge goes backward and things bind up causing that neck hump. We need to eliminate that and straighten things back up. Brad: And look at his smile. Isn't that nice? So just think about these tennis balls. And poor Wilson, owie, owie neck hump. Oh, that feels better. So, "Ah." Better. "Owie, neck hump." Back and straight. Good. Mike: So the first solution in neck hump is to hinge at the proper place like Brad was discussing earlier. So we're going to hinge at the top hinge versus the bottom hinge. Now to do this, you have to have some flexibility in your neck to be able to go to an upright posture like Brad is showing here. So if you can get to this posture, then you'll do this type of looking down that we're going to demonstrate here. So Brad, if you bend at your C7 to look down at your phone, that is a no-no. We're putting more neck hump stress there. Now if he were to start up right again and go at the top hinge and look down, this is what we want to try to do. Get that pressure off of that C7 or lower hinge region to help prevent that neck hump from getting worse. Brad: Well Mike, what if a person has this posture and they're unable to get up into good healthy posture so they can work on the top hinge? Mike: Well, we have a solution for you if that is the case and we're going to show it next. So if your hinges are frozen and you're unable to lift your head in the correct position, we're going to show you some tools you can try to use to get those hinges unrested and unstuck and try to get your neck back in the proper place. For this, you'll either need a pair of rolled-u socks or a soft tennis ball, and we're going to show you how to do it on the posture pad, which is also an option you can try. So to stretch out the lower hinge here, we're going to start with a rolled-up sock and you're going to place it right on the lower hinge muscles in that region. Mike: So you're going to lay down typically on the floor. I'm going to show you on the mat for video recording purposes. You're going to take the pair of rolled-up socks, place them on that lower hinge area and you're going to simply try to relax. If you're tight in your neck region like I'm demonstrating now, your head is going to be off the mat. Over time, laying here for a minute or two, gravity will start to stretch these neck muscles out, allowing you to eventually over time, meaning weeks or months, get your head down to the ground. Now if this is tight or problematic early on, you can place a pillow under your head to get a little bit of support. Over time, try to go to thinner pillows and eventually you want to get your head to be able to touch the floor. Mike: Now we'll show you another variation. You can use a tennis ball or a posture pad. Brad: Okay, just a little more detail because this is critical. When we're trying to break the rust loose on that lower hinge so to speak, and at this point, if it's really tight and rusted in, we need to take your time, maybe take a pillow, fold it up so that you can relax so you don't have that pain in your neck because pain is going to make things tighten up even more. If this is comfortable, you'll lay like this for a couple of minutes. Maybe the next day you can actually put a thinner pillow in or open the pillow up like that, allowing that neck to go down, breaking things loose a little bit each day. In a few more days or a week or two, you may be down to without a pillow. Brad: Now if your neck is tight and you see that your chin is up in the air, that's good. There's one final phase and that is to get your head from out to in so you can look straight. Now with this, I want you to think about, tucking your chin in to make a double chin right there. And that flattens the lower neck to get that perfect posture and then it'll be a little extra stretch. Brad: At this point, your neck hump is pretty much gone lying down. Now when you stand up, you have to readjust or look at it maybe in the mirror, a family member or friend and say, "How's my neck hump look?" Hopefully, they're going to say, "What neck hump?" So this is the process as we go from hunched to upright. Mike started out hunched over now look at him. Your neck hump is gone. Mike: Perfect. Brad: Okay, a little side note. Sleeping posture with a neck hump, it's very critical. If you like to have two pillows or pillows like this because you're watching TV or whatever the case may be, this is a big no-no. Brad: We need to get the head from being flexed. This is the lower hinges all being pushed forward. Pillow out, now that's a big change. That might be too much. Maybe the next step is two thinner pillows and then eventually get down to one thin pillow while you lie there. That way, all night long you are actually treating your neck hump, making improvements, and making it better in the morning. Mike, what say you? Mike: I do this at home. Brad: Say no more. Mike: So an alternative option to the rolled-up sock would be using a soft tennis ball. So we pulled this from the posture pad. There are firm tennis balls and soft tennis balls. So start with the soft one, roll it up in a towel, and place it on the lower hinge, then do exactly what we demonstrated earlier. Brad is now going to talk about how to use the posture pad to get the same stretching effect on that lower hinge. Brad: Right. So this posture pad, it's squishy, it's soft, but it's firm. The balls in here are for the advanced stretches. We're going to take these balls out actually and do it without them. We're going to lay this down. The carpeted floor works quite well actually. I am going to lie on my back so that my lower hinge is going to go right at this upper edge. It has a radius on it specifically for comfort, but yet it will mobilize those vertebrae. In other words, get them to move and stretch so you eliminate and get rid of that hump. It doesn't hurt. None of this should create any pain. If it does, you're getting too aggressive. You're going to have to move around and get that radius edge, that rounded edge right at the right spot. And now it's a little uncomfortable on my head and I can't go down, so we're going to put a pillow in there and I'm going to drop my head until it feels good. There we go. As my head goes down, it's stretching, stretching. And I'm reasonably comfortable in that position. I can feel it working at that upper hinge right below the neck with the neck touching the shoulders. Brad: You can add a stretch, and this is critical, bring your arms up overhead. And now I can really feel my upper back extend. In other words, it's taking that hunch back away. It feels so good. So you can do this five to 10 times. Now if you have shoulder problems and this is painful, simply bring your arms up, whatever's tolerated, and think about extending and letting that head drop back. Do the best you can. If you have one shoulder that's tight and it just doesn't work so well, you can do it with one side if you can. Brad: You're going to do the best you can, work with your body. If you look right here, I'm extending. In other words, lifting and arching the back right here to help that upper hump get "unhumped" if you will. Mike: Another critical component of the neck hump is looking at the shoulder blades. So what we want to do is a lot of times they are depressed down, putting more stress going down, putting more pressure on that lower hinge. So we want to get the shoulder blades back in place with some stretches and exercises and posture corrections we'll be showing you to get more of an upright posture. So the first two exercises were with the upper part of the neck and this is more the lower region of the shoulder blade into the neck. Brad: That's right. Mike: So once you've completed doing the posture pad exercise or sock, whatever variation you're doing, if you're able to roll over on all fours, we're going to do this stretch next. Brad will demonstrate how to do it in a seated position if this is too hard of a position for you. So what I'm going to do, get on all fours, I'm going to bring my feet closer together and touch like this and then I'm going to push down into my palms. As I'm pushing with the downward pressure, I'm going to sit my buttocks towards my heels. This is going to help elevate that shoulder blade, putting it back into place, and getting more stress off of that lower hinge that we've been talking about in this video. Now you can kind of rock back and forth in a slow gentle motion. Maybe you can't go as far back as I can and that is fine. Just start with what motion you have. Eventually, over time, try to get down into this position. If you can, you can hold it for 10 seconds. Make sure to push down through your hands the entire time and just go slowly and gently because a neck hump is painful. Brad: All right, now the alternative that Mike was talking about is you can do it in a chair that's not as aggressive. It will work, but you may need to work a little longer with it. Take your chair up to a desk or a table countertop. Your hands are going to go on there. You can slide your hands forward. If you have a chair with rollers on, it actually works really well. You can roll that chair back and you'll feel those shoulder blades come up and stretch. We're actually putting the muscles here on slack, that connect up to that hinge area, taking the stress off of there. Hold it for five seconds at first and come up. You can hold it three to five times. And if you want to hold it longer if it feels good, again, none of these should create any sharp pain, but just a nice stretch. Brad: And I can feel that throughout my shoulder blades down here. There we go. I'm going to stretch things out, do a little noodling, that's just going back and forth like this and do that three to four times per day, depending on how it hurts. The first day you may just do it once. As you do it more, you'll do all these stretches a little more often. I'm starting to feel taller, straighter already. Mike: Another tip to elevate the shoulder blades into the proper position again or get some tension off of them from pulling on that lower hinge area is to elevate your shoulders and your elbows when you're seated, when you're maybe watching TV or working at your computer. So to do that, you may have a good ergonomic chair that has elevating armrests, but if you do not and have one like this chair here, you can simply take a pillow, place it underneath your arm, and rest your elbow there. You want to get a one-and-a-half to one-inch elevation to take that stress off of that scapula and shoulder blade region. Taking less pressure on the hinge and neck pain area. Mike: If this isn't high enough, you can always fold the pillow. Or you can also use a second pillow as Brad has there. Do you want to add anything to this? Brad: Well, sometimes I like to just fold them in half and squeeze them between the existing armrest and your body right there. Brad: And you'll feel the big difference in how these muscles relax as you put them on their pillows. Pillows work nicely because they are squishy, allowing you to relax more. It feels good. So if you're watching TV for a couple hours, it's nice to have the appropriate relief throughout the shoulders. And then you're also going to think about your neck posture. We're not doing that head forward. We're going to maintain that. Everything becomes more relaxed. Life is more reasonable and enjoyable. Mike: Now we're going to get onto another option you can try as well. Brad: I'd say let's go for it. Okay, so finally we just want to consider your posture overall. This is a really good mindset to correct your posture. Some people say, "Pull your shoulders back." That's not what you want to do. I want you to take one hand, put it on your sternum, your chest right here, and one on the upper stomach area, and think about lifting those hands up and out. So we're just going to go up and out here, and that puts that spine into that good posture. The shoulders will go where they need to go in a normal position. So it's here and here. Bring that out like this. And that also brings the chin in. Brad: So it all works together. If you walk around like this and people ask you, "What are you doing?" "I'm checking my posture. What do you think?" Just kidding. Okay. Now this may seem awfully daunting, maybe a little complicated, but take your time with it. Neck hump doesn't come in one day. It takes years to develop it. It's going to take some time to get over it. So work with these one at a time, particularly the stretch where we break that hinge loose, okay? So work with it over time. And I do want to say one thing in conclusion, stay healthy, stay balanced, and keep on moving. Mike, go ahead. Mike: Also, let us know in the comments section what stretches worked for you. If you are experiencing neck hump or maybe some things we forgot that have worked, make sure to check each other's comments because we're all here to help each other out. Thank you for watching. Brad: Thank you. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager 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​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions, and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. 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 December of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUZEiCVO5aU Mike: Today we're going to discuss the absolute worst way people over 50 are sleeping. Brad: That's right, I didn't get a good night's sleep last night and the reason is when you get over 50, things change in your body. We're going to tell you all about it. The number one worst position, which I found a little surprising, it is sleeping on your back. Mike: So Dr. Virend Somers, who is a cardiologist and director of the Sleep Facility within Mayo Clinic says there's a host of evidence overall suggesting that probably side sleeping is better. So we're going to talk about common problems people have with sleeping on their back. And if you are going to be in that position, we'll show you some alternatives to help fix these issues. Brad: That's right. All right, two very common problems that happen as we age with the spine are number one, degenerative disk disease, and number two spinal stenosis. And what we can do to find out, is lie in your back if one of those is your problem. And actually, just a simple test. Mike, go ahead. Mike: So if you're experiencing back pain while laying straight like this, a simple solution you could try is bringing your knees towards your chest. I'm not pulling hard, I'm just simply lifting my knees up. If this offers relief, this is a good sign for you. What you can do if you like to sleep on your back and this offers relief, is simply take some pillows, and put them underneath your legs to get your back supported like this. Brad: Right, so that offers the lower back some ability to relax and release and opens up those facet joints, which is also very comfortable. Mike: So if you're a back sleeper and you find this helpful, you could certainly invest in a leg wedge if that is something you are looking for. This can offer long-term relief. Brad, you have one of these, right? Brad: Right, yes. And with stenosis that I have, I've used this, go to sleep with it. I can get to sleep quickly. I don't sleep with it all night long. A couple of hours into it, I'll actually throw it off to the side and then I'll go to my side and it varies. You'll see as the video goes on, other alternatives. All right, the second problem that people have with sleeping on their back is number one, sleep apnea, and number two, snoring. I have a snoring problem and my sister actually tests people for sleep apnea and she says I probably have that as well. Mike: So when you're sleeping on your back, what that can cause is the soft tissues in your throat as well as your tongue to kind of fall back into your throat obstructing your airway. This commonly causes snoring to happen. You may not have sleep apnea that causes it, but sleeping on your back can be problematic. So oftentimes the simple solution is to sleep either on your side or on your stomach. Brad: So to be clear on sleep apnea and snoring, you're either going to start sleeping on your stomach or on your sides. Now, the next thing we have a problem with is GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease. It's a mouthful. It's the same as heartburn. Mike: So a simple solution for this is to not sleep on your back, because when you're in a flat position like this, oftentimes the acid reflex starts working its way up, which becomes problematic. Some people get relief from either side sleeping, like we mentioned earlier, or on their stomach as well. But another option is to get a type of wedge pillow. Now this one is differently shaped than the one we had for our legs, but sometimes just elevating up like this allows the acid to get pushed back down into the stomach, not causing the heartburn or throat burn. And this gives relief to some people. Brad: That's right. So the use of gravity. If you happen to have a bed, which a lot of people do nowadays, that the head elevates and goes back down, that works very well. All right, I do want to clarify the difference between the leg wedge and the wedge here, which is for the heartburn. If you see the angle here is very distinct, that's very critical. That is just for the legs. This angle here is simply for the trunk and the elevation of the trunk. Brad: All right, and another common problem with back sleeping is the neck. Oftentimes people will use two pillows or one thick pillow, which brings the head forward and flexes the neck. The chin goes towards the sternum. It's not only bad for the neck and the cervical spine, but also it makes it more difficult to breathe. Mike: So a simple solution is to just go down to one pillow, having a thinner pillow, or some people may even need a throw pillow from the couch if they were smaller. Once your head is more in a neutral position, this can alleviate any neck pain you may be having. Brad: That's right. All right, so that covers the four problems or potential problems with back sleeping, as well as some nice solutions you can do at home. Mike: Now, if you're having shoulder pain while sleeping, you can check out our video "How To Stop Shoulder Pain in Bed (Sleeping Postures)." Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad 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.

1. Sitting on a couch or recliner with poor posture and arms unsupported. When you sit on a typical couch or recliner you tend to slouch into a rounded-out, slumped-back posture. 2. This slumped posture causes your shoulders to be rounded and forward. With your shoulders in that position, they are at more risk for further injury. The harmful position also makes it harder for the shoulders to heal. To combat the softness of a couch or recliner we recommend using a throw pillow behind your lower back to provide support. In addition, we recommend using another pillow under your painful shoulder arm while sitting to provide support and allow it to heal optimally. In fact, our recommendation is to always place a pillow under your arm for support while sitting (every chance possible). Especially while trying to get your shoulder pain to calm down. 3. Putting your shoulder in an awkward position like reaching into the back seat. 4. Repetitive overhead activities such as painting or pruning a tree. 5. Repetitive activities with your arm (level or below level) but with your upper back in poor posture. Examples writing on a whiteboard or smart board, painting, or driving a car. 6. Forceful pulling. Examples include pulling a weed out of the ground, lifting a suitcase, or pulling on the starter cord for a lawn mower. 7. Having a bra strap too far out on the shoulder. Causing increased stress on the shoulder blade- possibly depressing it. Obtain a bra whose straps are closer to the neck. 8. Carrying a bag strap on the same shoulder over and over. This causes the shoulder blade to depress (descend) and stretch out. 9. Poor posture while using your arms- including using a computer, eating, or knitting. 10. Sleeping in poor positions, see video How to Stop Shoulder Pain in Bed (Sleeping Postures) 11. Repetitive overhead sports activities. Swimming, tennis, baseball pitching, etc. Lifting weights overhead. 12. Eating while leaning on one of your shoulders. Many people have the habit of leaning on one of their elbows while eating with the opposite hand. This places continuous stress on the shoulder located above the elbow as it is jammed into the socket (and internally rotated). Avoid leaning on the elbow. 13. Performing overhead activities without frequent breaks or rests. Check out the full Shoulder Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/shoulder-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in October of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/V2HfsDpLmxk Brad: Oh, how do you stop nagging back pain? Ah! Mike: Well, the first thing you need to do is stop performing activities that are causing your back pain. Brad: For example, the first thing you need to do is look at how you get out of bed in the morning and that can start the pain cycle right there. A big mistake is when people go from lying on their back or their side to the seated position can really stress the back. Brad: We get twisting and all kinds of stress on the back that'll irritate it, so the first thing you'll want to do is bring up your knees. We call this hook lying. At that point, we want to tighten the abdominal muscles. Mike, can you explain how you're going to do that? Mike: So you're kind of inhaling and tightening up your abdominal muscles. When you inhale, don't expand your chest, this is not what we want. We want to inhale and expand out the stomach. This will help keep the back muscles around your spine stable, not causing back pain. Brad: Right, it acts like a back brace. At that point, while you're maintaining those tight muscles in the abdomen, you're going to roll. Brad: Now, when you get to this point, if you still feel some back pain, we're going to actually increase that back brace for the whole trunk, and you're going to tighten up the chest and the lats and by doing that, you're going to depress the shoulders, tighten everything up, and just feel that complete brace around your trunk, supporting your back, so you can do that rolling. We call that log rolling in the therapy world, at that point, bring the feet off the bed and maintain that tight trunk. Push with the elbow and the hand. Keep everything straight. I've always told my patients, to imagine you have a two-by-four along the back of your spine that's maintaining and stabilizing a nice strong spine. Mike: Now, to get back in bed when you're having back pain, you just have to reverse this order. So when you are seated at the edge of your bed, start by bracing your core again. Slowly try to drop down onto the elbow and lift your legs up. You're going to get in this hook-lying or log-rolling position. Once you're here, try to roll onto your back, you can use your arm to push, and you should be okay from here. Now, if you sleep on your side to begin with, you're already halfway there. Mike: The next common problem people have is getting in and out of a chair incorrectly. Now, this is going to vary from person to person how you're going to do it, but the start and the ending are all the same. When you're starting, you're going to try to slide your butt forward, my back is still supported. You can brace here if you need to like we were doing in bed. Once you're here, find the position that feels good for your spine. If it feels better to be more flexed, that is okay. If it's better to be straight up and down, that's fine too. Somewhere in between works. Once you find that comfortable position, then you start standing up. Make sure to push with your arms and then straighten up if you can, if that feels good. Mike: When you're going back down, find the position again in your spine that feels good, reach back with your arms and sit slow and controlled, and then slide your butt back and get comfortable. Brad: Right, I think the big thing is, you take your time with it. Everybody's back pain is a little different. That's why Mike is saying to adjust your back to the pain-free position, or as pain-free as possible, and work with it and continue that as a habit. Alright, the next big aggravator of back pain can be sitting in your seated posture. Supporting the back properly is very critical and what we have found is nice, you can use a pillow that you sleep with as a back support. Now, it's going to vary on the type of chair you have, but in a firm chair like this, we find, take a pillow, put it vertically on the back so it supports from the back from where the belt line is all the way up to the shoulder blades, adjust yourself so it feels good and supported, and how do you feel, Mike? Mike: I feel good! So this allows your spinal muscles to relax more and not be so engaged. Often, if people aren't sitting with enough support, they might be overarching their back, which can fatigue it or cause your back pain to flare up as well. Now, if you're on a couch or recliner that's super cushiony, maybe a small pillow will suffice. Just try which one works for you. Brad: Alright, now the next thing is, if you have spinal stenosis, which is more common with people 50, 55, and older, and then you have back pain associated with walking longer distances. Now, Stuart McGill came up with this stretch to help stretch out the nerves in the back, if you will, I'm not going to get into detail. We're going to show you two ways here, you can do this on your knees, and we'll also show it in a chair so it's more comfortable for some people. Now you put your elbows on the side of a cupboard, you could use a bed possibly. This is a little bit low for me. I would use a cupboard at home. You could put a pillow for your elbows to be comfortable. Hands out on your head just above your ears, relax and stretch. Mike, can you show them the stretches between the shoulder blades and down towards the back? Relax and stretch and hold it. I like to do pressure on, pressure off. I will hold up to 10 or 15 seconds. You can go longer if it feels good. Brad: Now, the seated version, you don't need a rolling stool, just any chair that you have, and then we stretch, and I just going to lean forward, and I'm just stretching, arching the back. It's probably a little harder to see in the seated position. You do get a little bit better stretch when you're lower or if this is higher. You'll have to see what works for you at home. Mike: Now, the fifth tip is for if you're out walking and you're experiencing back pain. Sometimes, just getting some type of decompression relief in the spine can allow you to walk maybe up to an hour longer. So what you can do is find some type of rails, or even a park bench, whatever you have available to you, and there are a couple of ways you can do this. Do which way is easiest for you to perform and decreases your back pain the most. So I'm going to be facing away from the railings, my hands are going to be facing this way as well, and I'm going to try to unload my spine by pressing through my arms and straightening out. This will have a little decompression feeling in my feet. You'll notice in my back, notice my feet are popping off the ground in the heels here. This adds a decompressive force. Now, this is a little tall for me, I'd probably do something a little bit shorter, but this is a way you can get relief, and Brad will show a different way. Brad: Yeah, if you happen to have a park bench or something very solid, actually, this chair wouldn't work because it's wobbly, so Mike's going to put his foot on there as if it's a concrete bench or something very solid. Hands can go here. Now, you may find it more comfortable for your hands to be forward or the other way around, do what works best for you, but if you can lock your elbows, I'm up on my tippy toes now, lock my elbows, and now, I'm dropping the weight of my legs, and there's very little weight through my toes right now. The weight is mostly going through my arms, and I'm relaxing my core muscles around my stomach, and that's allowing decompression through the spine, letting it relax. You should feel relief while you do this, and you may want to stop, and give your arms a break. Do it two or three times, and then continue walking until you find the next park bench. Mike: Just do what time duration your body allows. You may not be able to hold up super long, so there's not a set time for this. Brad: That's right. Now, these are five tips and habits we've gotten from the expert in the back pain field as well as from our experience. I'm sure you're going to have some success, maybe not with all of them, but some will work. What else do you have to say, Mike? Mike: If you want to check out other videos on back pain, this one includes exercises and stretches you can try at home, "Only 1 In 5000 Know This About Treating Sciatica." Brad: Excellent. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad 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 December of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/rPpLorTfYVw Brad: Today, I want to talk about a very simple body-weight exercise that not only increases leg strength but improves your balance as well. Mike: And once you learn it, it'll only take you 60 seconds a day to perform. And it can work for younger adults or older. Brad: That's right. This exercise works on the quadriceps and the hips. It focuses on some key aspects of balance. We're going to work with this, and it's been going on or been worked with for thousands of years. Mike: So this exercise is pretty similar to a squat, but not quite the same. And it also targets the same muscles as the wall sit, but it's a little more functional. Brad: That's right. So, this is called the horse stance, which is performed in martial arts. I'm a second-degree black belt. I've worked with it for 17 years of my life, performing the horse stance. And I'm going to show you and tell you the secrets and the key to how to do it yourself, and the benefits you can get, as well as how I work it into my personal routine. All right, now I'm going to demonstrate to you what the horse stance looks like and the benefits, particularly with balance. Go ahead, Mike, get into a normal squat position. Now Mike's in the weight room a lot. He squats a lot. And this is a position he would be in for squatting. And we're going to look at his balance. So I'm going to bump him around a little bit, and you can see, especially when I push him backward, he's a little unsteady. Mike: Bully. Brad: All right, now, let's put you in a traditional horse stance. So I want you to bring your feet at least two shoulder widths wide. Okay. A little bit wider than that. So it's like we're riding a horse. Now, point your toes straight forward if you can, as much as possible, and then bow your knees out. There you go. That's the horse stance. Go down a little bit more. Hands on your hips. There you go. Good. Now, when you put your toes forward and the knees go out, that forces you to put weight into your forefoot and your toes, where you're going to get balanced. Brad: Now look at Mike. He is solid as a rock. And this is why they do this in the martial arts. Because if you're going to be martial, you have to have a solid base and be very strong. And without that, you will do nothing. But look at that. Good. Okay, Mike, how did you feel when you changed your stance with that? Mike: So you feel a lot sturdier and stronger. If you look at NFL offense linemen, when they're in pass protection, this is the stance they often have. It's a wide base of support like this, making them feel steady and powerful. They might stagger their stance a bit, but this is where you get your power from. Brad: Right. So this doesn't relate to everyday life in regards to football or martial arts. But it gives you the sense that you have to have your weight forward and your feet wider apart. And when you do that on a daily basis with all your activities, you're going to find yourself more stable and feeling more secure. To understand and do the horse stance correctly, particularly for beginners, I want you to use a wall where you're going to put your backside or your butt up against the wall, your feet, two shoulder widths apart, and just get into a squat position. Now, this is not the horse stance yet, and what we do to transform into that, is a little bit wider. Again, point your toes forward, it's going to feel funny. Bow the knees out, get your shoulders back, and head up for you to have good posture. And after you stand here for about 15 seconds, you probably will feel the quadriceps start to burn and fatigue. At that point, you want to relax and give them a break. Brad: That's the first part of a horse stance. Now, after you do that and you get a feel for that awkward position, after a while it becomes very normal, we're going to get back in, feet out wide, toes forward, bow the knees out. There, we got the horse stance. Now we're going to add breathing. So look straight ahead, and focus on one point. Breathe in your nose, exhale out your mouth. Relax. Not doing breathing fast, but relaxed breathing three times. It's going to get the quadriceps to burn. So when they start to fatigue, simply get up and relax. Brad: Once you're comfortable with that, and some people may be right away, we're going to go away from the wall. We don't want to do a horse stance on the wall, but you do want to be safe with it. I'm going to have a chair in front of me to hold for balance. Feet, two shoulder widths apart, point the toes forward, and down. So we're not bending forward at the waist, this is a common mistake. Keep good posture. Bow the knees out, toes pointed forward. And I can feel my toes, I've got good solid balance. If you need to hold on, go ahead and do that. And again, hold that for approximately 10 seconds at three breaths, in your nose, out your mouth. Brad: And as you get more comfortable with this, go to one hand, and then to two hands off, at your waist like this, and see if you can hold that for three breaths. In your nose, out your mouth breathing, and focus on one point. I can feel my toes on the floor and they're very solid. I feel very solid here. My quadriceps are starting to burn right now. They need a break. Okay, and eventually, you're going to get to the point where you don't need the wall, you feel comfortable with it. And you can do this as part of your workout routine or you can do it as part of your day. For example, when you're brushing your teeth, you can go into a horse stance. Bring your feet out, point the toes forward, bow, and hold it. And you can do something functional like brushing your teeth. Obviously, that's something most people will not do, but you could. Now, Mike and I are just going to stand here for a little while until we start to shake a little bit. You know things are starting to burn at that point. You're getting some good strength when I do this. I'm tired, Mike. Mike Oh, okay. Brad: Are you doing okay? Mike: I'm fine. Brad: He's 25 years younger than me, so... Mike: I can sit here for a while. Brad: There you go. And he's very solid, yeah. Brad: Now, when I do this, I actually do squats and I finish up with a horse stance. So what I'll do, hands here and I'll do a traditional squat with my toes pointed out. Then I'll do five to 10 of those. And on the last one, I'll go down, I'll change into the horse stance. Bow the knees out, and I'll do my three breaths. Now you can do five breaths, 10 breaths, whatever it takes to get those quadriceps to burn and feel that balance. Again, focus on one point, focus on relaxed breathing, and you're really going to learn how to keep yourself centered and a very strong sense of balance and support. Mike: I'm feeling the burn in my glutes more. Brad: There you go. Mike: You do that outward push, it gets those glutes going. Brad: Yep. It works differently for different people. It really is a good solid stance. Good strengthening exercise. All right, so I encourage you to try something different like this in your exercise routine. Do it in the morning, whatever works for you. It's definitely going to give you a different aspect of strengthening and better balance. Mike? Mike: If you want to check out another video on bodyweight exercise, check out our video "Best Beginner Bodyweight Leg Strengthening Exercise (Also Protects Knees)." Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad 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 December of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QvP9ScNDxU Mike: We're all guilty of these five daily habits that can wreak havoc on your back. Brad: That's right, we're going to go through each bad habit and show you some simple ways to avoid it, to keep your back healthy and pain-free. Ha, what do you say to that? Mike: That was a good intro. Brad: That's right, thank you. Mike: Now before we get into the habits, we want to acknowledge Rick Olderman who showed us a lot of these corrective exercises we're going to be showing in this video. And he is a PT with a wealth of knowledge. Bad habit number one is too much sitting. When you're in a prolonged position for a long period of time, it can wreak havoc on your back. Brad: That's right. In today's society, whether it's a cell phone, laptop, or watching TV, we sit, sit, sit, and oftentimes with poor harmful posture. So to combat this, make sure you get up and actually walk, and walk for five to 10 minutes. Even just a short walk, if you're at work, to the bubbler and back or to the copy machine. It's going to be helpful on that back. What do you say about that, Mike? Mike: If you're at home, maybe simply go use the bathroom. Get a position break. No matter what position you're in, it's good to change positions over time. Brad: Okay, now we're going to show you a simple little trick that you can do to help correct your seated posture. And this is going to help with sitting too much as well as our next incorrect problem that people do. So simply take a pillow from the bed and put it in lengthwise behind your back, that offers support, and puts you in a nice neutral position that most people are very comfortable with, and it doesn't cost anything. Mike: Now, the second common problem people have is too much anterior pelvic tilt, which is what I'm showing here. Mike: My pelvis is tilting forward or anteriorly. What this does, is if you look at my lower back, it starts putting more curvature or extension in my lower back. Too much arch. It can be uncomfortable. Often, you may see people stuck like this, it's because their hip flexor muscles are too tight, because they sit too often. So we're going to show you a stretch you could do to combat that if you have this issue. Brad: It all ties together, Mike. Sitting, sitting, sitting. And we're going to help correct it. All right, now we're going to show you a really effective way to stretch those hip flexors out. Mike, go ahead. Mike: So what you want to do is perform this on a bed. If your bed is not firm, you can certainly place some sort of firmer pillow underneath your buttocks. If you're okay going on the dining room table and it's tall enough, that's fine too. So what you're going to do is start at the edge of the mat here and you're going to bring both knees to your chest. You're going to slowly lower one leg down off the edge and try to bend your knee while bringing your opposite leg up towards your chest. You'll notice as soon as I do that, you can see my hip flexor tightness because this leg just wants to pop up. I have tighter hip flexors. I do try to stretch them, but this is a nice safe stretch to do on both legs and protect your back at the same time. You also want to make sure the leg going down is straight in line with your body. It's not going out too far. Brad: Right, right. Mike: You're going to hold this for 30 seconds, reset, and perform on the other side. Make sure to do three sets on each side. Brad: Right, and you may find one side feels tighter than the other. That's very common. Mike: The third common habit is having a side-bending problem. Now what that means is when you stand up straight like Brad's going to demonstrate, you may actually lean to one side. Mike: Now, some people are not as pronounced as Brad is demonstrating right here. A simple way to check if you have that is possibly to have someone take a picture of your back without a shirt on. You may notice a crease on one side and not the other. That is not just a fat fold on one side. You actually have a slight side-bending problem. What that does is it can elevate your pelvis as well as compress your ribs. So what we want to do is stretch that open again, decompressing the spine, and it'll feel better for your back. So we're going to show you how you can do that. Brad: It's a very easy exercise. Mike: So to know which side to stretch, it's typically the side you are bending towards. Or if you only have pain on one side versus the other, do the painful side. So I'm going to do, say my pain is on my right side, I'm going to use a door frame here. If you have a pull-up bar at home, you can certainly use that instead. I'm going to face my palm away from me on the top of the door frame, and then I'm going to lean into the open door here. This is going to open up the vertebrae, getting a nice relief stretch. It's kind of a decompression, and it'll help with that side-bending problem. We realize not everyone can reach the top of a doorway or have a pull-up bar, so Brad will demo a way you can do it with a simple mop handle. Brad: Right, so you can do it with a mop, a broom, or a stick, like we have the Booyah Stik, and you can do it standing or seated. I'll demonstrate in the seated position. Now, I want to stretch my right side. So it works really well if you've got one of these mops because it stays right there. You need something that will not slide around. If you're doing it on a chair, you've gotta get it in. You can actually sit on that. You reach up as high as you can, and then you simply lean to the side. You'll feel a stretch right here. We're stretching those muscles out, relax, hold it, and then come back. Brad: Now, with both of these, if you do this and it creates some sharp pain, it is not the right stretch. This should feel like a comfortable stretch, and you can hold it for 15 up to 30 seconds. 30 seconds is a long time. I typically do my stretches, stretch and relax, and think about my breathing so it's deep and relaxed. So if you do happen to have a stick like the Booyah Stik, it's really important that it, again, doesn't slip. If you are on a surface, on the floor, or a chair and it's slipping, simply take your shoe off like I did, put that in there and that acts as a grip, and do it that way. Brad: Now, the next one is something most people may not be aware of, but it can be a lifelong habit, and that's simply walking. And when your heel strikes, your knee is locked out, which puts a lot of undue stress on the joints as well as through the hip and back. Mike, explain it, please. Mike: When learning how to walk with a bent knee, it is important to start in your house, not wearing any shoes. Make sure you have something you can grip the floor well with on, maybe slippers. And what you're going to do is land with a flat foot, which causes my knee to bend. Or land on your forefoot, meaning the front of the foot when I'm walking, again, I will have a bent knee. You also do not want to put your foot way out in front of you. When you walk, your feet should be maintained beneath your trunk. What this is going to do is put the pressure on your muscles, so your quads and your glutes and hamstrings, where it's supposed to be, and not putting pressure on the joints, which you get with the heel strike. Brad: Right, I personally find this to be the most effective for me to change over. You can feel that heel strike, and there's a clunk there. With forefoot walking it's soft and cushiony. Mike: If it helps you, you will notice right away because if you're having back pain with walking, you try this and your back pain isn't there, then this is something you want to slowly adapt into your everyday walking patterns. Brad: You've had it with knee pain, hip pain. It's done a lot of good for a lot of people. Okay, lastly, we want to talk about the glute muscles. The large glute max muscles are not working adequately. In other words, gluteal amnesia is what they have termed it. Now, this can come from sitting a lot or walking with a locked knee in a heel strike. Now, it's amazing how all this fits together. Mike, can we talk about how to fix gluteal amnesia? Mike: So we're going to show you an exercise on the mat here in a second, and it's going to teach you to engage your glutes again. So doing this exercise in conjunction with the other things we recommended will get those glutes firing properly again. Brad: Okay, now Mike is going to demonstrate gluteal pumps. He's going to do it actually on this table. You do not want to do it on a better soft surface, but it works better for videoing. Typically a carpeted floor or a mat works the best. Mike: So you're going to start on your elbows and forearms and knees. And what I'm going to do is kick one of my legs up towards the ceiling. I'm not going to do the traditional glute pumps going through the full range of motion. I'm simply going to lift my leg off the mat a little ways, and I'm going to start doing little oscillating movements, trying to engage that glute. Now, if you do not feel your butt muscle engaging, you can simply bring your foot in, turn your leg and try this. This will isolate the glutes a little more. Try to perform 30 repetitions total on each side. Make sure to perform it on both legs. Brad: Right, you should feel that glute muscle start to burn a little bit, knowing that it's working, that typical fatigue burn. Mike: Now, some people are not able to get on their knees like this, so Brad will show a standing variation you can try. Brad: Okay, now the option is standing. You can go up to a countertop or a table. So you're going to lean on that with your hands, depending on the height of the top, or your forearms. The motion of the leg and the hip are identical. You're just in a different position. I'll do my right one, a 90-degree bend in the knee like so. Again, not really high. We're not looking for that. We're working that mid-range, short motions, continuous, repetitive motions, good control, not too fast. Rotate in like this to help isolate that glute maximus. And again, the same thing, work up to 30 repetitions. You could do this two to three times per day. Mike: So those are the five daily habits that could be causing back pain. Now, if you notice your back pain is a more muscular issue, this may help. Brad: Right, so we've got a back massager, so you don't have to go to a masseuse. And it's very nice. We've had excellent comments on this. We've used it. We do like it. It has a cushion if it's too aggressive. If you want a little more aggressive, you simply take that off. You can see 'em rolling here. You can change the direction on those, and they're heated. Put that simply in a chair and adjust it to the right height so it gets to those tight muscles, and you'll feel that warmth. And it is very comfortable. I actually like to use it in a recliner. It'll sink in there and I can adjust it where I want, where I watch TV, look at my phone, or possibly take a nap. Mike: If you'd like to check out more videos on how to relieve your back pain, try some different techniques, check out  "How to Fix Low Back Pain in 90 Seconds, Bob and Brad Concur!" Brad: All right, it does look like a tooth, but it really is a nice back massager. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad 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.

Shoulder pain can have a dramatic impact on your quality of life. Shoulder surgery can remove pain and restore function, but the decision to proceed with shoulder surgery should be made carefully. Here are 7 questions to ask your shoulder surgeon before proceeding with surgery. 1. Can You Try Physical Therapy First? This question is tied in with question two. If there is minimal risk of having shoulder surgery later, why not try a conservative approach to treating your shoulder problem? Many patients will not require shoulder surgery. 2. What is the risk of not performing surgery now? What could happen if you wait six months? One year? The question is whether avoiding surgery for 6 months or a year will compromise the long-term outcome. This issue needs to be discussed with your physician. For example, what if you have a rotator cuff tear? What is the likelihood that your rotator cuff tear will progress and worsen without surgery? Will your tears remain stable? Will your muscles atrophy and become unable to be repaired? This is also a particularly good question for individuals under the age of 30 who are considering surgery due to a shoulder dislocation. Often the goal with shoulder dislocations in the young is to stabilize the shoulder before they experience repeated dislocations. 3. What are the alternatives to shoulder surgery? A conservative approach to the treatment of the shoulder should be employed whenever possible. As already stated, many patients will not require shoulder surgery. In addition to physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, injections, and education may be enough to obtain an acceptable recovery. For example, while a rotator cuff tear may not heal, many patients still obtain good long-term function after a period of rehab. 4. What is your expected length of recovery? How many days will you be in the hospital after surgery? This question needs to be asked so that you can plan your life and manage your expectations. The recovery from a typical shoulder surgery can be quite lengthy. Specifically, you should ask your surgeon: Recovery Sub-Questions: a. Will you need full-time or part-time care? If so, for how long? b. How long will you be in a sling? You may be in a sling for 4 to 6 weeks. Your restrictions may continue for up to 6 months. So, it is important that you and your family are prepared from a mental standpoint. c. When can you expect the shoulder to be pain-free? d. When can you lie on the operative side? e. When can you drive? f. When you can return to work? g. When can you return to sporting activities? h. How soon can you resume housework, gardening, etc.? 5. How many procedures do you perform every year? How many surgeries of this type have you done? You should ask your surgeon what they specialize in and how many surgeries of this type they have done yearly and in total. Volume is associated with outcome. Surgeons who perform a procedure more often have lower complication rates and better outcomes than those who do so less often. 6. What are the risks of complications and what is your complication rate? Will the shoulder heal? If possible, you should try to find out the general complication rate for your surgery. You can then compare it to the surgeon’s specific complication rate for that surgery. If you are undergoing repair of a rotator cuff you should find out the expected chance of it healing after surgery. 7. If you are going to undergo shoulder joint replacement surgery, you should ask these specific questions. a. What is the implant made of? Will you set off metal detectors at the airport? b. How long will your joint replacement last? c. What can you do to help keep your joint replacement working as long as possible? d. What activities or factors could make your joint replacement wear out more quickly? Check out the full Shoulder Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/shoulder-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in December of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaW_Is8H9fQ Mike: David Bloom was a very talented 39-year-old reporter who was best known for covering the Iraq war and in April 2003, he suddenly collapsed and died. Brad: Now, the cause of David Bloom's death was determined to be a pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot that he had in his leg, that traveled up to his lung, and that was the result of his death. Mike: So what is a DVT in a pulmonary embolism? A DVT stands for deep vein thrombosis, which can be located in your legs. Commonly the thigh region, sometimes the calf, up towards the pelvis and even in the arms. Brad: So a pulmonary embolism is a clot in the lungs that can be fatal. Now, that clot originates from a deep vein thrombosis, like Mike said, often from the leg, either the calf or the thigh. The blockage in that area breaks apart, floats, or actually travels through the bloodstream and ends up in the lung. And that's how the transition occurs. Mike: Now, at the end of the video, we will show you what you can do to help prevent these things. Now, we're going to cover some signs of a DVT, commonly known as a blood clot. They can include pain, swelling, tenderness, redness of the skin, and typically in the areas we mentioned earlier. And also, we're going to show you a test right now, you can try it home on yourself to perhaps see if you have a blood clot. Brad: So the manual test or screening for a deep vein thrombosis in the calf area is to stretch. This is a manual test that therapists are trained on as well as doctors. And you stretch the calf and that's painful, it's pretty sharp pain. Or you can grab the muscle belly mid-calf and squeeze, and that's very painful. Brad: The problem with this test is it's not really reliable. In other words, if it's positive, you still have to go and get an ultrasound Doppler to confirm that's what it is. So stretching the calf hurts, and squeezing the calf hurts, maybe there's a thrombosis in there, but it needs to be confirmed. Now, we're going to go through the signs or symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. Difficulty in breathing, chest pain or discomfort in the chest, faster than normal or irregular heartbeat, coughing up blood, low blood pressure, or lightheadedness, or fainting. Mike: So when it comes to any of these symptoms, Brad just mentioned, it is important to contact your doctor as soon as possible, or if you can't get ahold of them, check in to the emergency room. So now we're going to talk about some of the risk factors that may increase your chances of developing a DVT or pulmonary embolism. Brad: Anytime you are sitting for long periods of time, for example, in an airplane, train, or bus, that can increase your chances for a DVT. Also, a fracture in your leg, severe muscle injury, major surgery, immobility, limited movement, paralysis, birth control pills. Mike: Pregnancy in up to three months after giving birth, heart disease, lung disease, cancer and its treatment, inflammatory bowel disease, previous DVT or pulmonary embolism, a family history of DVT, inherited clotting disorders, age, and obesity. Brad: So this brings us to the question of how many people are actually affected by DVT or pulmonary embolism. And according to the CDC, it's 900,000 people per year in the United States. Mike: Now, how many people have actually died from pulmonary embolism? And that answer is 25% of the cases. Brad: Okay, one simple exercise you can do to help decrease the risk of a DVT or blood clot. And we're talking about if you're in a seated position, traveling and you're kind of stuck there for a long period of time, it's simply to do ankle pumps that get the muscle and the calf working to help that blood flow and keep things moving as they should. You simply do 10 to 20 of them every 30 minutes. Mike: A second option you could try is wearing some compression socks. Brad has them on his foot. Now, this can help because it has graduated pressure, it helps take the blood from your feet and pushes it back up into your legs, especially if you're not moving much. Brad: That's right. So again, they are socks that are compression socks, and you'll see they're actually specific to the medical field. So if you're concerned that you may have a blood clot or have a high risk for it, please talk to your doctor and make sure you get yourself situated so you're comfortable. Mike: And if you want to check out more videos on DVT, we have one right here, "Is a Blood Clot Causing the Pain in Your Leg (DVT)? How to Tell & Prevent". Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad 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.

Four muscles make up the “rotator cuff” of the shoulder. The four muscles work together to move the shoulder and stabilize the shoulder. Each of these four muscles has a tendon by which it attaches to bone. When a tear occurs in one of the rotator cuff muscles, it happens in the tendon. Most tears in the rotator cuff tendons occur from a gradual wearing down of the tendon. This may occur during impingement (or pinching) of the shoulder tendon. Tears can be “partial” which means the tendon is damaged but not completely severed. Tears can also be complete, which often means the tendon is torn from where they are attached to the bone. Many rotator cuff tears will not heal. The ability to heal can depend upon the severity and size of the tear. Tears in which the tendon is detached from the bone will not heal on their own. Massive tears are also unlikely to heal. Age can also play a role. The older you are the more difficult healing becomes. In addition, if the same conditions remain in place the tear may get worse. For example, if the initial tear was caused in part by an impingement AND the impingement continues, the tear could get worse. But also consider this. Some tears will not heal properly even with surgery. This is a discussion you should have with your surgeon. “What is the likelihood my shoulder will heal, and I regain normal function after surgery?” A recent study in Finland involving 167 patients with nontraumatic rotator cuff tears found physical therapy treatments alone produced results equal to those experienced by those who had arthroscopic surgery and open surgical repair on the shoulder. This study was published in the January 2020 Journal of Bone and Joint. So, your rotator cuff tear may not heal. But you still can regain normal pain-free motion and strength if you participate in physical therapy treatments. So, for most rotator cuff injuries, the recommendation is to try a conservative approach of physical therapy and see how you do. How will you know if your rotator cuff tear is getting worse? There seems to be a relationship between increasing shoulder pain and the original rotator cuff tear getting larger in size. When should you have rotator cuff repair surgery? The need for surgery should be decided after a detailed discussion with your orthopedic physician. Points to keep in mind. In the case of a large rotator cuff tear or sudden injury leading to significant shoulder weakness, early surgical repair may be indicated. Other circumstances may also lead to surgery. Are you active and use your arm for overhead work or sports? Do you have persistent pain or weakness in your shoulder that has not improved with nonsurgical treatment? Are you having pain at night and difficulty using the arm for lifting and reaching? Are you experiencing ongoing symptoms despite several months of physical therapy and medication? Check out the full Shoulder Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/shoulder-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in November of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/Eq0SssY4ZXs Brad: Oh, this foot pain. This plantar fascitis is just killing me, especially in the morning. Mike: We're going to show you five options on how to walk pain-free again. Brad: Now, plantar fascitis can be a really painful problem and lasts for months. It typically affects people between the ages of 40 and 70. Mike: First, we're going to show you what is causing the problems with a little anatomy lesson. Brad: That's right. Let's get to it, Mike. All right, my favorite part of the program. Mike has volunteered to sacrifice the bottom of the foot so we could put some colors on there. The green represents the location of the plantar fascia. It's a very tough tissue that connects from the base of the toes all the way to the calcaneus, or the heel. The red part represents where a vast majority of my patients have a very tender spot. That's where the fascia is actually tearing away from the bone or the calcaneus. Mike: So when most people think of the plantar fascia, they just look at the part we showed on my foot, but realistically, it's part of a longer chain, and it runs from your great toe here up around the Achilles tendon into the calf and goes behind the knee. All this connects into one long segment. Brad: And this is critical for how you treat it. So now we're going to show you five options on how to treat plantar fasciitis at home so that you get rid of it as soon as possible. And you're going to see why we demonstrated or showed the whole length of the tissue that's involved with the treatment. You'll see it all makes sense. Now, a very common symptom is when you get out of bed in the morning, you put weight on your foot, and you get severe foot pain. If that's you, this is something that will help. Because if you don't do anything about that, that'll make the healing process go on for weeks or longer. So let's explain it briefly. When you sleep, your foot is plantar flexed. Brad: The plantar fascia actually starts to heal in that fashion. Now, when you stand up and dorsiflex and put weight on your foot, that stretches the plantar fascia, and the injured hotpot actually gets torn apart, re-injuring it every morning, limiting the healing process, and it can last forever. So what do you do about it? We put a splint on. They call it a night splint. They're very common. You can buy a number of them on the internet or wherever you'd like to. Now, this is Mike's. He's been wearing one, not right now, but you've worn this. Now, without the brace, you would sleep with your foot plantar flexed. Now, the brace is adjustable. You essentially pull it up and strap it down so your foot is in a neutral position. Mike, can you tell us what works well for you on this? Mike: So this isn't going to feel like a stretch. It's just going to keep your foot in a neutral position. So it's not like it's going to be tight when you put it on. Typically what you can do is wear it right away when you go to bed. You may wake up and your calf may feel tight. If that's the case, maybe not start with it right away. But if you wake up in the middle of the night for whatever reason, say you use the bathroom, maybe put it on then before you go back to bed. That way your foot is in its position before you get up in the morning because this is how you want to be to not tear that plantar fascia again. Now, I don't have plantar fascitis, but it also works for other ankle or calf issues. Brad: All right. Now, I've had a number of patients that the only change they made for treatment for their plantar fasciitis is to wear a night splint. And they noticed it immediately getting out of bed in the morning. Much less pain and it started to heal, and throughout the day, much greater progress in taking care of the problem. Okay, now, if you do not have a splint like Mike has, and you don't want to get one, you can heal this without one. But before you get out of bed in the morning, you do need to do some range of motion and specific stretches. This morning treatment, before you get out of bed, we're going to do some stretching. Now, keep in mind, that we have the blue fascia whole train right here. Now, what you're going to do to start is simply range of motion. Up in the air. You can rest your foot here. And do at least 10 repetitions. Brad: It's going to be a little sore at first, especially when you go up. Do it until it feels better and loosened up. Then the next step is actually doing some stretching. Now, the thing is, remember the plantar fascia goes up to the toe. You could stretch to get the fascia and the heel, as well as the calf, and hold it. You can hold for 15 to 30 seconds, or stretch and relax, stretch and relax. If it's really painful, start gently and then progress on. After about 10 repetitions, it should be good. Remember the big toe, or as Mike calls it properly, the great toe, pull it back and stretch that. That's a critical stretch, and it's easy to do as well, which is really nice. Mike: Now, the next step to do before you get out of bed is to do a little bit of massage to the plantar fascia region on the bottom of the foot. You don't have to work the whole chain or train, as Brad just said before. So what you could do is circular motions, just the whole plantar fascia, which I've highlighted here. Or you could do a splaying massage, in which you kind of bring your thumbs together and then pull apart. Whatever feels better for you, do that. Mike: You can do this for two to five minutes. If you want to work around the painful area, and it feels good, especially after you massage it, that is fine. If it just makes it worse and irritates it, you don't have to do that area. Just do the surrounding areas. Get that plantar fascia loosened up and ready to move before you start walking. Brad: Good job. All right, so that is critical, that you stretch before you get out of bed. Do the massage for a couple of minutes. I don't know if you can go five minutes, your fingers will probably get sore. We're going to show some better options for that throughout the day. Whatever you do, once you get up, put your shoes on relatively quickly so that helps support the fascia, so you're not walking around barefoot initially. Do what feels good on your foot. Now we're going to show you some more massaging you can do, because the more you can massage this throughout the day, maybe two or three times, the better it is. So obviously you need to take your shoes off. You can do this with your socks on. Whatever works well. Simply use a golf ball, tennis ball, or lacrosse ball. Mike has an actual massage ball. You could use a softball. The rule is the harder the ball, the more aggressive and the smaller. Like, the golf ball is going to be the most aggressive. At work, you could just simply take your shoes off and put a ball underneath your desk, if that's the type of work you do, and massage it every couple of hours. Mike, do you have any more input? Mike: They even sell little massage balls that are only like 3 to $5 with little nodules on them. That's what I have at home. It actually feels pretty good. Brad: Right. When using the ball, the hardness of the ball and the size of the diameter makes a big difference. The most aggressive would be the golf ball. It's hard. It's small in diameter. But I would suggest starting with a tennis ball that gives a little bit, and then you can work that. And when that doesn't feel like it's hard enough or aggressive enough, then you can go to like a lacrosse ball and work that. And the most aggressive is the golf ball. Okay, now another good option. If you happen to have a massage gun at home, take advantage of it. It'll save your hands and fingers. Either use the roundhead or the airhead that's soft. And don't get too aggressive right away. Don't overdo it, even with your hands. You can work that plantar fascia. And I would not go straight in on it. With the ball head, you can go sideways. Now, with the airhead, that doesn't work so well. But the airhead's softer. It's more forgiving. It should not hurt. You should feel like a good massage. As Mike said, don't go over that painful spot if it hurts, only do that if the massage actually makes it feel good after a few seconds. You can work on that. Work that massage. Brad: Now this is a critical part. Seeing how we're working this, we're also going to work the muscles up the chain. Because when these muscles get tight, that puts stress on the tender area and then will make a significant difference in making it feel better. So you're going to work this large calf muscle. Mike, do you have any input? You do this a lot. Mike: I have some knots in my calf, so that's a little touchy for me. So I'm not going to push as hard there. Brad: Right. So if I have a knot, and it really hurts to go over that, don't beat it up. Work around that knot. Be gentle with it, and then you can get closer as it loosens up. You may spend three to five minutes with this and not get a sore hand. They're a wonderful tool. Mike: So after you massage the calf muscle, it is good to stretch it as well. You can do this throughout the day. If you do not have any devices, you can simply go up to a wall to stretch. Let's say I'm going to stretch my left calf, I'm going to put it behind me. Have a straight knee. Notice that my toe is pointing forward. I'm not turning out like this. And the more I start to lean forward and look up, the more calf stretch I'll feel. If I'm back, I don't feel anything. As soon as I start bending more and pushing, I will feel a good calf stretch there. Brad: You must keep your heel on the floor like Mike is doing here. If it lifts up, that does not make an effective stretch. Now, another great benefit, stretch with a straight knee, and then try and keep your heel on the floor and slightly flex the knee. Brad: That stretches a different muscle. You get the soleus that way versus the gastrocnemius. You don't need to know that, but just do that a few seconds each way to be complete. Now, if you happen to have an incline board, this is mine, I actually made it. We have a video on how to make one very cheaply if you're handy and you have a few tools. Otherwise you can buy them pretty cheap. This is my favorite way to stretch a calf. It just works better. It's not so much work, and it's a little more effective. Mike, do you have any comments on the incline board? Mike: To make it more aggressive, if I'm standing here, I feel nothing. The closer my other foot gets even with the board, or in front of it, you're going to feel much more of a stretch. Again, you're going to straighten your knee out. And this hits it well. Brad: Yeah, they're a wonderful device. Now, this technique we're going to show you is how to change your walking to take the stress and pain off that plantar fascia. Almost everyone, they heel strikes when they walk, and the force goes through their body, through their heel, and that puts a lot of stress on that fascia, that tender area. We need to change that. Mike is an excellent person to do this because he's changed his walking to the soft knee, which helps the plantar fascitis strain. Ooh, go ahead, Mike. Mike: So when you're going to land when you're walking with soft knees, you're going to land more on your forefoot, or you can land with kind of a flat foot like. The whole goal is to not be heel-striking like this. Mike: So forefoot or flat foot, whatever's comfortable for you. When you're actually walking, what you're going to do is take smaller steps. Notice I'm not going to be stepping as far as normal. I'm going to be taking shorter steps, and I'm going to be landing on my forefoot. As you get comfortable doing this, you might start to go more of a flat foot. It will take some time to get accustomed to. Your gait pattern is going to slow down initially, but over time, it'll start to return and feel more natural. Just make sure you're landing on your forefoot and you're not locking your knees out when you're walking. I'm having nice bent knees. Brad: A good way to learn how to do this, I have found personally, is I walk around the house with my stocking foot or barefoot on a hard floor, and you can feel when your heel strikes in, in that normal pattern, versus the forefoot. It's much more comfortable, and it's like a quiet, soft walk, taking the stress. And you'll feel pain reduction on that painful heel as well. Nice job, Mike. Now, if you're one of those people that's had plantar fascitis that's been bothering you a few weeks, take these steps to heart. Do them every day. It will improve, and you'll have progress and success. Good luck. And Mike has some more to say, don't you, Mike? Mike: Yes. Another important key feature of plantar fascitis is your footwear you are wearing. We're not going to talk about it here, but if you want to check out our video "You Are Walking All Wrong & It's Causing Pain", we explain it all in detail. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. 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