This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/PJhVIXQeqSI Mike: If you could choose one exercise for strengthening your legs, this should be it. There are four key advantages of this exercise. Brad: Number one, it's very functional. If you need to pick up something from the floor, you're going to do the exact same motion. Bob has got to pick up my shoe, and now you can get back up. And this is something that we do, particularly as we get older. This can be challenging, but if you exercise, the way you should lift it becomes very easy. Mike: The second advantage to the split squat is you're going to focus on single-leg strengthening when you compare it to a normal squat. When you do a normal squat like I am if you have one weaker leg, you can compensate and lean towards one side, which is going to lead to muscle imbalances and improper leg development and it's not going to benefit your athleticism as much. Brad: Another big advantage of this exercise is it strengthens almost all the muscles in your legs. It's great for the quads and the hamstrings, and that's the dynamic movement, but it also has isometric strengthening going on with the adductors, the groin muscles, and the abductors here, which stabilizes your gait with your walk. You really cannot go wrong with it. We're also getting the glute maximus, and you cannot go wrong when you strengthen the glute maximus. Bob says, excellent job. Mike: And the fourth advantage is, to do this exercise for beginners no equipment is necessary. However, if you are new to this and unsteady, you can use support with a bench. You can use a cane or a Booyah Stik or something to support yourself. You don't want to fall over when you're first trying this exercise. The advanced version is the Bulgarian split squat, also known as the rear elevated split squat. So you want to get an object that is about knee height behind you. This can be a bench at a gym, a solid chair, or a stool. Then you want your other foot about two to three feet in front of your back foot for support. Do you want to continue, Brad? Brad: Yes, I do, Mike. Okay. The position of the toe. As you can see, Mike has a plantar flexed or so, the top of the toe is touching, or you can curl the foot. I use this way, do whatever's most comfortable for you. Next, imagine there is an imaginary line here, which we made a real red line. That's the midline. It goes right down between the legs. The front foot should be over plenty, far over. Don't get too close to the middle. You'll lose your balance. If you do have balance problems, grab a stick or piece of furniture. Use that for balance. Mike, do you need that for balance? Mike: I'm okay with all this. Brad: Good. All right, the next thing is the shoulder's going to be up and square. So if Mike was turned to the side, that would be very awkward and we do not like that. Keep it square. The hips are square. And now go ahead and demonstrate, Mike. Mike: So you want to go down. Do not go too far forward. Do not lean too far back. Try to stay upright with your trunk. You're going to need some hip mobility in your back leg. If you don't have good hip mobility you're going to feel a real big stretch in the front of the hip. But the strengthening is supposed to be on the leg in front. Do not push with the back leg. That's not how the exercise is meant to work. It is supposed to work on the front leg. If you want it more challenging, if you're advanced, you can grab a weight. You can place it on the opposite side. You can hold it to your chest. People use dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells on your back, whatever. That's more for advanced people. But this is a good single-leg strengthening exercise and you want to make sure to focus on this front leg and bend it to 90 degrees when you go down. Brad: But wait, there's one more thing for us older people, probably not going to use the weight. And if you experience knee pain, go ahead and let's say you start to squat and there is no knee pain, no knee pain, and you get to a point and your knee starts to hurt. Stop. You can still do these, but don't go to the pain. Just do a shallow split squat until your knee accommodates to it and you can get work through that. So back to the stronger younger people, Mike. Mike: Another thing to look for is the knee to cave in. So if your knee starts to track in, this is a no-no. You need to work on your hip abductors more. Don't let the back leg cross over either. You're going to fall over and be very unstable. Brad: Yes. Good point, Mike. Mike: I think we hit everything. Did we miss anything? Brad: I think so. Just the repetitions. Mike: Start with 10 reps if possible, per leg. Build up your tolerance. If you're already a gym goer and do this all the time, you could probably do three sets of 10, no problem. Brad: Right. Whatever fits into your workout and your goals. I do 1 set of 10, every time I work out, and it's a maintenance program for myself. So if you're able to give the split squat a try, go ahead. I use it only in the winter months. Mike: It may become your new favorite exercise. Brad: That's right. So remember this, if you find a neighbor or a friend in need be helpful. Mike: Be helpful. 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 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 Hand 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​ 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.

Avoid inactivity and avoid prolonged periods of little to no hip movement. In addition to your stretching exercises. Frequent hip movement is one of the best things you can do to decrease or control pain. Tips: 1. Do not remain in a prolonged stationary position (standing or sitting). 2. Set a cell phone alarm every 20 minutes to move. 3. Stand and walk during phone calls. 4. Have walking meetings. 5. Use a standing desk and alternate between standing, half sitting (on a high stool), and sitting (regular chair). 6. March in place (seated or standing). 7. Purposely park further away from your building to walk more. 8. On a couch or recliner- perform squats or marching during program breaks. 9. If unable to stand (in a meeting or on a plane) march in place, or rotate your legs back and forth. 10. Use steps or stairs instead of elevators or escalators. 11. Walk during lunch hour. 12. Buy a dog to take for a walk regularly. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hslYSi8Xfs&t=44s Mike: Most people make this one common mistake while treating heel pain. Brad: Well, I know, I strained my heel. We've got to stretch it out, don't we? Mike: When you have Achilles tendon pain, you actually don't want to stretch out the calf muscle. It causes compression on the tendon and can increase the degeneration of it. Brad: Okay, oftentimes heel pain is felt and experienced right where the tendon connects to the calcaneus. And when you stretch it, compression forces are experienced here, which actually damages the tissues in the tendon. So we want to not stretch, and we're going to show you an option that's going to improve this. Occasionally, there'll be pain experienced up higher, that's a different scenario. So we're talking about right here at the Achilles tendon junction with the calcaneus. Mike: If you'd like to learn more about treating Achilles tendon pain, you can check out the book, “How to Treat Your Own Achilles Tendon” by Paula Clayton. Brad: Now, Paula has four different treatment approaches to this problem. We're going to go through them and show you the four. Okay so, the first thing you need to do to take stress off the area when you're wearing shoes is a heel lift. Now, here is an actual heel lift that fits on your heel. You simply put that in your shoe, and that'll take stress off it so you don't have the pain when walking. Brad: There are other options which you don't have to buy if you just have some felt and you can put it underneath the insert and tape it there, and that works very good as well. Actually, I have one right here. This is for a Morton's neuroma in a different location, but you would put this right here at the heel. Works good. Bob: A piece of carpet would work. Brad: A piece of carpet. I've cut cardboard and put cardboard in there so it's the right shape. You're going to use this for maybe a couple of weeks until it starts to feel better along with the other treatments we'll show. Mike: The second thing you want to do is try massaging your calf muscles. You can do this with a foam roller. It's good to internally or externally rotate your leg to get different parts of the calf. You can do it manually, like Brad is over there. Mike: You can also use a nice rolling stick like this, which is a little easier if you're stuck in a chair or you can't get down to the ground to foam roll. Just roll different parts of it. And another option, if you have a massage gun, use that. Brad: Yeah, my hands are getting tired, so a massage gun does not get tired. It gets in deeper and they really work well. I'm using the round head, which I find is really comfortable on this part of the body. So yeah, make sure you get a nice reciprocating massage gun. This is our mini. This works really well for a lot of people. Cost is good and it works. The third way to address this is cross fiber and a deep cross fiber, Mike will tell you all about it and show you. Mike: So you're going to dig more into the lower part of the Achilles tendon right above the calcaneus. You want to pinch the tendon and you want to go forward and back in this direction, not up and down, but forward and back towards your toes and away. You really have to pinch hard because the Achilles tendon is very thick. Brad: So it may hurt at first, but after about 20 seconds, you should start feeling numb sensation or it's going to just feel better. If it gets worse and worse, it's probably too soon for this treatment. And then give it a break for a day or two. Mike: Are we going to use the massage gun? Brad: Oh, yeah. If you get tired, you can use again, the massage gun, if you happen to have one. The round head again works good. You can do the cross friction as long as you've got a massage gun that reciprocates like this. And I'm going to go not straight on, that's beating it up. We're going to go on te side of the ball. And you can vary the angle a little bit. You can put the tendon on slack and you'll get in a little deeper. You'll know, it'll feel right. If it's really, really painful, stay away from that area, work upwards, and then down towards the Achilles tendon as tolerated. Don't get too aggressive. Boy, this is a good treatment. I'm enjoying this. All right, let's go to the next one. Mike: And the fourth thing to try is some isometric strengthening. So with this, you go up on your toes. If you're weak, you can do both feet at once. If you have the strength, you can do single leg and you're going to hold it there for 45 seconds. After you've done 45 seconds, make sure to rest for 2 minutes and you're going to do this 5 total times a day. So remember, when it comes to Achilles tendon pain, try these four exercises to see if they help. Brad: That's right. Let us know in the comment section, if it did help, we'd like to know we are all in this together, helping each other out, feeding back and forth off of each other. What say you, Mike? Mike: Goodbye. Brad: Yeah, we're feeding back and forth. Goodbye. 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 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 Hand 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​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/I0ioJTAkQhg Brad: All right, we are honored to have two guest speakers here. They are students from my alma mater, UW LaCrosse. About a hundred years ago, I graduated from there. These two people are going to be doctors of physical therapy in about a year. This is a wonderful thing for old therapists like me to get fresh new information from the research that has just come out. And what's the video going to be about, Kyle? Kyle: Yeah, thanks. Today we're going to be looking at shoulder impingement, talking about what it is, looking at the anatomy and what we can do for it. Elisabet: And finding out that maybe it's not the impingement at all, maybe it's just muscle imbalance. Brad: One way or another we're going to show you exercises and techniques to get rid of it. And I'm sorry, it's Kyle and Elisabet. Very good. If you want to go with your whole name, that's up to you because this is going out to the whole world. Kyle: Well, that's pretty dangerous. But I'm Kyle Terhark. Elisabet: I'm Elisabet Pletz. Brad: Very good. We'll be right back and show you everything you need to know. All right, Kyle, can you give a little demonstration on the mechanics of this shoulder pain? Kyle: Yes. So we're going to look at Sam here. We're looking inside his shoulder. What we're looking at with impingement, or what people think of impingement, is there's something actually blocking. So as the arm comes up, the bone jams in there and gets blocked from going up overhead. Elisabet: Ouch. Brad: What's your finger doing in there? Kyle: This shouldn't be there, right? That's just an impingement. But this is the idea that there's something in there. And quite honestly, there's not anything in there. There's something else going on. Brad: There's some soft tissue in there, maybe a tendon that's getting pinched and it causes the pain. Kyle: That's the idea. Brad: Right. Kyle: But more research is saying that's not actually what's going on. Elisabet: So I want to bust that myth for you, guys. So if you can try this at home, if you have that shoulder pain that hurts when you lift your arm out to the side to about 90 degrees and it's like, "Oh, ah!" If you try and move your arm up here and "oh," that's where that pain is, try and take your arm and put it next to your body and raise it. If you're able to get your shoulder up higher than you were out to the side, then what that's saying is the bones are going through the same thing in both positions, but the weight of your arm is heavier with your arm straight out than in. So what that tells me is it might be a bit more of a muscle imbalance. Brad: So can you show them how to correct that? Elisabet: Yes, that's what we're going to do today. Brad: Say no more. All right, so this is exciting to me because this recent research shows that people oftentimes may not need surgery on their shoulders. And I'll just give it to these experts because they have read the research in detail. Kyle: So there's some new research coming out that's pretty interesting. And so, it's a study where they looked at people that had the surgery and people that had a fake surgery, and they looked at the differences between them and there was very little. Brad: So what do you mean a fake surgery? Kyle: So a fake surgery. So if we can pull your shoulder up here. Elisabet's going to draw essentially the scopes. So the scopes are just little holes they put in to basically put a camera in or to put an instrument in to try and work on either cutting, cleaning, whatever they do. So they put these little holes in there. And so with the fake surgery, what they did is they put these holes in and then they didn't do anything. They just came right out. They bandaged it up and sent them down the road. Elisabet: And they sent the people home and they didn't know if they had the surgery or not. Brad: But they did have the scars. Elisabet: But they did have the scars. Kyle: And they found that down the road, the people who didn't have the surgery were doing better than those with it. It was just kind of one of those, "That's gym class for your situations." Brad: So it's a placebo? Kyle: Right, exactly. So some people got the surgery, some didn't, and those that didn't actually did better. Brad: Well, that is amazing to me. So anyway, let's go on and show you some exercises and some more information on how to improve your shoulder. I'm feeling better already. Kyle: That's just the ink. That's all that does it. All right, so this is going to be a stretch for the pectoralis minor, and that muscle is a very deep muscle on your chest. So it sits against your ribcage and attaches up to your arm. So a way that we're going to stretch it is if you have a nice home, you have a wall, we're going to put your arm up on that wall. And then you're going to go ahead and either step forward to kind of stretch the arm back or rotate your chest away. So think about turning away from the wall. Elisabet: Kyle, does it matter which leg I step forward with? Kyle: It doesn't make a huge difference, but the one towards the wall would be better because it's going to help get your whole body forward. Elisabet: Oh yeah, I feel that. Kyle: Perfect. And then, why don't you flip around? Do it on the other side as well. Elisabet: Okay. Kyle: Good. So here you step through it and then you can rotate your body away to add more tension through that muscle. Brad: What does the research say about how long should this be stretched? Hold it for 30 seconds? Go on and off? Elisabet: Usually I'll do it really what you're comfortable with. So all of this is based on where you're feeling those benefits and you're feeling that comfort. Usually, I start with 30 seconds on each side and go back and forth twice. Brad: So listen to your body. Elisabet: Listen to your body. Brad: It should not create any sharp pain. If there is, it's a red flag, stop it. A nice comfortable stretch. Let's go to the next exercise. Elisabet: All right, Kyle. So I want to show you a good stretch that you can do in the morning or the evening to just get some more motion going there in that shoulder. And it's called a sleeper stretch. So what you're going to do is you're going to lay on the side of your painful shoulder here, and then you're going to take this hand and you're going to move the palm towards the table. And then you can use your other hand and add a little bit more pressure. Just like with that last exercise, you're staying within what is comfortable for you. So don't push it down too hard, stay where you feel that nice little stretch and hang out there for a little bit. And then you can come off and just take a little break and move that shoulder around and go into it again. Brad: So, the elbow, do we want it at your side or out in front? Elisabet: We want it out in front. So you want this to be like a right angle with your body. Arm straight away from you as far as it can go. Brad: What if it's his left arm? Still a right angle? Elisabet: Still a right angle. Brad: I had to get something in there. Kyle: All right, so here's another alternative you can do to those sustained stretches, and that's using a tennis ball or a lacrosse ball. We're going to use a tennis ball here. It's got a nice little squish to it, so it's not very painful. And so, the way this is going to work is you're just going to put that tennis ball right where the muscle is. Kyle: Good, right on that pec minor. And then using that fancy wall again, you're just going to go ahead and put your chest between or against the wall there and just press into that ball. And I want you to think about doing little circles or going up and down along that muscle. When you find a pretty tender spot, just stop on that spot. Brad: I found it. Kyle: You found one? Brad: I found it. Yeah, right there. Kyle: Perfect. So stop on that spot and do small little circles about the size of a dime right on that spot. Brad: For how long? Kyle: So that one, again, it's going to be a comfort thing, but about 30 seconds is great. Brad: Sure. Kyle: So this is just an alternative to stretching. Brad: I'm comfortably done. Kyle: Good. You felt a good spot there. And you can do the same thing right on the backside too. So just like that sleeper stretch we were working on, you can just put the ball between the wall and the shoulder. Brad: Let's show them. Okay. So take your tennis ball, take your sock off, and put the tennis ball in your sock. Okay, now you see I've got matching socks and shirt. You do not have to have matching, but anyway, take the ball and we're going to put it back behind your shoulder. So it's much easier if you just have the ball in the sock, it's hard to get it in there without dropping it. It's a good way to control it. Kyle: That's perfect. And so, you're doing the same thing as you were on that front side of just looking for a tender spot. Find it, stay on it, and do those little circles. Brad: And I'm going to go in right by my spine. I don't know if it needs it for the shoulder, but it sure feels good. Elisabet: Well, you've got muscles that connect to your shoulder that go all the way over to your spine, so it makes sense that working on your spine would help here too. Brad: Right. Why don't you point out exactly where we want to work? Kyle: Right, so we're working right here. You basically take the shoulder, go up a little bit, and right on the back. That's what we're aiming for. But feel free, to go all the way along the shoulder blade, go right along the spine. There are a lot of muscles that can get tender here. So hit all of those. It's not going to hurt anything. Brad: All right, let's go to the next one. Kyle: All right, so one more muscle that we're going to be looking at stretching here is called the serratus anterior. Now it's a fancy muscle. It's one of the coolest-looking muscles in the body, but it grabs on from the shoulder blade and wraps around your ribs. Just kind of a spiderweb or fingers coming around. And so, a way that we can think about strengthening this one is called a wall pushup. You're just going to get into 90/90 in front of the wall. So you got that nice angle. We're not getting the shoulders coming up very high when you do this. We're going to keep them down nice and low. Then think about pressing the elbows and forearms through the wall and think about getting your back as far away from the wall as possible. So you're going to be rounding your shoulder blades around. Brad: So this is a subtle movement, and if we look at the shoulder blade of the scapula, it's going to slide on that rib cage and work those subtle muscles in there that you don't see. Do you feel them working, Elisabet? Elisabet: Oh yeah, I feel them. Brad: It's one of those exercises that doesn't look like much, but you will feel it work and it's very important to keep that shoulder blade stabilized. Kyle: Exactly. Elisabet: All right Kyle, so for that strengthening exercise for those small muscles around your shoulder, I'm going to have you put this towel underneath your elbow and wedge it between your body and your arm. Kyle: Got it. Elisabet: And then you're going to grab onto that band there, and then you're going to pull that hand away from your side, taking care to make sure that the towel isn't slipping or falling to the floor. Kyle: Sure because If I let that elbow out and it drops, that lets me know that I flared that shoulder. Elisabet: And that's telling me that you're using the wrong muscles. All right, so for this next one, this is just a progression of the exercise we just looked at. And for this one, you're going to take something and you're going to use it to support your arm so that it is straight out from your side. So you could be sitting next to a table, or a pile of pillows underneath your arm, and that'll elevate it up. And then this time you're going to be bringing that wrist up again like you were bringing it out last time, but now it's going to be raising up as if you're going to be bringing your arm back to throw a ball. Kyle: And that one's a lot harder. Elisabet: This one is a lot harder. So you want to make sure you're good at the one on your side first before you try and go up here. Or maybe use a little bit easier of a band. Kyle: Whew! Brad: How many reps did you say? Elisabet: So for both of those, you're going to want to do eight of them three times. So three sets of eight. Brad: All right, man, I'd like to say thank you for coming, for showing these excellent exercises and great research. You can goodbye or say hi to anybody you want. Kyle: Well, thanks for having us. This was so much fun and yeah, this was really cool. Hi mom, how are you? Elisabet: I mean, I always love talking about the new research and the stuff that's out there, so thank you so much, Brad, for having us. 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 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 Hand 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​ 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.

There are common daily habits that can contribute to or perpetuate hip pain. We discuss many of these habits in the other videos of this Hip Pain series. In this video, we will provide a brief discussion of each habit. 1. Sitting for prolonged periods. Prolonged sitting can contribute to hip pain (especially if the knees are higher than the hips- for example in a low chair). (See PHOTO). 2. Sitting unevenly. For example, placing more weight on one hip. 3. Standing uneven. Putting more weight on one side. 4. Standing for prolonged periods. 5. Walking incorrectly without using a gait aid. Many people attempt walking without a gait aid, even if it results in an obvious limp. 6. Not participating in a walking program. 7. Walking incorrectly with a gait aid. Using the gait aid incorrectly or on the wrong side. 8. Lying in bed incorrectly (either on the painful hip or without a pillow for support). 9. Being too stationary throughout the day. Not moving often enough. Not participating in a walking program. 10. Using a bicycle or seated elliptical with the seat adjusted too low. 11. Not wearing proper footwear. Standing on concrete or hard surfaces without footwear with cushioning soles in your shoes or using a cushioning mat. 12. Exercising incorrectly. Putting unnecessary stress on the hip when there are alternatives - e.g., Avoiding hills with walking/running. Incorrect form when exercising. Lifting weights incorrectly. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAlh_L7JCvU Brad: Posture, posture, posture. Mike: What about it? Brad: Posture certainly makes you look better, feel better, as well as move better. Mike: We are going to show you three steps to perfect your posture, as well as two mistakes that we commonly see. Brad: Alright. It's been proven over time that a person can remember three steps, three certain things, but once you get past three, it kind of gets difficult. I decided to make three steps to get perfect posture. But before we get into that- Mike: There are major problems that most people do when they are trying to correct their posture. Brad: Right. We're going to show you those plus the three of course, and then we're going to have some fun doing this because we are fun people. Mike: Fun. Brad: All right. What I'd like to address is the first mistake, when people, really with good intentions, say, "Stand tall, shoulders back." It's in the right direction, but it's over-exaggerated. Mike will demonstrate. He's standing tall, shoulders back, pulling tight here, but you can see the wrinkles in his shirt. It's exaggerated, that's too much. Brad: These muscles will fatigue and things are going to get painful. Let's relax once, Mike. Pull the shoulders back in a relaxed manner. That's what we'd like to do. Keep that in mind. Brad: Let's go to mistake number two, Mike. Mike: All right, mistake number two, we commonly see, when people stand up tall, they lock their knees. That is a big no-no, because that's going to put a lot more tension on your knees, and your back, and your hips, and everywhere going down the line. Mike: What you want to do is stand with a soft bent knee and still have upright posture. Don't lock them out. Brad: Excellent point, Mike. Once again, we'll go on to the three steps. Okay, we're just going to use a stick for a straight edge, because it's going to help give you a good demonstration of what we're looking for. We want to have the sacrum, or  the belt line touching this straight line or the stick, between the shoulders, and we have to eliminate this gap at the head. Brad: Okay, I know a lot of people do not have a stick five-foot-long to do this, but everyone has a wall, so that's what we're going to use the three step for, that same concept. Let's go to the wall. All right, the first step of the three is, again, using the wall. Mike, go ahead and go through the first step. Mike: You're going to put your butt up against the wall, and then you're going to want to bring your shoulders back. As I'm doing this, I'm not squeezing like we talked about earlier. That's a mistake. You want to lift your chest up and it's naturally going to have good posture. Mike: Step two is bringing your head. You can see my head is not touching the wall. You want to bring it back to touch the wall comfortably. I'm not pressing hard and thumping my head against the wall. As you can see now, my ears should be over my shoulders. That is for good posture. Brad: One of the biggest mistakes that I've worked with people is, they touch their head and they're head is tilted up. They may have tighttness in the back of their neck or shoulders. Mike: Yes, you're basically doing a chin tuck is what you're doing. Brad: You could do a couple of chin tucks just to stretch things out. Tuck it right in. Brad: Tuck that chin in. It seems tight. We'll work on that later, Mike. Mike: And, step number three, like we talked about earlier, is keeping a loose bent knee. You do not want to lock your knees. My legs are not touching the wall. My feet are comfortably out against the wall. But this should be good posture to start with. Brad: Okay. Once you've done the three steps, you are in perfect posture. One of the most common comments I've had from patients over the years, I'll say, "Keep that posture," and they'll say, "This feels really weird." It's like, "Yeah, because your posture has not been so good over the years. Now we need to change it." Do this every day, three times a day, and you will obtain muscle memory, perfect posture, less pain, you're better-looking. Mike: I'm better looking. Brad: ... you're better looking. I won't get better looking from anything. Mike: Oh, okay. Brad: I'm a lost cause in that case. But anyway, do you have anything more to say? Mike: If you have any suggestions for correcting your posture, comment down below. It's also important to remember these problems when you're sitting too, because if you're hunched over, it's going to cause problems. Brad: We have a video on that too, "5 Sitting Posture Checks You Should Do RIGHT NOW." Mike: Check it out. 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 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 Hand 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​ 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 May of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/dYOglvA7Zp8 Mike: Did you know that 80% of adults will experience back pain at some point in their life? And this can have a major effect on how good you feel, limit your everyday activities and you're just not going to be as happy. Brad: That's right. We've seen this in the clinic year after year, actually, decades. Well, one decade for Mike, Bob, and I, for decades. But the thing about back pain is it does not only affect your back, but it affects your mood. You can get very ornery when your back is uncomfortable, as well as you become less active, which also can lead to weight gain. It's a bad thing; we can help you out. Mike: We're going to help you by showing you six core exercises that'll help protect your back and let you stay active and even function at a high level like you would like to. Brad: Believe it or not, a strong core, strong back. All right. Now, the big thing with lower back pain, if you look at the lower back or the lumbar spine, you can see there's nothing around to support it except for muscles. Brad: If you look at the upper back, you have the rib cage and those structures that offer a lot of support, almost like a back belt. Brad: So your muscles, your core muscles, the abdominal muscles, your transverse muscles, and the back muscles, all can be worked and strengthened to provide strong support, giving your back what it needs to be active. Mike: So if these muscles are nice and strong, they'll keep your lordotic curve or your spine in the right position, decreasing the amount of pain. And when these muscles engage, it'll take the pressure off of that painful area. Brad: Lordotic curve, I like that term. It's the arch in the back. Let's go to work on the next phase. Now, if you happen to have very acute back pain, in other words, they're very tender right now, these exercises will have to wait until it settles down and you want to start working into getting stronger again. For those people who have not had back pain or who've had back pain but it feels better, it's ideal, to strengthen the back to prevent future back pain. Mike: So the four core muscles we are going to be talking about here, three of them are abdominal muscles and one is a pair of back muscles. The first one you're going to target is the rectus abdominis, which is known as the six-pack. The next is the transverse abdominis, which starts in the front and wraps all the way around to your back. You typically work these when you're doing, say, a plank exercise, that's when you'll feel that transverse abdominis. The third abdominal muscle is the obliques, they are on both sides and they go in a diagonal fashion, they go both ways. They help with side bending, keeping you upright. The last muscle group is the back. We're just going to call them the lumbar paraspinals because this is the area of the low back you want to strengthen up to keep your spine in the correct position. Brad: Right. I think probably that last set of muscles, that gets missed out on a lot of programs. And the other thing about this program, it's going to strengthen all four of these, and two of the positions are going to be standing, weight-bearing, the way that your body functions when you're pushing, when you're pulling, when you're lifting, you're standing. So you want to train your body to be strong in your back while in those positions. A lot of core exercises skip that altogether, so we've got you covered. Mike: So for all of these exercises, we want you to start with 10 reps of each of them. Eventually, over time, you can build up your repetitions to either 30 reps total or 50 reps, depending on how active you are and how well you can endure these exercises. Brad: Right. Don't overdo it, keep it low, and an important part, if you've never done these exercises before, don't do them every day. Start with a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday routine, so the muscles can relax and rebuild for a day. After a couple of weeks or more, if it's feeling strong and you're not getting sore muscles, then you can progress and eventually go to five, maybe six days a week. I never recommend seven days a week, always one day for rest, but that's down the road a little bit. So again, three days a week to start and get those muscles engaged. Mike: I think we should also add that if any of these increase your back pain, don't do that exercise, it's probably not for you. Brad: Right. Either not doing it properly or it's just not your exercise. The first exercise we're going to work on is these muscles in the front, the very common exercise with some basic situps, but we're going to show the situps so that it protects your back, very important. So you can do these on your bed if it's a firm bed or on a carpeted floor, works very well. Mike is going to demonstrate here, lying on your back and this hook lying position knees up, you're going to take your hand so that you can position your back properly. His fingers are right under the low back and he's going to push down and squish his fingers a little bit and that puts your back in a good neutral position. While you're doing the exercise, Mike, I want you to keep that pressure on those fingers, okay? So it's simply, I call this double knee to chest, bring the knees up and back down, but while you do it, be very much aware of how you're maintaining pressure on those fingers. And it's very much more difficult and it's very appropriate, it's the best way to do core exercise. How are you doing Mike? Mike: I'm doing good. Brad: After you get done with 10 of these, you're good. Now, the other option for this, is if you happen to be, and there probably will not be many people, but if you have a large ball at home for exercises, you can do it this way. The advantage of using the ball is you don't need to put your hands under there. This is the way I do them, and I don't put my hands there. It works very well, it keeps your back protected. And the hard part is getting a hold of the ball. Once you get that down, you're fine. I've found if I wear my shoes, the heels of my shoes grab into the ball and I do it with shorts on, because your skin grips onto the ball. Again, do not purchase a ball for this exercise unless you really want to. It's not necessary, just do it the original way like I told Mike. Brad: Let's go to number two. We're going to work those oblique muscles that kind of come in at an angle like this. That's why they're called obliques. Again, lie on your side, you can do this again on the bed or the floor. You're going to put your arms like this so your palms are on your shoulders or close to it, knees up, and the goal is if you just think about taking your left elbow, bring it towards your right knee at the same time. So the elbow is moving forward, and the knee's coming together. You do not have to touch, but if you can, that's fine. Go ahead. And Mike's going to just show this slowly. And this should be done relatively slowly. You don't want to go through it fast. You're going to engage those oblique muscles which are critical for that rotation stability. Mike: Again, make sure your lower back is pushing into the mat when you're doing this, you do not want to round your shoulders up when reaching because it's going to put more pressure on your spine, increasing your back pain. Brad: Right. The other little point is, don't flex your neck forward, try and keep your head in the position as it is when you're lying down. We call that the neutral position protective spine. All right, the next one we're going to talk about is going to strengthen these muscles in the back that do get forgotten sometimes. So we're going to show it in two different manners. If you're a beginner at this, you go to a countertop, we're using the bed as a countertop. It'll probably be a little higher, which is good being in a position like Mike is. And to start with, we're going to break this down from the very beginning. Just take one arm and bring it out in front of you, and then down, and then alternate it. Brad: Now, that seems like it may not be doing much, you're thinking that's just shoulders, but it's not, that's engaging the muscles all the way down to the belt at a lower level. Now, if that's too easy, stop that and alternate leg lifting. Notice his knees are straight, you must do this with your knees straight. You're getting some hip muscles in there, but that low back is going to town right now and you will feel that. Brad: If you do 10 of those on each leg and it feels pretty easy, then we go to the whole goal and the optimal strengthening for your back. This is quite a bit harder, it's going to work your balance. So you're going to go up with one arm and the opposite leg lift. And that engages the full-back at an angle. Feel quite a bit harder, Mike? Mike: Yeah. To kind of make it more challenging, bring your feet further out if you feel safe doing that. You can also get good activation this way, it just makes it a little more challenging, but the advanced or normal version of this exercise, we will show next on the mat. Brad: Are you getting tired? Mike: A little. Brad: I'm not a bit. I feel pretty good, my back's feeling stronger. Mike: Good for you. Brad: Let's go. Okay, now this next one, we call it the pointer dog. This is advanced, you may not get to this point and that's okay, it depends on the level you feel you want a challenge. You're probably not going to do this one on the bed; on a carpeted floor is much better because it's wobbly, and it works your balance a lot. Now, when Mike is doing this, one arm goes out and the opposite leg goes out. Try and keep everything on the same plane. In other words, you can see everything is even. Brad: Now, one thing that Mike is doing that you need to focus on is he's contracting his abdominal muscles, trying to maintain that core so the back does not overarch. Do you feel that Mike? Mike: Yes. Brad: Do you want to talk about that just a little bit? Because that is important in this exercise. Mike: Even though you're moving your arms and your legs, your focus should still be on your core muscles themselves, because that's going to keep your spine in the correct posture. It's working your transverse abdominis a little bit and the rectus abdominis, those front muscles of the abdominal wall there. But you just want to make sure you're engaging it, I'm almost trying to give myself a beer belly pushing to engage those muscles as I am moving my feet and my arms out. Brad: Excellent. Again, this is advanced. You may not get to it and that's just fine. You're going to get a strong core with the other option. Okay, number four, this one's going to work; side motions in that core. You're going to lie down like Mike is here. This, you can do on the bed. If it's too soft a bed, again, the floor will work better. Go ahead Mike, tell them what you're doing. Mike: So you're going to start with your knees touching and not your feet, the feet are a little more advanced. So what you're going to do is put your elbow into the mat on this side and you're going to lift your core towards the ceiling. Make sure to go straight up, don't rotate too much forward or back. If you can't even do this, you could take your other arm and push and help use that core muscles to push up. We're going to do repetitions here, so try to do 10 reps if that's possible. If this is problematic or hard, maybe just do a few reps to start. You can also possibly hold these like a plank if you find that a little easier; it's just an option, you don't have to do it. Mike: Just start with 10 repetitions. Now, if you want to make it a little more advanced, just straighten your legs. You're going to put the pressure through your feet and lift your whole body off the ground here. So you're going to lift up and then back down. You don't need to go way up, you're just kind of going to a neutral straight-line position. Brad: I do want to emphasize this is probably the most difficult of all these exercises. If you have a history of back problems or if this creates any pain, it's not comfortable in that back, just omit this one. I just think for some people, it's going to be helpful. For people who are not as strong or have a history of back pain, just skip this one, and go to the next one. Mike: And make sure to do both sides. Brad: Yes, absolutely. Otherwise, you'll walk crooked or in circles. We'll have none of that. All right, for the next two exercises, the last two, there is one thing you do need to have, some resistance bands. This is critical, these are those weight-bearing, upright standing exercises that make a big difference so that you can function while lifting and pulling things, and you'll understand that as soon as we demonstrate. Then once you get your bands, it's nice to get the ones with the handles. Usually, bands come in a set of four or five, the lightest color is the least resistance, yellow typically, and red is one of the lighter ones, and then you just need a place to anchor the bands. Mike is going to talk about that a little. Mike: You can use a railing that you have in your house. You can use maybe a bedpost, something that's sturdy and not going to move when you pull it. You don't want to use a chair because it's probably going to fall over. Just make sure it's nice and sturdy and just wrap the band around it so it won't move. Brad: You can actually open a door up, and we've done this with many patients over the years, and you just put it around the door knob with a door open and that'll be very safe as well. We are going to use wall anchors that work very well, they're on the wall and they're available for you if you want, but whatever works for you. Let's go ahead with the exercises. All right, to start this, we have it at chest level. You do not have to have it here, if your bedpost or your rails are lower, that's just fine. So anchor it. You can probably use two bands and double this, or you could just do one band. Mike's feeling strong today so he's going to double it up, that's the nice thing about bands, you vary the resistance by how close you are to that anchoring point. So this is easy and the farther you step away, the more resistance you get. The resistance level is infinite and that's a big advantage to using bands. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So, start with a yellow band like Brad said before, if that's easy, you can progress in bands, but you want to get it nice and taut. What I'm going to do is stand in a straddle position, they say, so it's kind of like a low squat position, pretend like you're riding a horse or something. You don't have to bounce though. So, bring your arms out, you could do this a couple of different ways. You can either just bring it towards your chest and push it straight out, that's a little bit easier version to try first. Mike: Do slow controlled reps and this is working your entire core, so all four of those muscle groups talked about at the beginning are working to stabilize. If they weren't right now, I'd be pulling over. Now, if you want a little more advanced, Brad likes to call this stir the pot. So it's like you're stirring a pot. Brad: I think Bob started it. Mike: Oh, Bob started it. So you just make a circle motion like you're stirring a pot. You can do this either way, I guess you can go like you're evily stirring a witches' kettle or you could just do circles. This is a lot harder and takes time. Go slow and controlled, it makes it work a lot harder. Brad: This is one of those exercises that looks easy, but as you can tell Mike is kind of grunting and groaning here a little bit, this really works the core. Brad: Imagine if you're pulling a lawnmower, pushing a lawnmower, or opening a heavy door, this is the way that you're going to simulate it the best. This one as well as the next standing exercise. How are you feeling, Mike? Mike: Good. You want to make sure to do both directions with this, because this will work your lateral side a little more if you're going one direction versus the other. Brad: Yep. Okay, and the last one is going to work the obliques and the transverse abdominis, which is critical for activities like shoveling snow, if you're raking leaves, when you're making the bed in you're pulling off all those blankets at the same time. Perfect crossover with this exercise. Mike, go ahead, let's talk about it. Mike: So again, you're going to use the tension of the band to dictate how hard the exercise becomes for you. So you're going to start in a straight arm position like the last one, but this one, you're going to keep your arms there and you're going to rotate your trunk. Now, you don't want to do it the wrong way, meaning my pelvis would stay forward and just my back twists. Mike: This doesn't feel as good, it's a lot harder, it can compromise your back, make it more painful. You want to rotate at the hips as you're doing this, so arm straight, twisting my pelvis to the side as I'm going like this. Brad: I think this is one thing that Bob has said to his patients over the years. Imagine you have a brace that wraps around your whole trunk so it stays still. And really going to motion at the hips and back, there and back. Now, if you're just starting this, you may only want to go a little like half that distance that Mike is going. And you're going to find that that'll give you plenty of resistance. If it's not enough, step away from the wall, another six inches, it will be enough. Mike: If it's too hard, you can also do the single band, like we mentioned in the previous exercise. So again, straight arm, you probably can't see it from your angle. Slightly bent knees and you're going to rotate at the hips, keeping the back as straight as you can. Brad: So do it without rotating your hips. This represents hip motion. Right there, you can see nothing's happening, now rotate the hips. And if I keep this in line with the pelvis there, you can see much more motion, keeping the stress off of the back and making those muscles do the work. Muscles work well, the spine is there for structure, not for the work. What do you say to that, Mike? Was that fun? Mike: Yes, it was great fun. Brad: Actually, get that core strong. Again, three times a week is a good way to start with this. Progress to more if it feels like you need more of a challenge. So strong backs, strong mind, strong body. Mike: Strong like bull. Brad: There you go. All right, enjoy the day. 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 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 Hand 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​ 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.

We are going to address three main areas to improve your balance and decrease your risks for fall/hip injuries. Strength Need for an assistive device. Home Environment Strength: As we become older and less mobile and active, our bodies can experience a significant decline in overall strength. Decreased leg strength can greatly affect balance. Here are three standard exercises we recommend to help improve lower extremity strength and balance: 1. Sit-to stands: Variations include the use of armrests, the use of a pad or pillow to raise the surface, the use of just one armrest, pushing off own thighs, no help with arms, arms held out straight in front. (2 sets of 10) 2. Standing hip abductions. Stand behind a chair or hold onto a counter or sink and raise one leg out to the side with your toe pointed straight ahead. Perform 10 repetitions. Repeat with the other leg. (2 sets of 10) 3. Ankle strengthening. Perform Ziggy Zags. Go out about 10 feet and come back. Repeat. Need for assistive device: You may have heard the saying, “Pride goeth before a fall.” Now while this saying was not meant to refer to a physical fall, we see this frequently. People are too proud to use an assistive device, and hence they fall. We find it interesting that in many cases an extreme limp occurs because an assistive device is not used- which draws more attention to a person than a cane would. Watch our upcoming video, How to Walk with Hip Pain using a Cane, Walker, Walking Stick, etc. to help you choose an appropriate aid. Home Environment: Many falls and broken bones occur in the home and could have been prevented with some simple changes. This Home Safety Checklist was compiled from several sources but the bulk of it was taken from the AARP Preventing Falls Checklist. These simple changes can cut a person’s risk for falling in half. HOME SAFETY CHECKLIST All Rooms: Install carpet with short, dense pile. Secure rugs with double-sided carpet tape. Use non-skid, no-wax flooring. Make thresholds even with the floor. Arrange furniture so you can easily get around it. Reposition electrical and extension cords out of the way. Keep exits and hallways open. Use stable chairs with armrests to help you get up. Provide bright, evenly distributed light. Use lampshades that reduce glare. Put light switches and electrical outlets within easy reach. Glow-in-the-dark switches may be helpful. Use nightlights. Don’t leave anything on the floor that might cause you to trip. Remove low coffee tables, magazine racks, footrests, and plants from pathways in rooms. Keep electric, appliance, and telephone cords out of your pathways, but do not put cords under a rug. Place carpeting over concrete, ceramic, and marble floors to lessen the severity of injury if you fall. Repair loose wooden floorboards immediately. Throw away wobbly chairs, ladders, and tables. Do not sit in a chair or on a sofa that is so low it is difficult for you to stand up. Beware of furniture that may tip and could fall on a person (if pulled on). Tall shelves with narrow depth are an example. They should be secured to the wall. Stairs Install handrails on both sides of stairways at the best height for you. Make sure the steps are even and in good shape. Check that the carpet adheres firmly along stairs; repair or replace worn carpet. Choose a carpet that does not hide step edges or create illusions such as steps that appear deeper than they are. Remove rugs at the top or bottom of stairways and secure all other rugs firmly to the floor. Use good lighting (at least 60-watt bulbs) in stairways; install on-off switches at the top and bottom of stairs. Provide enough light to see each step and the top and bottom landings. Make sure the stairs are clear of all objects. Watch out for a single step—people often trip when there is only one step. Consider installing motion detector lights, which turn on automatically and light your stairway. If you have bare-wood steps, put nonslip treads on each step. Kitchen Throw away broken stepstools. Use only a stepstool with an attached handrail so that you are supported. Clean spills immediately to avoid slipping. Walk on floors only after cleaning solutions have dried thoroughly. Do away with floor wax or use nonskid floor wax. Do not stand on the countertops. Do not stand on chairs or boxes to reach upper cabinets. Bathroom Use rubber bathmats or strips in bathtubs and showers. Install at least two grab bars in the shower/bath. Install grab bars on the bathroom walls near the toilet. Clean up water from the floor. Secure bathroom rugs to the floor. Use raised toilet seats and install handrails within reach. Always use a night light. Replace glass shower enclosures with non-shattering material. Mount a liquid soap dispenser on the bathtub/shower wall. Use a sturdy, plastic seat in the bathtub if you are unsteady or if you cannot lower yourself to the floor of the tub. Outside Brightly light all paths and stoops. Install handrails along any flight of outdoor steps. Spread sand or salt on icy walkways. Keep steps, sidewalks, decks, and porches clear of newspapers, sticks, rocks, wet leaves, and other debris. Repair broken or uneven pavement on walkways and driveways. Remove roots that protrude from the ground. Clean spills immediately, especially oily ones on concrete or asphalt. Bedroom Place a lamp and flashlight near your bed. Sleep on a bed that is easy to get into and out of. Install nightlights along the route between the bedroom and the bathroom. Keep a telephone near your bed. Tips Use non-skid contrasting tape, rubber stair treads, or coated, skid-resistant treatment on non-carpeted stairs; apply tape to dry, clean surfaces at one-inch intervals; use three long strips of tape on each step. Take your time and pay attention when you are on the stairs. Be especially careful when you carry large loads. Do not wear shoes you can slip in. Be especially careful when you: Cannot reach the handrails. Cannot grasp them properly because they’re an awkward shape. Encounter uneven steps, obstacles on the steps, or non-skid treads that are too small. Find floor wax, surfaces in poor repair, worn tread surfaces, or poorly secured floor Coverings on your floors. Experience distractions around you. Be careful on holidays, weddings, and other big gatherings with lots of people. Distractions are common and so are losses of balance. Beware of sit-to-stand chairs. These are the recliners that can rise with the push of a switch. We have found that people who use them become dependent on them and eventually their legs get weaker and weaker. If a sit-to-stand chair is needed it should be raised as little as possible. The person using it should still have to work to get from sitting to standing. Using the chair minimally will help maintain the user’s lower extremity strength. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/T2psovQ3dUI Mike: You can't fix your back pain unless you know what type of back pain you have. Brad: We're going to show you a simple one-minute test that's going to help you determine what position to treat your pain and get rid of it. Back pain is typically a result of the spine being either too arched or too rounded. Mike: And after the test, we will show you some exercises to fix the problem that you have. Brad: There you go. All right, the test is quite simple. You simply lay down like Mike is doing, with your legs flat, and then you hold that position for 30 seconds and feel how your back responds to it; if the pain level's at a one, 10 is as high as maximum pain, so get a number. What number are you at, Mike? Mike: Zero. Brad: Zero. So he feels good in this position. Then after 30 seconds, you're going to bring the knees up, keep your feet on the floor, and then we're going to hold that for 30 seconds. And then after 30 seconds, what number is the pain in your back now? Mike: Two. Brad: So zero; it's a little worse now. Okay, now we're going to go up bring your knees to your chest, and hold it in this position. Hold that for 30 seconds and after 30 seconds? Mike: It's a five now. Brad: It's a five. And back down. So we know that flat, it was zero, knees up, it was two, and all the way up was five, so we're going to use that information to get some exercises that will help him. Now in Mike's situation, when his knees were pulled to his chest, his pain was the worst. In other words, his back was flexed. We want to go in the opposite direction. That means Mike is going to lie on his stomach and do press-ups. Mike: So we're doing a press-up. Start with a mini press-up to just go up to where you feel the pain, and then go back down. You can try to hold it for a few seconds when you're up here, and then relax. If you feel comfortable, you can press up as high as pain-free range allows you to. So go up and down. How long should they hold these? Brad: Just a second or two. Mike: And then go back down. Brad: A maximum of 10 reps. Mike: Yep. Start there. Brad: And then repeat within an hour, as long as it continues to feel better. Now, on the other hand, if doing the test, knees down created the most pain, and knees up felt better, then you're going to do this exercise. Mike: So, start with your legs on the bed. Bring one knee to your chest. Try to keep it in a line. Don't go too far out. Don't go too far in. Keep it in a straight line. If this seems very simple for you, you can scoot down to the edge of the bed. Mike: You're going to want a firm surface, so maybe you have a high kitchen table at home, a countertop, something like that, a mat table, whatever. With some beds, you could fall off the side so be careful. So now at the end of the table, I'm going to let this leg go down and I'm going to bend my knee, try to get it to 90 degrees if you can, and I'm going to bring the other knee towards my chest. Now, if this is easy, you can make it harder going more off the edge of the table. If this is hard, you can always bring your leg up a little bit. This is going to stretch this hip flexor and this glute muscle, but it will help with your back pain. Brad: Again, we're going to probably hold this for 15 to 30 seconds, as long as it feels like a good stretch. Mike: Yep. And then bring your legs together again and switch sides. So bring it up and bend this knee. Brad: All right now, if you're still having some problems with this, the back pain's not getting better, we have another alternative. You simply go to our Back Pain Program. Mike: This'll talk about if you're more flexed or more arched, meaning your spine. Click on what videos relate to you. It also comes with a PDF printout going through the exercises and what we've talked about in that video. Brad: And it is absolutely, completely free. It's our gift to you and it's a good deal. There are 40 videos. Don't look at them all. Just pick out the ones that pertain to 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) C2 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 Hand 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​ 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 March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/DMrdx4mU9p0 Brad: All right. If you are a beginner runner, and whether your goal is to finish your first event, lose weight, or simply get your fitness improved, this information is for you. We are honored to have Dr. Jake Hegge here. He is a physical therapist and a running coach, and he is the one to get some expert information and opinions. Jake: Well, thanks for having me. Excited to be here. I've been a huge fan of the show for years, and we even go way back. You were kind of like my mentor back when I was in PT school. Brad: Oh, I don't know about that. Jake: That's kind of how we originally met. So, here we are today. So, I'm a physical therapist down in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I work at a private practice, primarily work with athletes, usually obviously on the running side of things. So, anything hip and below is kind of my specialty. Also, I have a coaching business called Trail Transformation, where I work with athletes all over the US to help them reach their running goals. And it was kind of a spinoff from the PT side of things, where typically we see people in the clinic, rehab them, get them on their way, get them out the door, "Hey, let's start running again." But the biggest issue with running injuries is usually doing too much too soon. So, we were looking for a way, how do we transition from the rehab side of things back into the performance side of things. Brad: Jake, I don't want to interrupt, but I want to. Jake: Yes, of course. Brad: We talked about athletes. Now, I know one person in particular, he was 60 years old, 61 or 62 now, he never ran a day in his life, and he decided to run a half-marathon. He did do it, but he needed your help because he had knee problems. So, you don't just coach strictly athletes, you do coach people, lay people. Jake: Oh, yes. Brad: Beginner runners. Jake: All levels. Yeah. And that individual in particular, is super interesting. He had some meniscus problems. The doctor said he should never run again. But he wanted to keep going, and it was like, hey, as long as we can manage this thing, manage your symptoms, increase training load progressively, get on a good mobility and strength routine, and he's been crushing it ever since. He's still running half-marathons. Brad: He just ran one in California. Jake: Yes, he did. Yep. Brad: So, very good. Why don't we talk about it, maybe in order? We have three things, but we may talk a little bit further. Common reasons why people come to you, whether it's because they're a beginner runner, or they want to increase their speed, or they want to run without nagging injuries. Jake: Yeah. So, the biggest thing to kind of avoid the injury side of things is the whole progression. So, the number one reason, like I said, for injuries early on is doing too much too soon. They're increasing their volume or increasing their speed too quickly. So, for a beginner, I would say the best thing you can do is start with a simple run-walk program. It might be running for 30 seconds and then walking for a minute. It might be even running for two minutes and walking for three minutes. But that slow, gradual increase of running duration. And after you get maybe five minutes of continuous running and a couple minutes of walking, then you can start doing more, maybe you run a full mile nonstop. But the biggest reason for injury is doing too much too soon. Brad: Sure. Now, if you start with a beginner runner, and you're doing it not in person, but you're doing it over Zoom or whatever online, you assess them, and then you'll give them, "Well, let's start at 30 seconds or running for five minutes first." You'll kind of come up with a safe plan. Jake: Yeah, so that's where it ultimately comes down to. Communication. What their baseline is, what their current fitness levels are, their experience, and ultimately their future goals, too. So, it might be, hey, maybe a minute is too far or too long for right now, and they're just getting out of breath. So, maybe we have to bump it down to 30 seconds. But gradually, over time, the unique thing with the human body is it gets stronger, right? It's that progressive load. Brad: Now, I would want to say, if it was me going to you, I would be like, "I want to run more, 3 minutes? I'm doing a 5K run." I would want to run at least two miles the first day, and I'd get sore feet probably, Achilles tendonitis, or something like that. So, that must be a challenge. Jake: It is. Yep. A lot of people just want to go for it out of the gates, but it's thinking big picture. How do we safely increase that volume, and ultimately feel good while doing it, right? If you were to go for two miles out of the gates, chances are you're huffing and puffing, all the muscles are sore. You want to be able to increase things sustainably and feel good while doing it. Brad: Right, right. What's the second thing? Jake: Second thing, shoes. Shoes are very, very important. I used to work in a running store down in La Crosse. Brad: I remember that store. Jake: Yep. Grand Bluff Running. That's where I started the PT practice in a back room. It was basically a closet, but that's where it all got started. So yeah, shoes are the biggest thing. There's so much out there. Structure, minimalist, zero drop, wide toe box, all of those kinds of different variations or fads that are out there. But ultimately, it comes down to comfort is king. The shoe should feel kind of snug on the foot. My big three things when telling someone to look into a shoe is the heel, does it feel nice and snug? The arch, does it feel supportive? But not overdoing it where it's pushing your foot laterally. And then the other one is the toe box. So, make sure that you have at least a thumbnail of space. Those are a little too big for you, there. Look at that. Even wearing at the toe box. Brad: I only wear these on video. Can you imagine? I'm even wearing that, and I've never done anything but walk from there to here with them. Jake: Okay, fair enough, fair enough. But yes, typically one thumbnail between the edge of the shoe and your longest toe. For some people, that's the big toe. For some people, it's the second toe. Brad: So, the width of the shoe in the toe box area. I'm under the understanding that if it's too tight, you're going to cause problems. Jake: Yes. Agreed. So, it's interesting you bring that up, though. I just had a patient about two weeks ago. He kept running into this issue of his forefoot feeling so tight, and he was even going in wider shoes. And I bring out the Brannock device, which is how you measure shoe size, and I throw him on it. And he's been wearing 12s, and I throw him on it and it says 10-1/2. And I'm like, "You've been wearing a size and a half too big." And so, you could see the pivot point, basically the break point of the shoe was way off, so where his widest part of the foot was actually in the narrow section of the shoe. So, shoe fitting is also very important. But yeah, the heel, is nice and snug. Arch, is it supported? And toes, is there enough wiggle room? The other big thing, too, is are the shoes updated. So, I'll typically have people just do a simple break test. If you push on both ends of the shoe, does it bend in the middle? And obviously, I just wear these around the clinic, so they don't have a lot of wear and tear on them. But typically, in shoes that are worn, you would see a really big break here in the forefoot, meaning that some of the cushion is gone, and you probably are due for a new pair. Brad: Sure. Yeah. I mean that shoe question, I think so many people are wondering, am I wearing the right shoe? Things are hurting. The shoe and improper footwear may cause problems in the knee, the hip, or even the back. So, obviously. Should we go on to the third point? Jake: Let's do it. Let's do it. So, the last one that our PTs specialize in, is the mobility and stability side of things. Brad: So, mobility. We're running. What do you mean by mobility? We know we're going to run. Jake: Yes. But make sure you have enough movement in the joints and the muscles, the hips, knees, and ankles, to make sure that you're not just overcompensating with other muscles in the chain. Brad: So, flexibility, muscles are tight, maybe not allowing your knee to rotate that whole mechanism. Jake: Exactly. And then, the stability is the actual control of the mobility of the joints and the muscles. So, if I were to pick one specific area to focus on for beginners, it would go back to one of our favorite movies, Happy Gilmore. Remember what Chubbs tells Happy when he's teaching him how to putt? Brad: For those who don't know, this is the Adam Sandler golfing movie. Anyways, what does he say? Jake: He says, "It's all in the hips." So, the biggest thing is making sure that the hips are mobile and also stable. So, one of the most important ranges of motion with running is hip flexion as well as hip extension. Jake: And the biggest thing that we see a lot of, with just posture throughout the day is our hips are kind of in that forward contracted position, making sure that when we're running we can get into that extension. So, a really simple exercise would just be a simple standing lunge, basically tilting the pelvis back, squeezing that glute and you should feel a really good pull in the front side of that hip. Brad: This motion, right here. Jake: Yep. The pelvic tilt, and then contracting the glute, and you should feel a real good stretch in the front of the hip. Brad: If you sit a lot for a job, and you want to start running, that will most certainly be tight, I would imagine. Jake: Exactly. Exactly. So, the reason this is so important is because when you have good hip extension, it allows the glutes to actually fire. It allows you to get that full extension in your knee, and you can then push off more with your calves. Versus if you're just kind of going through this little range of motion, you're kind of just shuffling along, versus getting that full natural stride. Brad: Right. Jake: And then the other component is the stability side of things. So, not just having the mobility in the hips, but the actual stability. If you think about running, it's basically jumping from one leg to the other thousands of times. And what we see a lot of is, that people don't have good lateral hip stability, so their hips kind of drop, or they twist, or they just can't develop enough force out of the glutes to propel them forward. Brad: So, people who have that. Say they're starting to run. Will they feel that, or will they feel weakness, or is it one of those things that you're not aware of? Jake: You're usually not aware of it. And it's one of those things that, once you actually get them strengthened and stable, and you actually can use your glutes, it feels so much easier. Brad: Sure. Jake: But what usually happens is, other parts start to compensate. Meaning, you might feel it in your knees, you might feel a little bit more soreness kind of in the lower shins, because the muscles higher up the chain aren't doing their job. So, a really simple exercise that I like is just working on some single-leg balance, but getting into a little bit of that single-leg squat position, so you're really working those lateral hip stabilizers. And the other component of that is, then, getting into a little bit of hip extension on the other side to kind of simulate that running motion. Brad: Can you turn and show us the profile so they can see there? Jake: Yep. Brad: Now, if you're doing this at home, you might need something to hold on to, the cupboard, furniture, or a Booyah Stik. Jake: A little bit of balance assist. So, making sure that the knee isn't going over the toes, you're not letting the knee collapse in, either, you're just kind of sitting back. Think about hinging back like you're sitting back into a chair. So, loading up that glute muscle, and then just a nice easy side motion. It kind of throws your balance off a little bit, but you should feel good activation there in the back side of the hip. So, this is one of my favorite beginner exercises, just so people know what it feels like to activate the glute muscle. Brad: So, they might want to do that 10 reps on a side, 20? Jake: Yep. Something simple, 20 reps pre-run, just to get things firing and active. Brad: Sure. So, we're talking about the glute maximus or that abductor a little? Jake: Yeah, a little bit of both. The glute med, glute max, because you're kind of getting into that extended position, but you also have to stabilize the lateral hip so you're not just dropping down. Brad: I think the basics of whatever you're doing, hips and the center of gravity, is so critical. When I first started running 25 years ago, I just thought of my leg muscles. I didn't think about the core. Jake: Exactly. Brad: I never did core exercises. And I thought, why do I need core exercise? Now I know. Jake: The core is the foundation of it all. Right? Brad: Right. Jake: A lot of people just want to strengthen their quads or the hamstrings, but the stronger you can get your core and your glutes, it just makes everything else down the chain work that much more efficiently. Brad: Good. Now, if someone is a beginner runner, and they say maybe they could use your services, is that available? It doesn't matter where they live. Jake: Yeah. As I said, we work with people all over the US. So, it's all done remotely. We have a program that we use for the actual running prescription, telling them to go run X amount of miles or run-walk X amount of duration, the mobility/strengthening routines, and then obviously the communication side of things through email, phone calls. Brad: So, typically someone might have an evaluation with you the first time visit? Jake: Yep. Brad: And then do you see them once a week or twice a week? Jake: It's kind of unlimited in terms of just the more questions you ask. Because as PTs, we have all of this knowledge that we can give people, but we have to take into context their current situation, their previous experience, and their goals. Brad: So, it's specific to their needs. Jake: Exactly. Brad: It's efficient so they don't need to see you 100 times. Jake: Exactly. The whole goal is to keep people out of the PT clinic. Right? Brad: Right. Jake: It's like we want to make sure you're having fun, staying healthy, but also able to reach your goals and not get hurt. That's how the whole coaching side of things in our world came to be. Brad: And I think reaching back to that initial evaluation with Bob, where he had already been running, knee hurts, the MRI said torn meniscus, the doctors said in a conservative way, which most doctors will, "You're 60 years old. You're going to run half-marathons? That doesn't make any sense, so you can't run anymore." And Bob's like, "But it doesn't hurt. I can still run." I knew him, and it's like, I wasn't going to tell him to go run. But anyway, I'm glad he got a hold of you, and he's very happy because he loves running. Jake: Yes. Yep. And he's a hard worker. Brad: No doubt. Jake: And quite successful. Brad: All right, very good. For beginner runners, this is excellent. I wish I would've known someone like you 25 years ago when I started running instead of running without shoes that don't have any support whatsoever. Good. Jake: Awesome. Brad: Dr. Jake Hegge, thank you very much. Jake: Thank you. Brad: Have a good day, and run on. Dr. Jake Hegge's Clinic: https://www.mydynamicphysio.com/ Dr. Jake Hegge's Coaching Websites for Runners: https://www.trailtransformation.com/ 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 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 Hand 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​ 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.

Our main goal in strengthening the hip is to strengthen the Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Minimus, and Gluteus Medius. In addition to the three Glut strengthening exercises, we will show; you should also be doing the stretching exercises outlined in the video entitled “Bob & Brad Stretching Program for Hip Pain (Based on McKenzie Approach)” In fact the stretching exercises should be given priority. All the gluteus muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) play a large role in stabilizing the hip and pelvis. However, the gluteus maximus may be the most important stabilizer of all because it helps keep the head of the femur (top of the hip bone) from sliding forward in the hip socket. If it slides forward it can pinch against soft tissue structures (like the labrum) and cause pain. How that happens - the glut maximus is weak or not firing correctly so the hamstrings take over causing the femur to slide forward. Bob suffered from this weak glut max/dominate hamstring situation (twice in his running career) resulting in hip pain in the front of the hip. He literally had to stop running for a while. Eventually, he changed his running style to engage the gluteus maximus more. Weak gluteus maximus muscles or gluteal amnesia are quite common. We have become a nation of sitters. When we sit a lot, the glutes become weak and disengaged. Also, with sitting our hip flexors become tight, and that reflexively contributes to the weakness of the gluteus maximus. Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus (beginner): A. Bridging with feet against the wall. (squeeze a quarter between your butt cheeks). Push feet against the wall. This will activate your quads and deactivate your hamstrings- so your glutes will work better. B. Clam Shell Exercises C. Gluteal pumps Advanced Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus: A. Lateral step-ups. B. Goblet squats C. Using exercise bands to perform pull-throughs. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkNcQTRCa0Y&t=322s Brad: Alright, seniors, you've got pain in different parts of your body. We're going to show you a stretch routine that's going to help alleviate your pain. Mike: So whether you're dealing with a history of pain or want to keep your body feeling younger, we have a stretch for you. So we've created a pain chart and if you're looking at it, you decide which stretches you need to do. So first, pick your problem area, and then next to it you can see which stretches you will need to perform to help fix this problem. Brad: Now this will all make sense and it's going to be a customized exercise program for you. The example of Bob will make it very clear. Mike: So let's look at Bob's pain. He was experiencing neck, upper trap, back, hip, and foot pain. So when Bob was experiencing neck pain, referencing the chart, he would choose the prayer stretch. For his foot pain, he would choose the calf stretch. So he decided to incorporate all six stretches into his routine and they worked wonders for his pain. Brad: Now in your situation, you may only need to incorporate two or three of these stretches depending on the location of your pain related to the chart. All right, now we're going to show you all six stretches one at a time and explain which areas they're going to alleviate the pain with. The first one is the prayer stretch, and this is a really generalized stretch. It works out well for everything from headaches, and neck pain, to the shoulder, and the arm, as well as stretching out the back muscles, which will help the lower back, mid back, and down to the hip as well. Mike: To perform the prayer stretch, you're going to start in a quadruplet position on all fours. I'm then going to sit my butt to my heels while keeping my hands pushing into the mat. Once I'm in this position, I'm going to stay here for two to three breaths, relax, and then return to the starting position. Now go down as far as you comfortably can. Your base as support with your feet may vary. I have my toes touching and my knees out wider. Your anatomy will dictate what is comfortable for you in this position. Brad: Good. So we're going to get a good stretch here. You're going to keep your head in the neutral position. Don't sag it down too much or do not look up. And this is why it's such a nice stretch. We're stretching the hip, the muscles in the back, the shoulders, and as well as the upper traps and whatnot. It's a great stretch to work for many pain sources. Bob, does this one all the time. Now if getting on your hands and knees like that is a problem, simply use a chair at a cupboard or a tabletop. A smooth one is good. You'll sit with your arms out in front of you and slide your hands across the surface. You can put a towel underneath to make it a little easier and do the same stretch and then back up. Do that again for two to three breaths and repeat it as tolerated. Brad: Stretch number two is going to help the shoulders. We call it the angel stretch and you'll see why. Okay, for this stretch, works best if you have a 6-inch diameter foam roller. It's 36 inches long. However, you can do it without a foam roller and simply on the floor. Mike: To begin, place the foam roller at your belt line. Then I'm going to lie down on it. Now if your head can't touch the foam pad, or it's uncomfortable, you can place the pillow back there and that's perfectly acceptable. Now what I'm going to do is put my hands at my side. My thumbs are pointing up towards my head as I go up and lift, I try to keep my hands touching the ground. If you are like me, at some point you might start lifting your hands off the ground because I don't have that much range of motion in my shoulder. And then you're going to return back down. This is going to help teach your scapula to function properly and get your shoulder mechanics working again, which should help alleviate a lot of the pain you're experiencing. Brad: Now, if you do have shoulder problems or this creates pain in one shoulder or the other, you're going to want to not do the stretch so aggressively. These should not create any sharp pain, just a simple stretch. So you may look like a snow angel with a broken wing. Mike: Yeah, just go up as high as tolerated. If I can only go shoulder height, that's fine to start. Eventually, just try to work your way up more. Brad: And stretch number three is a hip flexor stretch. It's a good stretch and it does cover a number of parts of the body, including the lower back, the hip, the IT band down into the knee as well as the foot and the ankle. Now this stretch is best performed in a firm bed or if you happen to have a massage table in your closet. But seriously, you can do it on a table or countertop if you can safely get on one and be comfortable. Mike: So to perform this, my buttock is going to be towards the edge of the mat here. The closer it is to the edge, the more stretch you will feel in your hip flexor. I'm beginning with both knees to chest. This should feel good. I'm slowly going to lower one leg down off the edge of the mat while maintaining this knee to my chest. Once I'm here, I'm going to bend my left leg as far as I can. I'm starting to get a hamstring cramp now, so I'm not going to go any further than that. You're going to hold this for 30 seconds, then you're going to reset, back both knees to chest, and perform this on the opposite side. You can perform two to three repetitions with 30-second holds on each leg. Brad: And just remember, while you're doing this, relax and breathe and allow the gravity to bring the leg down to stretch that hip out. Mike: One thing I forgot to mention, as you're bringing this leg down, try to keep it in a straight line. You don't want to be too far out, especially if you have IT band syndrome. Brad: All right, the next stretch is a calf stretch. It's a simple stretch and it's very direct. It does cover knee pain, calf pain as well as foot and ankle. Brad: We're going to show you two versions of this. The simplest one, you simply take a wall, put your hands on the wall, take the foot that you want to stretch or the calf you want to stretch, and put it farthest behind like I am here. Make sure your to is pointed straight ahead like this, not like this. Straight ahead. Put your heel to the ground if you can, do the best you can, and lean forward with a straight knee here and then relax. Do that for five seconds or so. Flex the knee and stretch again. Trying to keep the heel on the floor. It stretches both muscles if most complete. Mike's going to show you a little bit more advanced level of stretching it and you'll see why. Mike: For this variation of the calf stretch, you'll need to use some stairs. It's preferable if they do not have carpet as you do not want to slide off the step. To perform, I'm simply going to put the ball on my foot on the edge of the step and let my heels sink down to the floor. I'm holding onto both railings for support here. You can hold this for five, to 10 seconds. Go all the way up to 30 seconds, whatever feels good for you. If you want a little more of an advanced stretch on this, you can perform this with one leg only and you'll get even more stretched because all your body weight is going through that one calf. Don't overdo it, just do what feels good for you. Brad: All right. Stretch number five is the booyah stretch. We'll show it in just a second. It covers the head for headaches, neck, upper trap, as well as shoulders. Now with this stretch, we call it the Booyah stretch because we use the Booyah Stik. You just need a stick, a doweling, a broom, a mop head, or something that's about 5 feet long and reasonably sturdy. And then you're going to use it in the same manner. Mike: So the side that is painful, we'll say my right side, reach up your hand as high as you comfortably can with your palm facing away from you like this. Once I'm up here, I'm going to lean in this direction, keeping my hand in the same position. As I'm doing this, I'm feeling a good stretch through my shoulder as well as my back actually. And it just relieves all the tension up here, relieving some of your pain issues. Brad: So you can do it in a seated position. Mike's doing it here on the table. It can be done in a chair. You put the stick on the chair. Or a standing position like I am. It works well. So do whichever feels better or what's more convenient. All right, the sixth and final stretch we're going to show is the rectus femoris, which is a muscle that goes from the kneecap or the patella all the way up to the front to the hip. A long thin muscle, but it has a lot of influence on pain and it's going to help reduce pain in the back, the hip, as well as the knee. So pay attention close to this one. It gets missed a lot. Mike: There are numerous ways to perform a rectus femoris stretch. We're going to start with the basic one in a sideline position. So I'm going to be stretching my right leg here. On my left leg, I'm leaving my knee bent to feel a little more stable. If you're fine with it straight, you can certainly do that as well. Now what I'm going to do is clasp my hand around my ankle and I'm going to bring my hip back while bending my knee. So if I was way up in front of me, I'm not feeling a stretch. You want to keep your hip nice and straight, bring it back, and flex the knee. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds and you can perform two repetitions to three. Now, if I were going to do this on the other side, I would have to lay on my right side and pull my left leg back. Brad: So the nice thing about this stretch, is you can do it on your bed or on the floor. The bed really works fairly well with this one. Sometimes it's too soft, but this is okay. You can do this standing and I'll show you that in a second. Now, standing is a very nice and convenient option. However, you really have to have good mobility and good balance. So you can put your hand on a cupboard or something to maintain balance. So you're going to go on one leg and grab the other ankle. Now I'm going to pull backward. Again, as my knee goes back, I feel that stretch. And you'll feel it from your hip down to your knee. Again, you can see why you need more mobility and good balance to be stable and safe with this. Make sure you do it on both legs. Hold, again for 15 to 30 seconds. That's your choice. Okay, there you have it. We've demonstrated all the stretches, and how to do them. Now again, to personalize this, only do the stretches for the parts and the body pain that you need, and they work out very well. Mike: And if you want to check out more videos, you can stretch to check out our video "7 Experts Share The Best Stretches For Age 50+". 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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