The Tensor Fascia Lata muscle attaches to the Iliotibial Band. Tightness in both structures on both legs can cause an anterior pelvic tilt and a person to be knock kneed. The tightness of these two structures can also lead to I.T. band syndrome. I.T. Band Syndrome can cause an aching burning pain on the outside of your knee. Pain can also refer up the hip. The pain is usually brought on by a repetitive sports injury such as running or biking. In addition to the pain, one may also experience clicking, popping, or snapping on the outside of your knee. One may also feel warmth or see redness on the outside of the knee. Iliotibial Band Syndrome Apply the massage. 1. One will first want to massage the Tensor Fascia Lata. a. Note the location - attaches to the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine and into the I.T. (iliotibial band). You will not be able to stretch the I.T. Band per se. It is very thick and strong. Could lift a Volkswagen with it. However, it is possible the I.T. Band has gotten adhered down and needs to be massaged to loosen up the adhesions. Again, note the location. This article and video are part of a series of videos on how to treat your pain with self-massage. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/massage/ Bob & Brad's Massage Guns C2 Massage Gun (US), T2 Massage Gun, EM-19 Massage Gun, Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US), X6 PRO Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head 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 in order to help you make the best choice for you.

Achieving overall wellness is a process that takes time and effort. All of us need to take care of ourselves in order to be productive and healthy. Women, especially, can find it challenging to navigate the daily grind while trying to stay balanced and maintain their physical and mental health. Here are tips on how women can overcome the daily grind and improve their overall wellness. Change Your Diet Focusing on your nutrition is one of the best ways to maintain your physical health. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats helps keep your energy levels up throughout the day. It’s also important to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as well as limit sugar intake from processed foods. Taking vitamins can also help supplement any nutritional deficiencies in your diet. Get Better Sleep Sleep plays an incredibly important role in maintaining physical and mental health, yet many people struggle with getting enough quality sleep at night due to their busy schedules or other lifestyle factors such as stress. Improve sleep habits by establishing a nighttime routine before bed and avoiding screens at least one hour before bedtime. You can also declutter your bedroom for a healthier sleep environment. Eliminate Stressors Stress is an essential part of life, but it is important to find ways to manage it effectively so that it doesn’t become overwhelming or debilitating. Keep in mind that identifying what triggers stress for you is key. Whether this includes certain people or situations or even just spending too much time on social media platforms, you can find strategies for reducing or eliminating stress, such as meditation and exercise. Start a Garden Gardening is a great way to relax while still being productive. Also, it’s good for your mental health. Before starting gardening projects, make sure you consult online resources and reviews on gardening tools and supplies so that you get everything you need for success while staying within budget. Keep in mind the size of the area you have to work with as well as what type of garden you want to start, such as vegetable or flower. Check out HomeGardenHero for detailed info. Pick Up Other Hobbies Having hobbies outside of work helps reduce stress levels while also providing outlets for self-expression, which are both important when it comes to achieving overall wellness. Again, gardening is a great start, but you can also try painting classes or learning an instrument like guitar or piano. There are plenty of options out there, depending on what your interests are. Further Your Education Getting an MBA degree opens up opportunities for professional growth, which could lead to higher paychecks down the line, all while improving your skill set. Take a look at your class options and consider earning a degree online. This is an easy way to keep working and managing your household duties while focusing on your goals. Make a Career Move Is your current job feeling monotonous? If so, it's time to take the leap and try something you love. Countless opportunities can better suit your abilities, especially if you choose to go back to school. Be sure to spruce up your resume with an online template before submitting applications or interviewing for potential openings. Just choose a professional-looking format and customize it with the colors, copy, and design changes you want. Here's a possible solution that can help. Work for Yourself If you want more flexibility with working hours, consider starting an LLC (Limited Liability Company). This type of business entity allows owners personal liability protection while providing flexibility and tax benefits. Every state has different rules about forming an LLC, so do some research before getting started. Finding ways to increase your overall wellness can be challenging, especially if you have a busy schedule. Start small, make changes to your diet and sleep habits, or pick up a healthy hobby like gardening. By setting a few goals, you can beat the daily grind and feel better all around. Photo by Jill Burrow

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in January of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_4X9hiSm4 Brad: If you want to improve blood flow in your feet and your legs, we're going to show you three options that are going to make this very easy to do. No exercise, no medication. As a matter of fact, if you do not do a couple of these, your blood circulation will not get better. Very simple. Bob: Yeah. Brad: All right, Bob, you know my mother. She has some issues with her leg circulation. Bob: I do. Brad: As a matter of fact, I've been dealing with that right now. So I thought I'm going to make a video because I know there are other people that are having similar circulation problems. Bob: It’s very common. Brad: So the first thing that you have to address is the footwear. If your footwear is not loose enough, particularly in the forefoot, you can do all the exercises you want, and your circulation in your feet will not get better. Bob: Right. Brad: So, let's look at the biggest thing, we searched for quite a while with my mother to find footwear that had a wide enough toe box. We're going to back up, and I'll talk to you a little about what I found with her. You look at a walking shoe or running shoe, but you know typically it's going to be a walking shoe with this population, they come to a point, and that point jams the toes together, taking the circulation and limiting it. Bob: What do they think we're elves? Brad: Yeah. It's a style. It's a fashion and that's why they're doing it. You can get shoes now that have a wider toe box. Let's compare these two. Brad: The black pair has a wider toe and that's the natural shape of the feet. Now, the cheapest way that you can buy shoes shaped like this, is to simply get a pair of Crocs. They're loose-fitting. Make sure they're loose-fitting. I didn't realize how useful and how healthy these are for your feet regarding circulation. Plus they don't have a lot of support which can be, depending on your feet, some people might need support if their feet are really in bad shape, but for the average person, you want less support in the feet, they're finding out, now. Bob: How much do they cost? Brad: I think they're around $50 or $60. Bob: Oh, they are? Brad: Yeah. They were a little more expensive than I thought. But the benefits are, they last a long time. When they get dirty, you throw them right in the slap sink and scrub them down with a little Spic and Span. They work well. Seriously. Bob: And they're comfy. Right. Brad: Relatively cheap, compared to the shoes I had to buy for my mom, which are extra wide. They were Velcro and we spent about $190 on them. But it was hard to find a pair because she has edema, and she has a lot of swelling. Bob: Sure. Brad: So, you do what you have to do when it's for your mom. Bob: Right. Brad: This is a shoe that I bought. I just want to show it, this is a hiking shoe. It's got a wide-toe box. So there are more manufacturers starting to make wide-toe shoes. I think Merrill, I heard, is going to start making a wide-toe box, a weird shape. Bob: Come on Merrill. Brad: Yeah. I have a feeling that this is one of those things, that in another five years, it's going to be cool to wear wide-toe shoes. So anyways, let's go on to the next point. All right. The next thing you want to address, and this is very simple but very helpful, is simply elevate the feet. So if you're lying in bed, on the couch, on the floor, just, simply, get some pillows out. Put them underneath your legs. The rule of thumb is so that your feet are higher than your heart. Just do it so it's comfortable. This is two pillows; I could easily put another one under there. Bob: Right. Yep. Brad: The next thing, if you do want to find something that's even more comfortable, is one of these leg wedges. Bob and I have used these for years, with thousands of patients, I'd imagine. Bob: They work great. Brad: And I would say 95% of the people are very happy with it. And it's better than a pillow. Bob: It’s also good for back pain. Brad: Yep. They're good for back pain. Everyone says knees, hips, and back. It's just a comfortable wedge. They are not very expensive. I think they're around $30. All right, let's go on. If you're sitting, this is a thing I have with my mother, is she has to get her recliner up. She doesn't like to; she just doesn't like it. But anyways, we're working with her. Otherwise have an ottoman, and get your feet up so that your feet are not dangling. That's really important. Take the time, get the pillows, and get your feet up. Brad: We got one more important thing to go through. The last thing, which is very easy to do as well, is to get yourself a pair of compressive socks. They should be, graduated. In other words, they're tighter around the foot, and as it goes up toward the calf, there's not as much compression. Typically, if you look at how they're rated, it should be 15 to 20 millimeters of mercury. The tight ones are closer to 30 millimeters of mercury. Or right at that point. Bob: You can ask your doctor. Brad: Yeah. Talk to your doctor or your therapist that's familiar with compressive garments. They will know. If you don't want to go to a doctor because you don't have a serious problem, just get the lighter ones. You're safe with that. These are iReliev, we like their product, but there are a lot of different products that are good. I have a pair on right here. One thing you have to avoid at all costs, like these are a little long for me because I can pull them up past my knee, and that's no good. I wore these on a plane to Alaska over the summer and I left them there. And what happened was, they rolled down and we call that a tourniquet syndrome. And so what happens is, it gets really tight, right around that roll, and it was very uncomfortable, and it actually cuts off the circulation, particularly with the lymph, but also with the blood flow. Brad: So if you have socks and they're too long, make sure you double them up and spread that out. I have about three or four inches there, that'll be okay. The best thing is to get the right length to start with. Bob: Or way above the knee. Brad: Yeah. Or way up so they don't roll down. With my mother and for some people, these are hard to get on. Bob They can be very hard to get on. Brad: My mother is not going to put these on. Even five years ago I said, "Can you try these on?" and both she and my dad, were having the problem and they said, "Take them back." Bob: They're terrible. Brad: But if you use Tubigrip, this is a nice product. It comes in rolls, and you measure it to the right length, so that goes just below the knee, and so the toes are exposed. Bob: It's inexpensive, right? Brad: Yeah. This is 10 yards, and I don't remember what I bought. But anyways, it's not cheap, but it's not really expensive. I think it's cheaper than buying compression socks. Then you wash them and you can have two sets. So that one pair you're wearing and the other ones you're washing. Bob: Right. Brad: You need to air dry them, and hand washing them is a good idea. This also has a real problem with tourniqueting. The person must be attentive to it and pull them up and keep it from tourniqueting. Sometimes they'll stay. If it's a real problem, you can get something called Coban, which is a tape. I've got that on another video. But it's a simple tape that stretches, and you wrap it around. It doesn't get tight. Bob: That holds it in place. Brad: Yep. Coban. So anyways, that's important. If you're really having problems with circulation and you're trying these things, or if you have so much edema or circulation problems where you're turning red, talk with your doctor. Like my mom was starting to seep or weep the other day. Which the fluid's going through the skin. It's a problem. You must get after it. Bob: Yeah. And then I would see a doctor for sure. Brad: Yep. But these things all work well, and they will help. Bob, what say you? Bob: I Agree. Brad: Bob concurs. Say no more. We have spoken. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

What is Patellar Tendonitis? Patellar tendonitis is an injury to the tendon connecting your kneecap, (patella) to your shinbone. The patellar tendon works with the muscles at the front of your thigh (quadriceps) to extend your knee so that you can jump, kick, and run. In fact, patellar tendonitis is also known as jumper's knee and is most common in athletes whose sports involve frequent jumping (basketball, volleyball, and high jump would be three examples). However, even people who do not participate in jumping sports can get patellar tendinitis. (Shown in red) In using massage, we would recommend massaging the quadricep muscles as well as the tendon itself. The four quadricep muscles blend and attach to the patella which then attaches to the shinbone by way of the patellar tendon. The patellar tendon can develop microtears and inflammation often from overuse of the tendon. You will perform cross-fiber massage on the tendon, but you first start with a general massage to the quadriceps. You want to keep them supple and mobile to decrease the amount of stress on the patella and patella tendon. Massage can be performed across the muscle fibers and lengthwise. Also, attempt to perform flossing while massaging the quadriceps muscle (bend and straighten the knee while massaging the quadriceps). Cross-fiber Massage on the tendon This massage should be performed across the fibers of the tendon. The massage should be aggressive if tolerated. Try the ball head attachment in a side fashion not directly on the tendon. If the pain does not improve within 30 seconds and in fact gets worse - STOP IMMEDIATELY. Continue to massage the quadricep and try the tendon again in a few days. The tendon massage if tolerated can be performed up to 15 minutes a day. If you begin to tolerate the ball attachment, try the flat head with the rounded sides. Again, use in a side fashion and use on the sides of the Achilles tendon. For the Quadriceps, you can consider the use of the following attachments. Head attachment choice can be based on the following: a. Big Round Head Attachment: Good for larger muscle groups like the glutes, quadriceps, or hamstrings. Allows you to cover more surface area. Moderate in aggressiveness. b. Small Round Head Attachment: Less aggressive to moderate. Great for tendonitis if used sideways. (Big & Small Round Head) c. Air-filled (Pneumatic) Attachment: Probably the least aggressive head. Great for use around bony surfaces and sensitive muscle groups. Good for relaxation. d. Bullet Head Attachment: Aggressive. We have found it to be helpful with treating trigger points or knots. e. Plastic Flat Head: Moderate. Good on the IT band, Pectoralis Major (with ribs underneath), or Plantar Fascia (bottom of the foot). Great for tendonitis if used sideways. f. Steel Flat Head: (Can be heated up or cooled down prior to use). Moderate to Aggressive. g. Knobby Attachments: Generally, for larger muscles. More aggressive. h. Field Goal: Can be used along both sides of the spine. Also, some have recommended its use on the Achilles tendon. This article and video are part of a series of videos on how to treat your pain with self-massage. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/massage/ Bob & Brad's Massage Guns C2 Massage Gun (US), T2 Massage Gun, EM-19 Massage Gun, Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US), X6 PRO Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head 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 in order to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in October of 2022. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az2FtFwQRG0&t=219s. Brad: Oh man, these legs are stiff. It doesn't get any better year to year but we're going to show you a nice, easy warm up for whether you're walking, jogging, or going for a hike. Get those legs moving, you're going to feel better. Bob: You’ll feel younger. Brad: That's right. Bob, say no more. This is going to be five separate exercises. They're going to take 20 to 30 seconds depending on your choice. And just remember, if any of them cause any pain, any sharp pain, stop. It's not one for you, but they'll probably all be fine. You are going to need probably a wall, and maybe a cane, or a walking stick for some people for a little balance. But it's no big deal. It'll be self-explanatory. Just to be clear, these are all done in the standing position. Bob: Right. Brad: I'm going to do this with a stick and you'll see why. But you can also just touch the wall if you need it for balance. The first one is hip flexion. In other words, just marching. Again, if you don't need the wall, that's fine. If you have a walking stick or a Booyah Stik, whatever, that's fine. Brad: Now what you can do is do a little over pressure. Go like this. Bob: Be safe. Brad: Yep. Be safe. It's nice to have something on both sides if you need that. And you don't have to give the over pressure. Five on a leg is more than enough. We'll go onto number two. Okay, we're going to do a similar one but we're going to get the hamstrings to work and the knees and the hips. So, it's up and then kick out and just let it come down. Up, kick out, and down. Now some people may be able to just do this as you walk. If that's not very stable, hands on the wall or counter and just do it stationary. Hand on both sides maybe. Bob: So that's a dynamic stretch. Brad: Yep, it a little more dynamic. Exactly right. Really gets things moving nice. About five on a side. Okay, we're going to go to the next one. This one. Butt kickers. Bob: What is this, Brad? Brad: Actually, I remember these from track in high school. It's where you just try to take your heel and bring it up and kick your butt. Now you're not going to kick it up and hold it there. This is strictly up and down in a steady fashion. Have your hands on the wall for balance. Bob: Again, it’s dynamically stretching his quad. Brad: Yep. So, we're working that, getting the knee joints really moving. If you feel stable and you're more mobile, you can do it as you walk. 5 to 10 on each leg. You're good. Next one, number four. This is simply to get the hip to rotate back and forth. So put your toe on the floor and your heels off the ground, and you're going to rotate. That really does a lot of rotation up in that hip joint. It gets those rotator hip muscles working. Bob: Brad, what do you call this? Brad: I call this putting out the cigarette because that's what I learned when I was a kid. My parents smoked, they quit smoking later, but they’d throw the cigarette down and put it out with their foot. You know, back in the sixties everyone was smoking. Bob: Everybody, right. Even doctors did. Brad: Yep. If you have a shoe on, it gives you a little resistance, which is a little bit better for some people. All right, the last one is what we call the golfers' lift. So, the ball is in the cup, and you bend forward like you’re going to pick it up. This is where typically people need something to hold onto depending on your balances. Bob: Like the golf club. Brad: Yep. Keep the knee relatively straight and you bend forward as far as you feel comfortable and then come back up. Do those five times on a leg. That really works the hamstrings, it gives them a little stretch and it makes them work, so you're strengthening them as well. Just back and forth. Make sure you have sturdy balance. Bob: It's like one of those dipping birds. Brad: Right. With these exercises, once you get used to them and you do them a couple times, it'll take you less than two minutes to get through all of them. Then you can get on with your walk or if you just want to do them to wake yourself up in the morning that works too. Bob: Very good. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2022. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKtQJrWSW5k Bob: All right, these are four muscles, if you have knee pain, you should massage these areas. Brad: We're going to tell you which muscles, how to do it. Everything you need to know. Bob: Okay. Let's go. The first muscle, Brad, is a tiny muscle, an itty-bitty muscle. You wouldn't think it could give you any pain, but it does. It can flex the knee and twist the knee. Brad: And, like a lot of small muscles, it's hard to pronounce. So we're talking about the popliteus. Bob: Right, very good. Popliteus. So to find it, you're just going to take your fingertips, go behind the knee, on the inside of the leg. Brad: Yeah. Not the outside of the knee. Bob: Right, the thick portion is on the inside. So, rub across the fibers, which will be side to side. Brad: I'm doing it right. Bob: East to west, right. Now if it's tender, that's a sign that you should do this. If it's not, you'll probably be fine. Go onto the other muscles. Brad: You can still massage it if you want. Bob: Sure. All right, let's go down to the second area. All right, the second area I want you to consider is some of the hip flexors, and the ones that run vertically. Like the rectus femoris, the IT band, the sartorius even. Brad: Now the sartorius, that's one that's nice to know about. Bob: Right. So, you can do this with your hand too. But it's going to be a lot easier with the massage gun. Brad: Right. If I’m going to do these, you could work the rectus, and mine's a little sore today because I was doing some biking the last couple days. I could feel that, and I might want to work it on the side of the ball head. I know it's going to be difficult to see with black on black. Hopefully, my hand there will help. Bob: So, this is a powerful gun. Brad: Yeah. We want to get the adductors, the muscles of the inner thigh. Bob: That's another group, Brad. Brad: Oh, I'm sorry. I jumped the gun. We're only on number two. So the sartorius. Bob: And the IT band. Brad: Yep. Right where the white stripe is there is exactly where the IT band is. I can work it there. Just be careful on the IT band going directly in, it may hurt if there isn't a lot of muscle there. So, you may want to go sideways with the massage gun. Bob: You really can't massage it, but it could be bound down, so you can help loosen it. Brad: I mean, you can try to massage it. When you massage these large muscle groups, you need both hands. They are going to get fatigued after a few minutes unless you really have some strong hands. Bob: Strong, like bull hands Brad: Strong, like bull hands. Maybe you work with your hands for a living. Bob: All right, let's go on to number three. All right, what Brad already gave us a little preview to is the inner thigh. That could get very sensitive. It could develop trigger points. Bob: So, you want to hit it with the massage gun. Brad: Boy, I've had abductor strains, and I'm telling you they're not comfortable. Bob: Well, it often happens if you're not using your glutes right, your glute maximus right. Brad: The buttocks. The largest muscle in the body kind of deal. Bob: And a lot of people aren't. Brad: So, you want to get this muscle to relax in this position. I think in a recliner, lift the leg up is a good way to allow it to relax. I like to flip it out, so the toe points out and you can get into that muscle. And again, this should feel like a good massage. Bob: Hurts so good. Brad: Yeah, exactly. So, spend a few minutes on that. Bob: We'll go on to number four, it’s simple, it is the calf muscle. Also known as the gastric/soleus muscle. Brad: Yes. It moves. Bob: It moves. And it crosses the knee joint. So that's why it can give you trouble. Brad: Yep, that gastroc muscle. That's the one that crosses the knee joint. And again, you could work on this manually if you want. You're going to get a tired hand. It's a large muscle. I always use my thumbs if I do, but my thumbs get tired quickly. Bob: And if it's tight, it will affect your knee. It will cause increased pain. Brad: And this is a muscle, regardless of if you have knee pain or not, is a nice one that if you're a walker or a runner it’s good to keep loose. Bob: Right. Good for your feet. Good for plantar fasciitis. Brad: Yep. This muscle crosses the knee joint and connects to the calcaneus, which is directly connected to our plantar fascia and the toe extension. So it's one chain. Bob: It’s a really important muscle to keep loose. Brad: Yeah. That's good. Bob: All right, we can finish up there. We can fix just about anything. Brad: Except for. Bob: A broken heart. Brad: But we're not going to get it with the massage gun. Bob: Right. Thanks. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

What is Achilles Tendonitis? Achilles Tendonitis presents with pain over the Achilles tendon, the band of tissue used to connect your calf muscles to the heel of your foot. In using massage, we would recommend massaging the calf muscle as well as the tendon itself. The Achilles tendon can develop microtears and inflammation often from overuse of the calf muscles. The calf muscles are mainly the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles found in the calf region and they assist in bending the foot into flexion or down. Or help you raise up on your toes. General Massage First, we will have you massage the calf muscles. You want to keep them supple and mobile to decrease the amount of stress on the Achilles tendon. Massage can be performed across the muscle fibers and lengthwise. Also, attempt to perform flossing while massaging the calf muscle. Cross the legs and put the ankle (Achilles tendonitis side) on the opposite knee. Move the foot up and down and side to side while massaging the calf. Cross-fiber Massage This massage should be performed across the fibers of the tendon. The massage should be aggressive if tolerated. The cross-fiber massage should be done to the sides of the tendon as opposed to the back. It is usually more effective when done to the sides of the Achilles tendon. Try the ball head attachment in a side fashion not directly on the tendon. (See photo) If you begin to tolerate the ball, try the flat head with rounded sides. Again, use in a side fashion and use on the sides of the Achilles tendon. This article and video are part of a series of videos on how to treat your pain with self-massage. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/massage/ Bob & Brad's Massage Guns C2 Massage Gun (US), T2 Massage Gun, EM-19 Massage Gun, Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US), X6 PRO Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head 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 in order 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 2018. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4kTFDaN_Rw&t=596s Bob: Today we're going to talk about three things you should never do if you have osteoporosis, and I think these are solid issues, in my opinion. Brad: Right, unlike the solidness of the spine with osteoporosis. Bob: Okay, so let's talk about number one. Your bones obviously don't have the density that they should have with osteoporosis, and you're going to be more susceptible to certain injuries. The one that we see quite often is a compression fracture. Brad: Right so with osteoporosis, oftentimes everyone, not everyone but typically as you get older, in your 60s 70s more so with females but men have it too. Bob: Very good point, and we’ll show you a common way to get a compression fracture which a lot of people don't realize. So here we have the spine. It's lined up. Brad is in the right position now. So, a common way to get a compression fracture is just to go ahead and bend forward and do one of two things. One is if you fell, that would put great compression on the spine. Bob: Number two is if you just lift something heavy and your back is in that rounded-out position. You could develop a compression fracture just from that move. So, if you're going to lift something heavy, one you may want to rethink it, but two you want to make sure you're in really good posture so everything's all lined up. We're going to demonstrate in a second here why this bending forward like this can cause a compression fracture. Brad: Another common one is, people when they sit down if they fall into the chair. In older people, it's relatively common for them to plop into the chair and that can really put some compression. Bob: Yeah, they're in that rounded-out spot, and now watch this, this is what happens. And a lot of times the compression fractures happen right where we call the hinge. It’s on the thoracic area T11, and T12. Bob: That's where we often see it, so let's go ahead. Let's say, that's T11 and T12 right there, the mid-back. So actually we could have T10, T11, and T12, so we have 3 vertebrae here. Brad's going to show you what happens when you go ahead and round out the back and you have weight on there. Bob: That's what can happen, the bone can actually compress down. Brad: So that's the rounding forward and then you sit down, and you plop or just because of the osteoporosis. Osteoporosis means that the vertebra is weak. It doesn't have the integrity and it's not going to accept this kind of force and they just crush. Bob: And sometimes they actually inject cement in there now to try to rebuild it up again. You know once it's done, it's done. Brad: It's not going to expand back out like our cushion here. It just must heal the way it is. It could take months. A lot of people are pretty uncomfortable for months, usually, after a few weeks they're getting better but then we're working at not bending forward, not plopping, because that just reinjures it, or reaggravates it. Bob: Yeah, when we have somebody with a compression fracture, we really avoid any bending forward at all. We might even do a little bit of bending back but with osteoporosis in general, posture is very, very important. All right the second one is going to be obvious to everyone and I apologize for including it, but there are things to help prevent this from happening I thought we'd go over some of those. So the second thing is you have to try to avoid falling. If you're one of those prideful people that say” hey, I'm not going to use a cane or I'm not going to use a walker”, well, you know the saying Brad, pride happens before the fall. I see people all the time that should be using a walker or should be using a cane and they're not because they say, “I'm not old,” and then they fall. Then they really start acting old because now they’re dealing with pain. So, we're going to show you the next step. We're going to show you some exercises you should do which actually help prevent you from falling. That is the third thing that you should never do, you should never not exercise. Brad: Right! Bob: I think a lot of times people start getting older and they think, “I don't want to exercise because I might hurt my back” or “I might hurt the legs.” But your bone responds to exercise and it actually becomes a little thicker. It's called Wolff's Law. Brad: We're going to show you how to exercise properly because sometimes people do exercise and they put their back in that compromised position. Bob: Very good point, posture is so important with osteoporosis. In fact, let's talk about exercises to prevent falls and show some posture exercises too. So, the first one is just a sit-to-stand. What that does is it's getting weight through your legs, and even strengthening helps increase bone density too. And that's why Brad and I are not big fans of those lift chairs by the way unless you absolutely must have them. If you have the chair lifting for you all day, you're losing your strength and you're losing your density of the bone. So, all you're going to do is just scoot to the edge of the chair, and you're going to go ahead and use the arms if you need to start off with. I want you to do some repeated sit-to-stands. Bob: Now the thing you must remember if you're having trouble getting out of a chair, your nose has got to get over your toes. If you try to stand straight up you might plop backward, and then you've got that problem with your back. The other thing I want you to keep in mind is to try to keep a good posture. Don't be rounded out and get up. Keep straight up just lead with the chest a little bit is what you'll want to do. And you can go ahead and every time you get out of the chair, if you don't want to pick a time of day to exercise, every time you get out of a chair you can do five sit-to-stands before you get out of your chair. People might start to talk about you but just tell them you've been watching Bob and Brad. So that one really helps the hip extensors which really helps you with your balance. The other one that really helps you with your balance is the hip abductors. That's the muscle that goes out to the side. Brad: So usually it's nice to go in the back of a solid chair so you have something to balance with. Bob: Or a countertop. Brad: Yep, and we're just going to simply bring the leg out to the side. Notice I'm not leaning to the side, keep good and tall with shoulders back. Focus on everything that's right with posture and working that hip. These hip muscles are really important for your stability with walking just to keep your gait solid. Bob: Look how he has good posture. He's trying to keep tall. Posture, posture, posture. All right, next, I'm going to show a couple of stretches. One is when you're just in your chair. Again, it's about posture. I hate to keep coming back to it. What happens quite often is your chest gets tight and it starts pulling you forward. You’re going to round out and so you're going to be more susceptible to that number one injury. So, you want to stretch your chest. You can do it in several ways. One you can bring your arms behind your head and bring your elbows back. That's stretching your chest. Another way is just to put your arms behind you and this stretches your chest. But another stretch you can do for your back and for your chest is to go ahead and use a ball. Brad: Get a soft one. A nice soft squishy one. Bob: You can get it as Brad says, you can steal it from one of the little neighborhood children and you'll get a reputation then. Brad: Well give it back to them after you're done. Bob: Okay, so you can just bend back over the ball and what's nice about this is you're stretching the chest, but you're also stretching the mid-back at that spot that tends to be vulnerable. Brad: And if you've got shoulder problems where this is uncomfortable, you can do it with your hands down. Bob: Yeah you can put your hands on your neck with your elbows down even. I like the ball because you can move it up and down and it can go into different spots. So, it works out well that way. All right a couple more stretches. The hamstring stretch, I think is always a good one to do, otherwise, it's going to be pulling on your back. All you have to do is you can bring your leg up to about 90 degrees and hold it behind the knee and then try to straighten your leg. Brad: And this is nice because you're taking the stress off the back if you try to do some of these hamstring stretches in a chair, oftentimes they promote flexed posture and put pressure on your spine, whereas this doesn't. Bob: The next one I like to do is to just get a little nutrition into the back and some movement in the back so when you get up, we're just going to do some twisties. We call them windshield wipers. Brad: Yeah, because it reminds me of the old windshield wiper. Bob: So, we're going back and forth and it just loosens up the back and gets it ready. The final one is when you get off the edge of the bed, or you can do this in a chair, I want you to just put one leg off the edge. On the end of it and the other one bring it back. You’re stretching that hip flexor right there. Brad: So, he's getting that leg to come back. You'll feel the stretch right where that front pocket is hopefully. These should all just feel like stretches, they should not create any sharp pain if they do you need to stop. Bob: Yeah, the reason we really like stretching the hip flexors is that muscle will pull down on your back and pull you into that rounded-out position. Be safe out there, we don't want to see you coming into our clinic with a compression fracture. Brad: Did we mention anything about posture, Bob? How important it is? Just wondering. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2022. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkVQva46OCk&t=94s Brad: Bob and I are going to show you five options that are perfect for beginners to work the biceps and triceps and it's going to be very entertaining and motivational. Bob: I’ve got my “strong like bull” shirt on. Brad: Yes, strong like bull, you're going to grow some muscles. All right there are three keys to success with this. Number one, make sure you do your mechanics properly. And we're going to show you options. Bob: Good posture. Brad: Yep. And you get good range of motion. All that will be shown here. Number two, you need to fatigue the muscle properly. We're going to talk about the reps. We're going to do 10 repetitions. By the time you get to nine and 10, you should feel a little burn in the muscle. And the goal is going to be, two or three sets of 10. We're going to talk about how you do this with supersets. Don't get worried about that term. It's just how you work the biceps and the triceps. So, you have the protagonist and the antagonist working together. It makes the whole exercise more time efficient, and actually more efficient in regards to the workout itself. Bob: Number three. Brad: Consistency. Stick to it. You need to set up a program that is good for your schedule and is going to go at least three workouts per week, probably four. You might do five, depends how aggressive you are, but not every day for sure, okay? The muscles must rebuild. Bob: You need to rest. Brad: Okay, so with bands like we have here, you'll get handles. You'll get usually four or five bands. They're different colors and different resistances. They will give you a door anchor or at least make sure you get one when you order your set, but I think they all do. With the door to demonstrate it, you put it in there and you simply close the door, and, make sure the door is locked, and then you can pull on it. As long as no one walks through the door, you're safe. It's going to work out well. Now you can do it at this level, you can do it over the top of the door, and you can slide it all the way down and do the same thing at the bottom of the door. You're going to find out why that's important in just a little bit. Brad: So let me just show you what it looks like once we got it all connected. Brad: Okay, so this is what it's going to look like. You have your bands, you put them through the loop, closing the door. Obviously, I have it at a high level. There will be some exercises from this level that you can do. We’re going to go through and show you how this works at three different levels. Now, one point we want to get out of the way is with resistance bands, a big benefit is you can vary the resistance, unlike with dumbbells. With dumbbells, you must do five pounds or 10 pounds. But with resistance bands, I'll show you. Now we're using wall anchors here, but you can use the door. We're just using these because they work a lot more efficiently and they're just much easier and fun to work with. Now, if I'm doing some bicep curls like this and I want to increase the resistance, I can simply step away and it's much stronger, or get closer, or just grab one, and it's half the resistance. Now, if I want to increase the resistance more, you can simply grab a different color band. The darker the band, typically the more resistance. Bob: Or the thicker. Brad: Yeah, or the thicker. Exactly. Now, I oftentimes have two bands. Bob: I do, too. Brad: You can put up to three in the wall anchor. I've had as many as four, but that's pushing it. You can usually do three and lock them up in there and that's obviously going to change the resistance and make it more. So resistance changing, it's one of those things I'm so used to using these, I didn't think about it until people commented, "How do you change the resistance?" I thought this is for beginners, we need to cover this. Bob: Yep, good point. Brad: Okay, I'm showing you five options, five different ways to do biceps and triceps supersets. And that means first we're going to do biceps, 10 of those, and then we're going to do triceps. So you work the muscle that flexes the elbow and then the opposite muscle that extends the elbow. It's a really efficient way to do the workout, as I mentioned before. We're going to do one that, you can just stand on the bands. You don't need the wall anchor or the door anchor. Very simple, you can do it anywhere. Step on the band and then simply, arms down by your side, and pull up, and all the way down. We're not going to whip through these fast. Bob: Keep good posture. Brad: Yep, there we go. Thanks, Bob. I was a little slouchy right there, myself. That posture's critical. Up and down. And you can see we're going at a moderate pace. Bob: The full range. Brad: Yep, full range up and down, going down slowly is probably more important than going up slowly. Bob: Eccentric. Brad: Yes, exactly. And that's the beauty of the bands. There are so many advantages of the bands actually, that you do not get with those dumbbells. Bob: It’s easier on the joints. Brad: Yep. Now, we did 10 of those. For the next one, I've got two bands and I need less resistance for the overhead, so I’ll just use one. Now, this is how you can do the triceps, overhead. Bob: And when you're tall like me, you can sit down. Brad: Yeah. This is not my favorite triceps option. But you can do it. If you have shoulder problems and you have any pain doing this, you should not do it. So this is only if you have healthy shoulders, but it does work the triceps nicely and you can do 10 like that. You can see, I only have one band. I just let the other one loose. And that's all legal and good in the band world. Brad: Okay, the next option is simply to take your bands and put them at your anchor, whatever it is, at chest or shoulder level, and stand back like this. I'm going to do my palms up and simply do my curls here. Again, you can make it more difficult by stepping back. I know Bob likes to double them up to get the real power set in there. Really builds those muscles. Bob: Right. Brad: The nice thing about this is you can simply just turn around and you're all ready to go. The setup is very efficient. Now when you do your triceps, make sure the elbows stay stationary and we're not bringing your whole arm down. The bands hit you, for one thing, and you're working your shoulders instead of your triceps. So, this is the form part that's really critical. Same with the curls. Elbows are up and the elbows do not move. They stay stationary to isolate those biceps. Okay, good. Brad: We're going to go to the third one. Now we're going to use a higher level. This really works well for the triceps and you can do the bicep with this. A lot of times I'll do my bicep on the middle one, and do the triceps on the top, but you can still get a good bicep curl. Bob: Especially the short head of the bicep. Brad: We have the short head and the long head. That's two different muscles that make up the biceps. Now, this is what I really like for the triceps, you can go back against the wall. So you have good posture and your elbows are stationed against the walls. This one assures perfect form because we're not moving the arms. Now if you want to increase resistance, you put on another band or a thicker band, darker color, or you can simply go down and then you get a little leg work done, at the same time, or you simply sit on a stool Bob: What a bargain. Brad: Yeah, I've done it either way. This is not one I do a lot at home. My favorite one's coming up, but this is still a really nice way to work the muscle. See how my elbows are right up against the wall? Okay. Number four option, we're going to start with the bands down on the lower level. So, we're going to do biceps on the bottom, triceps up on the higher level, so it changes that up a little bit. This is a nice exercise; I like this one. Bob: That's the way I do it. Brad: Okay, this is the way Bob does his. The posture is so critical. Don't lean forward. Bob: And it gets the long head of the biceps that way. Because the arm is back a bit. Brad: Yep, you bet. When you get back like this, that shoulder extension with full elbow extension. Step farther away to do this again. This is Bob's notorious single, double it up on there. Bob: That's right, get tough. Strong like bull. Brad: Make it burn. All right. Then again, just like the one we just showed. Do the triceps here however you'd like to do it. That way you get that superset. Brad: We've got one more to do with this. The next one is my favorite. It isolates the biceps and triceps the best, in my opinion. I honestly think this isolates the muscles the best and it forces you to have good posture and I'll show you why. You're going to need a lower-level anchor. Bob: And a floor. Brad: And it's nice because if you're a little tired or you do this first in the morning, you just lay down and relax. Now my shoulders are flat on the floor. My elbows are glued to the floor. Get your feet bent up and crossed so they're out of the way, and I'm going to simply do my curls here. Now we're not lifting your arms off the floor. This is not what you want to do. The elbows are glued or nailed to the floor, whatever makes you think it so that you keep them there. And again, just slide out for more resistance. Very easy and get your 10 done this way. Brad: Two sets or three sets, but you want to break it up, and then do one set that way, turn yourself around, and then do the other exercise, so we make the superset. I'm going to go back this way, shoulders flat to the floor, head on the floor, elbows on the floor. Same thing, you must keep your elbows glued to the floor. Hands touch the floor, then they come back up to here. Touch. So, we're not lifting the whole arm up. That is not a good, true biceps-triceps exercise. Get your 10 there. You know, if you wanted to do double up. Get one set with a little more resistance, and get the burn going. Bob: You can finish off that way. Brad: Yep. So that's it. You have five options for doing triceps-biceps super sets. Try them all. You're going to find out, you'll probably find two or three different ways that you like to do it. It breaks up the boredom. It's going to keep you working at these longer and it's just more fun. Bob: There we go. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Shin splints are sort of a garbage can term usually referring to pain on the front of your shin (anterior shin splints) or more to the inner side of your shin (posterior shin splints) (medial tibia stress syndrome). To be more specific, in anterior shin splints the pain is usually felt high up on the shin and on the outside. The muscle involved is the anterior tibialis muscle. Pain felt on the inside of your shin closer to the foot and slightly behind the ankle bone is characteristic of posterior shin splints. Usually involves the posterior tibialis muscle. In severe cases may also involve the flexor digitorum longus and the flexor hallicus longus muscle. One may feel increased pain with rising on your toes or everting your foot. In both anterior and posterior shin splints, you may have microtears in the muscle along with periostitis- an inflammation of the periosteum, a layer of connective tissue that surrounds bone. Both types of shin splints are exercise-induced. Better with rest. Pain may involve cramping or burning. Worse with palpation. 2-3 inches of pain length can be palpated. Also, in both cases, if the tenderness is more focused (point tenderness) it could be a stress fracture. If you have the 5 Ps you could have compartment syndrome-pain, pallor (pale skin tone), paresthesia, (numbness) pulselessness (faint pulse), and paralysis (weakness with movements). If tolerable the massage should be done before and after exercise. Before you begin the massage first palpate the calf muscle for a tender area. Once a tender area is discovered, begin to massage around the outer reaches of the pain and eventually begin to narrow in on the painful area. Techniques can include stripping massage (parallel to the muscle fibers and cross-fiber massage to any knots or trigger points. One can also move the foot up and down and side to side while applying massage (a type of flossing). Massage should not make your pain worse although it may be somewhat uncomfortable. You should stay on an area until the pain decreases. Head attachment choice can be based on the following: a. Big Round Head attachment: Good for larger muscle groups like the glutes, quadriceps, or hamstrings. Allows you to cover more surface area. Moderate in aggressiveness. b. Small Round Head attachment: Less aggressive to moderate. Great for tendonitis if used sideways. (Big & Small Round Head c. Air-filled (Pneumatic) attachment: Probably the least aggressive head. Great for use around bony surfaces and sensitive muscle groups. Good for relaxation. d. Bullet Head attachment: Aggressive. We have found it to be helpful with treating trigger points or knots. e. Plastic Flat Head attachment: Moderate. Good on IT band, Pectoralis Major (with ribs underneath), or Plantar Fascia (bottom of the foot). f. Steel Flat Head attachment: (Can be heated up or cooled down prior to use). Moderate to Aggressive. g. Knobby attachments: Generally, for larger muscles. More aggressive. h. Field Goal: Can be used along both sides of the spine. Also, some have recommended its use on the Achilles tendon. This article and video are part of a series of videos on how to treat your pain with self-massage. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/massage/ Bob & Brad's Massage Guns C2 Massage Gun (US), T2 Massage Gun, EM-19 Massage Gun, Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US), X6 PRO Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head 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 in order to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in July of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LkfwXmSUwM&t=97s Bob: Do you waddle side to side when walking? That's called the Trendelenburg gait and we're going to show you how to fix Brad: So, we're talking about waddling or Trendelenburg gait and I'll just demonstrate it right now. Bob: Dr. Friedrich Trendelenburg. Brad: He was a doctor they named it after and it was quite a while ago, 1844 he was born. He died in 1924. So, people have been walking like this for centuries it sounds like. It's when you have this kind of lean, usually to one side. You walk over to one side and it's typically because of a weak muscle. And we're going to talk about that and show you. Bob: That weak muscle may be due to pain too. Pain might have caused the weak muscle because you don't want to take weight on that side, so the muscle becomes weak. Brad: Right. I've had people with this after total hip surgery. Yeah, and for other people, it may be for other reasons. One way or another, that's how it presents, that waddle, side-to-side, right-to-left, the muscle that helps or maintains your stability is the gluteus medius. And this purple tape just shows where it connects. It's a broad muscle, kind of like a fan and it connects down to the hip and all the way up to the top of the Iliac crest. So that's the muscle. If we strengthen that muscle, it's going to help stabilize that hip and allow you not to compensate and waddle. Bob: Can you see if it's strong, it's going to help hold the pelvis up. If it's not strong, the pelvis could actually dip down. Causing you to waddle. Brad: Right. Which causes the whole trunk to go down to the side. There's a test that we use and what we're going to do is simple. You can do this to yourself. Get a stopwatch, it takes 30 seconds. You look at your waist level. We have a level, but you don't need this. What's going to happen is I'm going to stand on one leg and maintain a level pelvis or belt line. So, you can look at the belt line. And then if suddenly, I'm starting to drop then you go to the other leg and it's for 30 seconds. Bob: It stays. Brad: Yeah, you have maintained without that pelvis dropping down, then you'll know which side is the weak side. Bob: Well, it’s weak on the right side if it dips to the left Brad: Right. Yeah. It's the opposite. There is another test I'll show in a minute. Bob: So if the dip is on the right, it's weak on the left. Brad: It's the opposite. So Bob, just lay down once on your left side, please. Can you lift that leg up and straighten it out? So this is a manual test that I would do. I'd push down just above the knee, hold it, hold it, hold it. And if you're strong and normal hip abductor, you can hold a lot of weight and it's fine. And I do one side, have the person roll over and do the other side. Brad: But we're going to assume you found that one side drops. You have the waddling gait. Maybe you did a manual test if you had someone to do that. But the exercises we're going to start out actually the same position you just were for the test. Bob: And I can do it with a band or without a band. I'll start without a band. Brad: So, we've decided that this is the weak side. And what you can do is you can do these exercises on both sides, but you'll notice the weak side. Bob: So, I'm going to work hip abduction and you can start without any weight because the weight of the leg is going to be plenty for you for the first couple of weeks probably. Brad: Right. I would say 10 repetitions. Bob: Keeping the toes straight forward. Don't turn your toes toward the ceiling. Brad: You'll feel that hip abductor muscle. If you can do 10 good quality ones and it feels easy, then you may want to go to two options. You can use a loop band like this. Bob: This is a booty band. I think we call it. Brad: There are other ones too. The booty bands are made of elastic cloth and there are rubber ones. The cloth is a lot more comfortable. Bob: The band is a lot of work. Brad: That's quite a bit harder. If you move the band up towards the hips, it's easier. And so, you can adjust that. You'll get a feel for that relatively quickly. Bob: It’s a little easier. But it's hard either way. Brad: So, if you did this for another week or two, you're going to find that gets easier. Bob: And yeah, if you're just starting out, you don't do it every day. And you don't go crazy the first time because your hips can get really sore, and you can actually get micro tears in the muscles. Brad: So, don't go too crazy. Now we're showing you some other options. You do not have to do them this way. There are some strengthening exercises you can do standing, which I kind of prefer as long as you can do them safely. Bob: It's a little more functional. Do you want me to show the side plank? Brad: Actually, let's do that. That's another option lying down. Bob: That's a tough one. You can start just on your knees, and you're going to go like this. Now you're working on the bottom leg and you're working on the top leg. Now you can do it with the legs straight too, and it just gets a lot harder. Brad: Yeah. That's aggressive. It depends on how athletic or how strong you are, but probably starting out the first time on your knees. Bob: I mean, you wouldn't do it on a wiggly mat or a cushion, do it on the floor. Brad: And probably not in a bed. Unless you have a really firm bed, but again, 10 repetitions is a good goal with all of these. You may want to do that one on both sides. So, shall we go on to the next one? Bob: Now, as Brad alluded to he's going to do some in a standing position, which is a lot more functional. It's closer to real life. Brad: And you don't have to do all of these, you pick the ones out that work for you and that you feel comfortable with. You do need to have a resistance band of some sort. You don't need the handles on there, but it can be helpful. You'll see why when I demonstrate it. You stand on it and you need to have shoes on with this. I always have my patients do them with shoes. And then you pull up a little bit and give some resistance and you simply walk sideways. You don't have to go fast. You're probably better off doing it slow and controlled. This doesn't look like it's very hard. But if you just do it, I can already feel my hip abductors working and doing overtime work right now. You want to go both directions. I usually have my patients go about 10 feet but you don't have to measure out exactly. You'll get tired. I'm already getting tired. Bob: And safety first. We want to make sure that you're not going to fall over when you're doing this. Brad: Right. If you feel wobbly with this, it's not an option. Unless you have someone there to hold you but even then. Bob: Well, I was going to say, if you had a loop band, you could hold on to a counter. Brad: That's a good point. Bob: But again, these are great functional ones, meaning that it translates to real life because you're walking already. You have strengthened your muscles while walking. Brad: So, with this, you can hold onto a cupboard and the further down you go again, it's more resistance. And if I go up closer to above my knees, it's easier to do so you start higher and go down below the knees as tolerated and go back and forth two to three times. There's one more thing. I think this is probably something everyone should do. Pick out the exercise that we just did, and work on one or two of them. Don't do them seven days a week, do them probably five days a week with some days off. Bob: Or maybe three times. Brad: To get started, right. So, you don't get too sore. But if you have a full-length mirror in your house in a hallway or distance to walk, look at that mirror and observe yourself initially when you started doing it and see that Trendelenburg gait and some people just by thinking about it, they can improve without the strengthening, even. Bob: Just the feedback of watching the mirror. Brad: Yeah. And then when you walk, think about it as well. Spend 20 or a few minutes walking, really focusing on it. Because a lot of times when you walk, your mind goes other ways, you're talking, but actually do some walking where you're focusing on staying upright. Bob: You might also just take your phone video and videotape yourself starting, and then videotape yourself later to see how you’ve improved. Brad: Like three weeks later into this. And then you can say, "oh wow, I'm getting better." The good old Trendelenburg is correctable and it's going to take some work, but you can do it. Bob: Yep. Just be careful out there. Brad: I'm going to say that later we can fix just about anything… Bob: Except for… Brad: A broken heart. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in October of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w7SRSUGWtQ&t=388s Bob: Today we're talking about the perfect workout for older adults and senior citizens. So. the perfect workout should include strengthening, Brad: Yes, endurance, flexibility, balance, and we must include posture. Bob: Posture absolutely. So we're going to show a sample workout it includes these five and let's get right to it. Now when you work out, you want to start with a warmup because you want to make sure the blood is flowing and the heart rate is up and the muscles are warmed up. So just walking in place is a good way to start. Brad: Sure. You know, if you need something to hold onto, we have a chair here. Make sure you're safe. Bob: Then some steps to the side. You know, you can do it to a beat if you want. So, it doesn't take much to warm up. Bob: Then add some arm swings, I like them in both directions going backward. This way you want to make sure you don't hit anybody. Brad: Big circles. Think about your breathing. Good, deep breath, exhale. If you don't get the breathing going, going those lungs work, it's going to be not near as effective. Bob: Now I'll show you the down version. Brad’s going to show the bit more aggressive version. But if you want to sit more, you can do that. If you want to stand more, you can do that for sure. So, we're going to start off with the posture exercise. Brad's famous W's. Winning or for Wisconsin. Brad: W's, yes. That's right Wisconsin. Bob: We’re going to do 10 of them. When you do these, you want to make sure you're squeezing the shoulder blades together and you're bringing the chin back and retracting it. Brad: Breath in. Open those lungs up. Bob: Relax. All right, we're going to start with some arm curls. You can grab weights, you can use milk jugs, or you can use soup cans. And all you're going to do is work on posture and keep your good posture and work on doing the curls. Brad: Right. So, chest out, shoulders back. Bob: You’re working on strength and posture with this one. Brad: We're working for about 10 repetitions on all these. If it's too much, that's okay. Just rest. Bob: Then we'll do some arm raises where you go out to the side. I want your palms down and you're going to look like you're flying away. Brad: Now this one is going to be a lot more difficult than your curls, so the weights may be too much. Bob: Yes, it is. You may have to go with a lighter weight, or you can start off with no weight at all. Brad: Yeah. And you don't want to go way up high on this. It's going to be hard on the shoulders like Bob was doing out about straight out. Bob: The arms are 90 degrees. I'm starting to feel that. All right. Next one. Chair dips. You do need armrests, bilateral armrests. Now what you're going to do is you're going to your legs as much as you need to, but you want to use your arms as much as you can. So, you're going to push up and that's going to work those triceps a little bit of the chest too. Brad: It's like chair pushups almost. You'll feel it right here in the back of the arms. If you can't get all the way up. That's okay. Do your best. Bob: That's all we ask of you. And safety first. Brad: Safety first. Bob: All right, the next one, it's a posture one. This one feels good. You grab the upper traps, the upper back, I guess you would call it. And you're going to pull on it and do chin tucks. And you can even do a neck extension. Brad: Sure, leaning back. if you have a hard time, my shoulders are a little tight. I can't reach back there very well. Do the best you can. You can even grab the side of your neck and work your fingers around the neck a little bit back. Bob: All right, the next one is going to be a sit-to-stand. Out of the chair. If you need to, you can use the arms to help you. If you're better at it, you can cross your arms across your chest or you can go straight out. I'll do the lower version. We are going to do 10 of these. And now this is a good challenge. Brad: Yes. Good posture. This is a little harder with the hands up. If you're feeling very confident and balanced well. We're going to shoot for that 10. Now you're going to feel that it's going to be aggressive for some people. Bob: If it's too much start with five. If it's too much, start with three if you need to. Brad: If this is your first day you might get sore muscles from this tomorrow. So don't swear at us. Bob: All right. The next one is leg adduction. Get behind the chair if you need to for balance. And you're going to bring the leg out to the side and you can keep the toes straight forward. Brad: Show them what not to do with their trunk from your angle. Bob: You don't want to dip, with your trunk. And you don't want to bring the toe turned out. And you're going to do both sides. These are working on strength and balance, again so we're getting all five components that we're looking for. The next one is leg extension. Again, that's going to work on balance. Work on strength. Brad: Keep breathing. Good deep breath. Bob: When you breathe, it makes it a relaxing activity versus a stressful activity. Brad: Right, right. Bob: All right. How about heel raises. Brad: So, are we just going up on our toes? Or can we combine it up on our toes and rock back on our heels? Bob: You can do it together if you want. Brad: Be careful when you go back on your heels because that's where some people can lose their balance. There's nothing to hold you unless you have a good chair to hold onto. Or the cupboard. Bob: All right. Now, the next one is a flexibility one. And I'm going to use a towel and Brad's going to show the stretch strap. Brad: The only really big advantage of the stretch strap, particularly with some people, if you have arthritic hands and you have a hard time grasping because it's painful or they're weak is the loops on the stretch strap allow you to not have to grab. Bob: They come in handy for a lot of things. So we're going to do shoulder flexion. And this is where this really helps if you have one shoulder that goes further than the other. So, the good shoulder will help the bad shoulder. Brad: Exactly. Bob: So just bringing up overhead in front of you. Brad: With the stretch strap, I'm going to go out one loop and my hands are wider. I can go a little higher, a little more comfortable. Bob: Yup. It's going to be better if, yeah. If your hands are facing each other. Thumbs up. Brad: It opens the shoulder joints a little bit more. That's just the nature of the job. Bob: All right. The shoulder extension is a little bit difficult in a seated position. You have to get off to the side here. You're going to grab behind you. And you're going to raise up behind you. Brad: This is really nice with the strap. Bob: Well, it really comes in handy for leg stretches too. You want good posture with this one. And you want to be breathing the whole time. We don't want anybody to stop breathing. All right. The next one is the hamstring. And that's where you can actually use a towel underneath the leg. But what you're going to do is you're going to have to straighten the leg, but you're also going to stretch the leg. You're increasing the flexibility and you're increasing quad strength at the same time. Now you can put your hand underneath for some of you. Brad: Yep, that's fine. Bob: But the towel gives you better posture. A lot of people bend over with this one. So I want you to, again, keep that real straight posture when you're doing this. Brad: And you'll probably feel that stretch right below, right by the knee. But you're getting stretched under and strengthening on top. It's a nice combination. Bob: You want to even things out otherwise you'll be walking around in circles. Brad: Yeah, we will have none of that. That's exactly my point, Bob. Circle walking gets you nowhere fast. Bob: All right, this next one is kind of an advanced one. And if you can't do it, don't include this one. It is kind of a split squat. So, get behind the chair, one leg in front, one leg in back. And you're just going to dip down. Now you can do it shallowly. This is a great exercise if you could do it. It’s great for balance. Brad: If you have a cane, you could hold on to a cane or walker and then a chair, but don't go too deep. If your knees hurt, when you do this, do not do it. Bob: Don't do it at all. Just stop. And then you can obviously do both sides. But it's a good functional exercise. It's a good one to do if you're able to do it. And then where to finish off the W's Brad. Brad: You can't go wrong with the W's. A posture exercise is a great way to start and finish. You can do this throughout the day, actually. You know, before you eat do your W's. When you're done eating do your W's. Before you watch Gunsmoke do your W's. Bob: Now you can do a cool-down too, which is the walking-in place and the steps to the side. Brad: Sometimes I just like to relax and shake it off. Oh yeah. Very good. Enjoy the day and be careful in all that you do. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager 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 Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.