1. Decrease stress on the knee a. Reduce weight bearing - use a cane for a while. b. Do not sit with your knee bent over 90 degrees c. Do not stand with knees locked. d. Stand on cushioned shoes or a mat. Change position often and flex knees onto the chair, etc. 2. Regain ROM: a. Extension stretch (3 way) knee turned in, knee straight up, and knee turned out. b. Stretch into flexion- seated and standing with foot on chair. Knee flexion with a towel under the knee. 3. Strengthening: a. Isometric over pillow b. Shallow squats onto the bed or ball on a wall. Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in September 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/3vETtdlO6Lg Mike: Today, we're going to go over eight body weight exercises everyone should do. Brad: That's right, and we're going to show two options, one for beginners and another for the more advanced people. Mike: We're going to go through all eight of them nonstop. We're going to do 10 repetitions of each exercise. Brad will be showing the beginner version of each exercise, Brad: Or for the older people like me. Mike: And I'll be showing the normal or advanced version of each exercise. Brad: There's nothing normal about you, Mike. Mike: I am advanced in every which way. Anyway! Brad: Let's get to it. Mike: We're going to get to it. We're going to start with pushups. So, Brad, you want to go over to the wall or do knee ones? Brad: Yeah, well, if you're a real beginner, feet out here, straight body, and do your pushups here. Do not bump your head on the wall. It's not healthy. You can do it that way. Or modify it on a solid piece of furniture or a cupboard. And that's the next step. Mike is doing what I call a GI pushup. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: Five. So just find whichever area is comfortable for you. Make sure your core is tight. Pick whatever area is comfortable for your elbows. If you want to go wider, you can go wider. If you want to go narrower, go narrow. Pick what works for you. Brad, what if someone has bad wrists? Brad: Yes, now we said no equipment, but this is an exception that I wanted to put in. Bob said it was okay. If you have arthritic wrists, and I have a little bit of that, I find these perfect push-up things really work out well. What they do is allow you to keep your wrist in a neutral position. Brad: Much more comfortable. And they rotate. I use them all the time. I had to bring them in from home. So don't thank me now, thank me later. Anyway, let's go to number two. Mike: So number two, we're going to do some bridging. Going to work on the glutes and hamstrings a bit. For a normal version, Brad will be showing the beginner one. Double legs. I'll be doing the single leg for the advanced version. You're going to keep your core tight, squeeze your butt cheeks, and thrust your hips up towards the ceiling. We're going to do 10 repetitions. If you want to do five per side if you're a beginner, go ahead. Otherwise, you can do 10 per side. Are you counting down there? Brad: Yeah, I'm on five. I'm using my fingers so I don't lose track. Mike: Oh, I don't know what I'm on. I was talking too much. Brad: Yeah, this is a real... Think about those butt cheeks. Really squeeze them in. Work on those glutes, which we know are important for more than just standing and walking. Mike: Well, we know what's on Brad's mind. Brad: All right, here we go. This is a family show, Mike. I was not thinking that. Forward plank. Starters only on the knees. Mike: You're going to go on your knees. I'm still doing 10 on each leg. I'm catching up. Brad: Yep. Okay. I shouldn't rush things. Sorry, Mike. Planks on your knees. Now, when I do this, I use a pillow or a cushion because it's more comfortable on my knees. Especially if you have a hard floor or a thin carpet like we do here. And we're going to tighten up. Don't allow your back to arch. Don't be hunched. Try to be as straight as possible. Maybe someone in the room'll help you say, "Ah, gotta get your butt down a little bit." Go ahead, Mike. Mike: Now, when it comes to planks, you can't do repetitions. You do prolonged holds. You can start with 10 seconds, 15, or 30. Work up to a minute. Whatever's comfortable for you. I feel like I'm almost at 30 seconds now. What do you feel like? Brad: Yeah, we're at 27. Mike: Are you actually counting? Brad: No, actually, I was doing breath because it's really important that we breathe normally through all these exercises. So on that one, if I count five, good breath in my nose, out my mouth, that's close enough for me for 30 seconds. Mike: Okay, we're going to get into side planking now. So we're going to work the obliques more. Still a core muscle. Brad, again, you want to do the beginner version here? Brad: Yep. So for the beginner version, you can just lie on your side, bent knees like I have here. Not up here, you want to be straight. So you're like your body's up against a wall. I like to do them on my forearm. That's good for a beginner. And simply lift your hips up. So there's a gap here. So you're straight, not too high. Tighten up the core. And breathe while you do this, and relax. You can advance this to your hand. Whatever works best for you. Mike, do the advanced one. Mike: Well, I'm at 25 seconds on this side, so I'm going to show it on the other side because with the side plank, you have to work both sides to get a benefit. The advanced one, you're getting your knees off the table, and you are keeping a nice straight line here. Don't let your hips drop down like that. I typically just do elbows. You could try to do a straight arm if you want. You can get fancy and move your arm around. But I typically just hold this position. I am coming up on 20 seconds here. Brad, are you going to tell me a story these last 10? Brad: Yeah, actually, when I first started doing planks about 6, 7, 8 years ago, I don't remember when, they used to hurt my back. I'd be there. It's because of my spondylolisthesis in my lower back. So I quit doing them because they created pain. The same with all these. Don't do them if they create pain. Mike: Okay, the next one is a Stuart McGill favorite called the pointer dog. Brad: Ooh. Mike: So, typically, I will show the normal version. Brad can do modified. Again, it's kind of a core back exercise here. So, what you're going to do for the normal version, right arm goes up, left leg goes back, hold for a second. Come back down, and we're going to switch sides. Brad: Straight leg there. Mike: Try to keep a nice straight line, keep a nice straight back. It's a good back-strengthening exercise without typically irritating your back. Brad: Yeah, Stuart McGill is one of the utmost experts in back pain and how to treat it, strengthening, etc. Now, if you're not comfortable going on your hands and knees like that, simply go to a cupboard. You can do it this way. Oh, we're going to bump heads here. And I'm going to put one hand on the counter, and I'm going to go up like this and back like this. Brad: There's a wall in my way, so I have to be careful. Like that, now you want to go back down and show the other beginner way, if you want to go on your hands and knees, where you only use one hand. Mike: Yes, so what you can do is just move up one arm, and then the opposite leg, and then the left arm, and the right leg. Just do one limb at a time. It's less balance and demand on your body. You can also even do these at the wall if you would like. Brad: There you go. I do like this because it really promotes good posture and those posture muscles. And we do like to promote good posture. Yes. And this one too. You could just use the arm and do the legs separately. What's the next one, Mike? Mike: We're doing squats for beginners, and we don't have a chair, so we will use this as a chair. Brad: I'll get a chair while you start it out. Mike: You go get a chair. Okay, do whatever squat distance length between your legs is comfortable. Just don't have your knees together. That's typically bad. Some people will be comfortable straight ahead. Some people want to rotate out. Do what is easiest for you. You're just going to squat down to what's comfortable, back up. Try to keep a nice, straight back. Don't round forward like this. Nice back, and just go like that. You could do 10 repetitions. Hold for a second down low, come back up. If you're a beginner, do what Brad's doing. Brad: Right, if you get down and you feel unsteady, like you're going to fall, have a nice firm chair with armrests behind you and use the armrests if you need assistance so you're safe. If you feel comfortable with this, go to one hand. And if you want to keep testing things, and you can do 10 easily, hands across your chest. Keep the chair there. And really, if you want to go to the next step, don't even touch the chair with your butt. Hold it just above, and then come back up, and see how it progresses. Brad: And the chair is really nice. I actually do promote a solid chair. And if you just need balance, hold onto something steady in front of you. The wall might be good enough. Chair, cupboard. And work it that way. I'm getting really tired. Do we have any more to do? Mike: We do. We've got two more to do. You're getting out of breath and sweaty. Brad: You can put this on hold, take a breather, get some water, then come back. Mike: So the next one we're going to do is a lunge. For a normal person, or not advanced, whatever you want to say, just put one foot forward, one foot back, and simply go down, come back up. You can do these many different ways. You can bring the foot forward, go back like this. Pick what's easiest for you. I'm going to stick to those. And do 10 on each side. Brad, do you want to show a beginner version? Brad: Sure. Balance is really critical for certain people. It's going to help your balance. Now I would suggest using the cupboard, a solid chair, a cane, or a Booyah Stik like this. Go forward, so you have balance. Go down. Make sure that the knee is going down; you're really thoughtful of that, because some people, if you haven't done these before, will go down maybe a little too hard, hit their kneecap on the hard floor, and it's really uncomfortable. So good controlled, sustained motion. You can do them like this. Or if you want, you can alternate. Take your time. And do not hunch forward. That is a bad postural thing. We don't want to do that. It's not right. Whew. Mike: I'm keeping my hands at my hips so I know I'm keeping a good posture, not leaning too far forward. Brad: There you go. Mike: Do what's comfortable for you. I think I did 10 on each side. Brad: All right, hip abductor. That's the muscles right here on the side. They're important to keep you upright and to prevent waddle walking, if you have that issue. I'm gonna do the normal version. I feel like this is a little bit more challenging. Side-lying hip abduction. Brad'll do it in a standing position. So here, I'm going to make sure my leg is in a nice straight line. Kick straight up, keep my toes straight ahead. Hold for a second, come back down. We're going to do 10 repetitions on each side. Brad: The biggest mistake I've always had with these patients is that they either point their toes up and do it without thinking about it, or their whole leg comes forward. Both of those are mistakes you do not want to have. Keep it in line, toe here, and go ahead. Isolates that muscle really well. Mike: Now, Brad, you want to show the standing version? Brad: Yep. Now what I like to do is have a chair and, cupboard in front of me. I'm going to get it out of the way so you can visually see what I'm doing. I'll use a stick, which is another good option as well. Toe straightforward, not out to the side. And a slight bend in the knee that is weight-bearing. That's important. Out and back. You notice Mike and I are breathing with these, while I'm trying to talk, of course. And slow, sustained motion. We're not just rushing through them. That's, you know, like you're trying to fly with your legs. We're just doing nice, sustained motion. Don't let it touch the floor or your other leg. There we go. And you're going to feel the hip that you're weight bearing on is actually getting good exercise as well. And it improves your balance on that side as well. Do both sides so you don't walk in circles, okay? Wow. We're done with eight? Mike: That is all eight of them. So again, do them 10 reps. For some of them, like the plank or side plank, there are time durations. 15, 30, maybe even up to 60 seconds. Brad: But wait, Mike, we forgot. We've got to mention something to these people. If you want to see more exercises like this and other videos on how to be healthy, fit, and pain-free, what can they do? Mike: You can subscribe to our channel . It's completely free, and you'll get notified when we put up a new video. Brad: Yeah, it is free. It's not like newspapers or, you know, magazines, you had to pay for a subscription, but it's not true. All right. Take care. Have a good day. Mike: Also, check out the video, " To our Special Seniors, A Daily Exercise Program From Bob & Brad ," if you are a senior and want to do more chair exercises tailored specifically to you. Brad: Yep, there you go. We're done. Mike: Now have a good day. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in September 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/UJtI91la99c Mike: Now, your back pain may be caused by many different issues; however, one muscle group is often overlooked. Brad: Now, most of us are aware that core muscles are really important to support the back and prevent pain. Mike: But we're not going to be talking about the core. We're going to be addressing weak glute muscles, how to strengthen them, and why they are causing your back pain. Brad: There you go. Mike: Let's get into looking at glute medius strengthening and low back pain. So first, what we want to talk about is a study which has a long title, Brad, what is it? Brad: Well, it's " Prevalence of Gluteus Medius Weakness ...," and some information on why and how it contributes to low back pain. Mike: So instead of going through this whole study, which will take forever and you will fall asleep, we'll just talk about a few highlights from it. So in the study, they looked at over 150 people who had low back pain, and one common denominator was that they all had weak glute muscles, specifically the glute medius, which is on the outside, but some of them had the glute maximus as well. Brad: That's right, one of the things that often happens when you have weaknesses is the waddling gate or Trendelenburg, where you see someone kind of walking like this, and that's a key that will be addressed here. Mike: So the first thing we're going to do now is talk about glute medius strengthening. Why this is important is that it supports your pelvis and the movement of the spine together. So the first exercise we're going to do is simply sidestepping. Brad: Yeah, but you are not pointing to your glute medius. That is the quads. Mike: Glute medius. There we go. Mike: Glute max, your buttocks muscles. Brad: Let's not confuse our viewers. Mike: I just like to slap my legs a little bit. Brad: All right, glute medius, sidestepping, there we go. Mike: So, for beginners, or if you're an older person, poor balance, something like that, you can certainly do this, holding onto a countertop with a cane, just simply step sideways, focus on your feet pointing straight ahead. If this seems very easy to you, you could certainly add some type of resistance band like Brad has there. Brad: Right, if you're standing still, this will work. We're working the same muscle. And again, for resistance, you can use a loop band like we have here. There's a different resistance. Red is actually a lighter resistance with this band set. The higher I pull, the more resistance I get. If you have problems with balance, make sure you're holding onto a table, countertop, or wall, and you're going to work it like we are doing here, not going like this, and not going fast, but slow, meaningful movements with your toe pointed forward versus like this. Mike: You're going to want to do 10 to 15 repetitions per side. Make sure to do both sides. It's important, and it's also important to stand with a bent knee when you're doing this because you're actually working your glute medius on the leg that is standing as well. Now we have one more exercise we want to get into. Brad: I wanted to show this one, Mike. Mike: Okay, Brad wants to take it away. Brad: Yeah, you can actually do it in your bed or lying on the floor. I'm assuming this is what you were thinking about. Mike: I was. Brad: So, lying on your side, we're going to lift the leg, which works the glute medius. Tighten up the core of the stomach muscles. We know they're important, and we're going to lift up like this and down to this level. Look at my bottom leg. I don't keep it straight because I'm a little wobbly. Bend the knee. What are you going to do with that stick? Mike: I'm showing a nice straight line, Brad has with his spine and his leg here. Brad: I get a little nervous. Mike: He's not going forward. If you go a little back, you're just going to get your glute max a little more, but try to keep it in a nice straight line. Brad: There we go. That was a good visual aid, Mike. I appreciate that, and already I can feel this really going to town, that glute media is starting to burn, and I'm going to give it a break. Make sure you do both legs on each exercise, whether it's standing with a band or lying on your side. Mike: Now, the other muscle group we want to look at is still called the glutes, it's the glute max, also known as your buttocks muscle. If you have poor glute strength, it can compromise your lower back muscles, causing them to work even more, so we wanted to get your butt firing properly. There are lots of exercises to work your glutes; however, we're going to show just one, and we're going to do a couple of variations because not everyone is comfortable kneeling down. Brad: Right, now these exercises, we didn't make them up ourselves. We got them from Rick Olderman, who has written books and taught many courses on back pain using this specific exercise for glute maximus strengthening. Go ahead, Mike. You are the pro. Mike: So, this is a form of a glute pump exercise. A typical one, you'd bend to 90 degrees and kick up towards the ceiling. However, we don't want to go through the full range of motion. We just want to really isolate the glute muscles here, so I'm going to work my left leg, bring it up somewhere kind of in between, not too high, not too low. If you really want to isolate the glute even more, turn your foot in like this. I'm going to do little oscillating movements like this. I'm going to aim for 30 repetitions. If you need to do 10, rest, do 10, rest, 10, rest, that's fine, just try to get 30 reps. Make sure you are working it on both sides, feeling that gluten engage. If this becomes easy with a bent leg like that, you can leave your leg straight and do little oscillating movements as well. Brad: Right there. Mike: This becomes easy. You can take a cuff weight, slap it around your thigh region, and you're going to get in that same position again, and now you've got some more resistance. Brad: Now I realize some of you may have the question, "Do I do it on a bed or a table like this?" You could do it on a bed that's soft. It's typically best to do it on a carpeted floor. And do you have to do it on your forearms or can you do it on your hands, Mike? Mike: You can do it either/or. The forearms are going to get the glute up a little bit higher, but if you would like to do it on an extended arm, it's perfectly fine. Brad: If you have problems getting on your hands and knees like that on the floor and the bed's not a good option, which I had mentioned, you can do it standing up. I'll demonstrate here. You can go up to a countertop, a piece of firm furniture about this height. Mike is going to use the armrest there. Okay. Again, 90/90-degree bend in the knee like I'm demonstrating here, and we go up, and we're going to get that mid-range motion. We're not doing this. This is nothing more than a teeter-totter; it will not work the glute, upper body is stationary. I could go on my forearms here. That middle range, just a continual motion, 10 reps, or you can go up to 20 or 30 repetitions, rotate it in like this if you want to isolate that glute muscle more, and I could definitely feel that butt muscle on the right side energizing and really working when I do this little bit of rotation. Mike: Did you just say you had an energized butt muscle in there? Brad: That's right. That's right. It's a family show, Mike, let's keep it on the up and up. Okay, good, wow. What else do we have? Mike: I don't think we have much else, so if you are having some back pain and you notice maybe you have the waddle walk or you're struggling with your glute muscles, give these exercises a try. Pick which ones work for you and you feel like you can do on a consistent basis. Brad: There you go. Anyway, enjoyed your time staying with us. Do we have another video that's gonna complement this, Mike? Mike: Yes, if you happen to still be having some back pain, you can watch the video " 6 Best Low Back Stretches for Max Pain Relief (Every position) ." Brad: All right, very good. Hope you enjoy the day, and hope your back becomes pain-free. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

(Genu Valgus) When we are talking about knock knees, we consider three circumstances: 1. Those who present with knock knees (valgus angle) when squatting (i.e., lifting weights or in athletic sport-volleyball, basketball, etc.) 2. Those who present with knock knees all the time due to tight muscles, weak muscles, or habit. 3. Those who present with knock knees all the time due to structural or bony abnormalities, arthritis. We cannot change this type of knock knees. Frequently that what is occurring at a knee is being affected by the hip or foot/ankle. You need to look upstream and downstream. Knock Knees with Squatting Let us start with the knock knees that occur only with squatting. The external rotators of the hip may be weak causing internal rotation of femur and valgus (knock knees) at the knee. The hip internal rotators may also be tight. The quadriceps may also be weak, so as you squat down the knees go in to try and get other muscles to help with the squat. Other muscles may include the hip adductors which pull the knees in toward each other. The outside calf muscles may also get tight from a flat foot or feet, or if knees are frequently knock kneed. Some solutions: 1. Strengthen the quads by squatting narrow based so hip adductors do not kick in. Ball on the wall works great. 2. Figure 4 stretch in the seated position – at same time apply inversion stretch to foot- sole up to ceiling (stretches outer calf). 3. Clam Shells – progress to band. Long sit with knee bent- take into external rotation from adducted position. Knock knees all the time (tight or weak muscles, habit) The external rotators of the hip may be weak causing internal rotation of femur and valgus (knock knees) at the knee. The hip internal rotators may also be tight. The outside calf muscles may also get tight from a flat foot or feet, or if knees are frequently knock kneed. Some solutions: Hints: 1. Do not stand with knees hyperextended. (Normal Knee) (Hyper-Extended Knee) 2. Figure 4 stretch in the seated position – at same time apply inversion stretch to foot- sole up to ceiling (stretches outer calf). 3. Clam Shells – progress to band. Long sit with knee bent - take into external rotation from adducted position. 4. Foam roll or use ball on outside calf muscles. Or use massage gun. 5. Do not let sole of shoes wear out - especially flat-footed - they will promote knock knees. (Knocked Knees) 6. Try Sumo squats. Sumo squats will move your knees outward. (Sumo Squat) Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in September 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/hrxE80v00Fk Mike: Are you dealing with shoulder pain that's been lasting for weeks and struggling with activities like reaching over your head and reaching behind your back, maybe even your back pocket, or trouble sleeping? Brad: Well, if you are, we have four valid options to help treat this and get you over it in a quick hurry. Mike: You got over that fast. Brad: Well, you know, I'm good. Today we're talking about shoulder pain, long-term shoulder pain, and one common thing is that people irritate their shoulder while they're in bed, like this, sleeping on their shoulder. I am actually dealing with it right now. I've had this for a few months now. I wake up in the middle of the night on my side because, for some reason, my body says, turn that way when I'm sleeping. I wake up, and my shoulder is uncomfortable. Brad: One easy way to take away from this is how you sleep. If you know you're going to sleep on your side, get a habit of taking this shoulder and pulling it out so your trunk is at a little bit of an angle. This lets you think you're on your side, or you are on your side. You feel comfortable, your hips are there, but the shoulder is not being impinged with the body weight of the trunk. It's actually out in front; it works quite well. Brad: I do make all attempts to sleep on my back. It feels better on my back, actually, and better on my shoulders. It's those old habits after 60 years of sleeping on my side; I just don't want to get over it, but this helps a lot. Mike: Have you ever thought about sleeping on the other side? Brad: Well, I do that, too, but I have the same problem. Both my shoulders are a little uncomfortable. I think it's from swimming for the last 25 years, but I can't give that up. Mike: You've got a double whammy. Let's get into option number two. Brad: Now, the next thing is if you have shoulder pain long-term and you have the painful arch syndrome, let me explain what it is. I've had this with many patients over the years. They'll say, "My shoulder hurts, but it hurts when I reach up, and then it hurts, and then I get it so high, and it's not painful anymore. I can do my work overhead, but when I bring my arm down, oh, it hurts right through there again, and when you get it down, it's okay." Brad: That's called the painful arch syndrome. Now, this treatment is very easy to do. It can be really effective, and who is the surgeon that started this, shoulder surgeon? Mike: You are asking too many questions. Brad: Dr. Mark Kirsch. Anyways, let's go on with the treatment, and actually, this is similar to, who's our other therapist we work with? Mike: Rick Olderman . Brad: Rick Olderman uses the same thing, so it's a double benefit. Mike: So what we're going to do is stretch out the tendon in the rotator cuff here. You can do this on a door frame like I'm showing. If you have a pull-up bar, you can use that instead. Brad will show an option using a stick if you have trouble reaching up this high. Simply grab onto the top of the door frame, and you're gonna lean into the doorway. You'll start to feel a stretch here. Hold it for three breaths or so. If you prefer time, you can do 15 to 30 seconds, and then relax. Mike: As this becomes more comfortable and you want more of a stretch, lean into it and bend your knees slowly, and start hanging. This will help decompress even more within the shoulder joint region. If you're on a pull-up bar and you're fine hanging with one arm, you can do that, but it's a bit overkill. Brad: Right now, if you can't reach the doorframe up there, or perhaps the integrity of your trim work is not good and it might fall off, then you simply take a stick about four or five feet long, maybe an inch or so in diameter. You can use a broomstick, a piece of PVC pipe. We're using the Booyah Stik ; it works excellently. You can do it while sitting. You put it next to you, and make sure it does not move around. If it does, you take a shoe. Oh, here we go. I just happened to have my shoe. Put the stick in the shoe, and that works as a good break for that bottom. We're going to reach up as high as we can, and then I'm going to lean to the side. You can lean forward, whichever way feels better, and you're going to stretch and hold that. Brad: There we go. I usually do this for about 10 to 15 seconds or a little longer. Should feel good while you're doing it as well as when you're done. If you're standing, which is one of my usual stretches I do, downstairs in my basement, I go like this and I stretch into it. Brad: It's a nice stretch. There we go. If you happen to have a pull-up bar, you can just hang from a pull-up bar as well, or I like to do both as well. It works my back, so it's a double win for that. All right, let's go on to the next one, talking about, now, this is something that you do on a regular basis, or you've had good success with for shoulder problems. Mike: Yes, it's from our friend Rick Olderman, but we have to move this door out of the way. Brad: Yeah, because you're hiding back then. We'll have none of that. We want to be exposed. Mike: Now, the next handful of exercises we're going to go through are from our friend Rick Olderman, who's a physical therapist. If you want to find out more about him, you can go to rickolderman.com . Brad, take it away. Brad: Right, so the first stretch you're going to do, and then Mike's going to follow up with an exercise that these go together, you're going to go on your hands and knees. It can be done on your bed, but not so well. I prefer a carpeted floor. I'm going to do it here just for filming purposes. You bring your hands out in front of you, about shoulder width, and then you drop your butt down onto your ankles, and you're going to feel a stretch. Brad: The whole idea is we're going to loosen up that scapula and move it in an upward position, as they're probably down or one of them, and particularly the painful side, the scapula is depressed. We need to un-depress it, make it happy, and move up. That was kind of a joke. If you want to emphasize it more, say, my left one, I want to stretch that side, I put it over on my right hand, and you'll feel the emphasis on that left side. Going to hold that for 15 to 30 seconds. Brad: Do it two to three times, and after you get done with that, you're going to do the wall stretch, unless you can't do this because you're unable to go on your hands and knees. Mike's showing you options so you don't have to be on your hands and knees. Go ahead, Mike, I'm babbling. Mike: You can either do this at a table with a chair, or you can do it standing at a countertop as well, whatever works for you. Again, you simply put your hands on the table. If you have a rolling chair or computer chair, you can roll your butt back, get the same concept we were just showing. You're just not going to get the leg stretch, but we're focused on the shoulder in this video, so it's fine. Mike: If you have a chair that doesn't move, simply put your hands down. If you happen to have a towel or a smooth countertop, you can just slide your hands forward, go as far as you comfortably can. I'm going to hit my microphone on the bed, so I can't do too much. Hold for a few seconds, come back, and you can do that five to 10 times. Mike: Now, another option or exercise you can focus on, you're going to need an open wall or door for this. Simply take your hands, pinky side touching the wall to the elbows. You're going to start slightly below 90 degrees here, and I'm going to push, slide my arms up. As I go up, I'm kind of shrugging. You can see in my upper traps here. This'll help if you're having shoulder issues. Get that shoulder up as high as you comfortably can. Not everyone can go this high. If you can only go this high, that's fine, just start there. Hold for a few seconds and come back down. So we're going to go up, high as you can, lean into the wall a bit. Brad: Up with the shoulder blades at this point. Mike: And then come back down. Now, if you're only dealing with one bad shoulder and you only have to work one side, you could do this with one arm. Just go up and back down. You can do them separately. If you're like me and you just wanna do 'em together, you certainly can. It's not gonna hurt anything. Brad: There you go. I just found out that I'm working with someone who's doing this exercise, and he says it works really well to do it in the shower, and his fingers slide up and down the shower really easily, because they should just slide. You're not trying to drag or push into the wall; it's just simply a guide. Just something I wanted to bring up. All right, this is another nice shoulder exercise by Rick Olderman. It helps position the shoulder in the right position so everything works properly, and what you do is lie down. I like to put a pillow down just to raise my chest up a little bit, which makes the exercise easier. Doing this on a carpeted floor is best, not on a bed, which gives you a little more room. My right arm is the side that's a problem, and I'm going to lie like this, and the first thing I'm going to do is elevate the shoulder right there. That brings the scapula towards the midline or towards your spine, and then I'm going to lift up with a palm up towards the ceiling, and I'm just going to hold it there. We can do some isolation, about 10 to 15 repetitions, but you have to keep that scapula up. You will feel that middle trap muscle getting a little bit fatigued. Brad: Now, if you want to increase the intensity, Mike is going to demonstrate a more advanced method, and it's a little more difficult. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So you're going to, again, squeeze the trap, but my arm is not going to be next to my side. It's going to be out a little bit away from me. It is off the ground completely, or mat, I'm on a mat here, and then you're going to do little oscillating circles. You can do this for roughly 30 circles or 30 seconds, whichever comfortable for you, and then relax. You're really going to start feeling some fatigue and muscular work in that scapular region. Brad: That's right. So that brings that scapula back. After that, lie on your back. You don't have to have a pillow under your back, depends on how loose you are, but if you can lie like this, head down and out like this, and you can bring your arms up like this, if this is too easy and you want more of a stretch, then you would put a nice throw pillow or any pillow there, and it gives you more of a stretch, and you can see my hands do not want to touch the floor. This is a little too aggressive for me, so I would do it without that pillow. Ooh, okay, and that will also take 15 to 30 seconds. Brad: Do that a couple of times a day at least. All right, so obviously, you're not going to do all of those exercises. Go through each one, find out which ones you have tight muscles or you're having good results that make the shoulder feel better. Personally, I do the sleeping one I talked about. I also do the stretch, and I do the one lying on the ground. I do not do the one that Mike does. It just doesn't seem to work for me, so I leave it alone, and I have good success. Now, if you happen to find yourself doing the W one, where you're lying on your back like I just demonstrated, and you feel that these muscles here are tight, a good stretch, and you have a massage gun , this can be a really good option to get those muscles loosened up. Mike, talk about it. Mike: Yes, if you have tight pec muscles, oftentimes, that can bring your shoulders into a forward rounded position, bad posture over time, it's going to pull on your shoulder joint, causing a lot of issues. We need to fix that. Some people really need to get in there and massage along with stretching, so just massage the general pec region. You can hear it's working; my voice is vibrating, or you may have some tight lats, too, which can cause an effect, again, in your shoulder joint motion as well, so you can massage there as well. Brad: What's going on with that massage gun? You got a weird-looking head on there. Mike: This has a nice heat-cold option head, so if you want to warm it up, get some blood flow in the area, or cool it down, you can just press the buttons, and that's only on our pro models. Brad: Yeah, the pro models. Yeah, that heat-cold option is really nice. It feels great. I'm just impressed with it. Plus, they're really shiny, and you can see yourself at the end. It's like a mirror. Mike: Brad likes shiny things, looking at himself, apparently. If you want to check out more videos on shoulder pain, watch " How to Fix Shoulder Pain in Seconds (This Works!) " Brad: All right. Have fun, be careful. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in September 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/1fsxze4fL5c Mike: One of the most important factors when healing plantar fasciitis is actually getting blood flow and circulation to the area. Brad: Yes, now we are going to show you how you can benefit from using a massage gun. And there's four specific tricks that really make this work well. Mike: So today, we are talking about plantar fasciitis. What are some of the biggest issues with this, Brad? Brad: Well, the big thing is to actually increase circulation to the plantar fascia, which is going to help with healing. Anytime you increase circulation and blood flow, healing is actually increased. We're going to show you how to use a massage gun to use it specifically for this problem. Now, historically, it's very common that a therapist will say you can do a self-massage to the plantar fascia right here. And oftentimes you can use your thumbs, you're working that fascia to increase circulation, to loosen that tissue so that it releases tension. Brad: Now, a key thing is actually not just to massage the plantar fascia, but the calf muscles get tight, and when the calf muscles get tight, they are a direct link or chain connected to the heel, which connects directly to the plantar fascia. So we must relax the plantar fascia area and oftentimes, more importantly, relax the calf muscle. Mike: I'm feeling this right now. So what we're going to address first is the calf region, and then we'll work our way down to the plantar fascia. We want to massage the calf first using a massage gun. Then we're also going to stretch it. Then we'll get into the plantar fascia, how to massage that, and how to stretch there as well. So I'm just using the C2 Pro Massage Gun here. This one has a heat and cold option setting you can use on it, but you're just going to kind of go into the muscle belly and find the tender areas and gently work around that. You can go on the inside of the calf or the outside of the calf. You can do this in a seated position or lying down, whichever is comfortable for you. Brad: Yeah, now a lot of massage guns do not have the hot and cold head like this. This is new technology. I would recommend using the round or the ball head because almost all of them have that. And to get into that muscle, you're going to find tight spots. And if they're tight, they're probably a little more tender. So work it if you're using the round head, the big advantage I like and promote with my patients is don't go straight in. Actually, go at an angle. And that can work a cross-friction massage and can help loosen up those muscles without as much pain. Brad: So you're actually benefiting and making it more enjoyable. Now there is one key, some people, I have one patient right now, who really benefits from working up just below the knee. That's where the gastrocnemius is. The soleus muscle, lower down, is a separate muscle that can also be a big part of it. So make sure you cover from the tendon, the Achilles tendon, all the way up to the knee. Find out where the tight spot is, and there may be more than one. When you're done with it, it should feel tingly, it should feel good. That actually feels really helpful. And you'll know. It's usually three to five minutes. Mike, do you have any other tips before we get down to the plantar area? Mike: Usually, when I massage my calves, I have a lot of knots in there. I can feel them right now. It's a little uncomfortable. But for me, the longer I do it, the more they relax, and it feels better. So oftentimes I have to start very mild with the massage gun, a softer setting, a softer head. Over time, I could start pressing and get a little more aggressive. I actually squeeze the muscle belly with my hand, and it's a little bit easier to go in there. That's just a personal thing I found. Brad: Yeah, well, we're glad that you give us personal information. Let's get onto the plantar fascia. I am going to remove my nice, bright red socks and be aware, because my feet are getting old. Once you get 60, you've got all kinds of weird things going on. Mike: Weird odors, too. Brad: Yeah, yeah. So let's look at the plantar fascia, on the foot, we have this, it's kind of a little triangular-shaped. It goes from here, and then it connects to the calcaneus, the big bone right here. But oftentimes right in this area, if you push down on that area, it'll make you go "Ow." Brad: That's the irritated spot. That's the spot we need to relieve tension and increase blood flow. So again, now this one I would use, probably not the heated massage head. If you're doing it, you have to be careful because it's not as forgiving as the soft air head or the round head. Mike: This feels really good. I'm not going to lie. I've never used a hot massage head on the bottom of my foot. I also don't have plantar fasciitis, so my feet aren't sensitive. Brad: Yeah. Mike: So if you're sensitive, be a little cautious. Brad: And you'll find out. Right away, you start massaging gently. Start on low and work the bottom area of your foot. And you'll find the sensitive area. If it does, you get over the sensitive area, and it makes you go "Ow," stay away from that area. Work around it. And you can go over the calcaneus. You're not going to go directly into it because that's going to be very aggressive and just give you negative results. Sideways with the round head, okay? And if you want, you can get up into the Achilles tendon. Again, work it sideways. Don't go directly in unless it feels good, depending on the individual. Mike: Now you can also wipe down your massage gun head afterwards because it might stink a little bit if your feet are having odors. Brad: Speak for yourself. Mine is absolutely void of that situation. Now, when you can get to that area that's tender, it's often the spot when you get out of bed in the morning, oh, you feel it. After it starts to heal, you'll be able to get to that, and then you can massage that area again. I would use the round head, go sideways, so you get a cross-friction massage, which has historically worked very well, and you're just going to work it like shown above. This is feeling really good right now for me. And I'm going to spend a minute or two doing it. And again, when you're done, another thing you would like to do is a gentle, gentle stretch. Do you want to show how you stretch your plantar fascia? Mike: We'll show the plantar fascia stretch. We neglected the calf stretch. So we'll do that right afterwards. Brad: Okay, good point. Mike: What you can do is if you're comfortable sitting in a figure four position, legs crossed like this, it's a lot easier to grab the bottom of your foot. You could certainly do this lying down as well. Lying down? Brad: Lying, lying, lying. Make sure you get that. Mike: I'm a liar. Brad: Yeah. Mike: Okay. So what you're going to do is simply grab your toes with your hands here. If you can't reach well, you could certainly grab a towel if you want. And you're just going to pull back, extend the toes, keep a nice flat foot here. This is going to stretch the plantar fascia; bending down will relax it more, and this'll get a good stretch. You can just hold this for 30 seconds or so. Do it two to three times. Brad: Now, I was reading comments as we do, and one of the commenters said, "If you have an injured tissue here on the plantar fascia, why would you stretch it and potentially tear it open and re-injure it?" Very good point. That's why I emphasize gentle stretching. Don't overdo it. If you get pain, eh? Just kind of back off and gently stretch into it. So we're just trying to reorganize the scar tissue so that it heals in the right fashion. So gentle, gentle, gentle. Shall I repeat that three more times? Mike: Maybe. Brad: No, I won't. Alright, what do you say? Mike: I say we show 'em how to do the calf stretch since we forgot that earlier. Brad: Thank you. Mike: So you can go up to a wall standing up. A simple way to do it is that the foot I'm stretching is going to go back behind me more. I simply lean forward to try to have good posture and straighten my knee out. I'm going to stretch my calf muscles. Just hold this for 30 seconds or so. You can go longer if it feels comfortable. If you want to try to hit your soleus muscle, the other deeper calf muscle, try to bend your ankle. Again, do the same thing. I have some pretty tight ankles, so I don't get too much motion on this. Brad: So he's flexing the knee, which immediately flexes or dorsiflexes the ankle, which gets that soleus a little deeper. Mike: So if I am doing the gastroc muscles, I'm keeping a nice straight leg doing this. Want to hit the soleus a little more? Bend the knee. Brad: Woo. Nice job. I say you did a good job of explaining there. Now what I'd like to do is talk about, I can't remember what I was going to do. I think we're finishing up here. Make sure you work with these when you're using the massage guns, do the tricks that we talked about. It can make a big difference. And I think we got another video that actually relates. Mike: Yes, " The 5 Things Anyone with Plantar Fasciitis Should Do Every Morning . Brad: Every morning. Mike: Because most often, when people get out of bed, that's when it's most problematic. Brad: Yeah. As a matter of fact, my wife, I shouldn't laugh. But she just started developing symptoms. She got out of bed this morning. "Oh, it hurts." And I thought, "Your ankle?" "No, it's right there." And I said, "You have plantar fasciitis." But I didn't laugh. I didn't. Mike: Sure. He is laughing now. Brad: No. I'm going to help my wife get through her plantar fasciitis quicker. I hope she didn't see this episode. Goodbye. Goodbye. We're rambling. 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Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

1. Will you need surgery? a. You have four major ligaments in your knee. All attach from the femur bone, which makes up the upper half of the knee joint, to the Tibia or Fibula bones, which make up the bottom of the knee joint. All four help stabilize the knee joint and limit the mobility of the joint. You have one ligament on each side of the knee - the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) on the outside of the knee and the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) on the inside of the knee. Most often, the collateral ligaments do not need surgery (although there can be exceptions). The other two ligaments are located inside the knee and cross each other inside the knee joint. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL). When a cruciate ligament is completely torn. If an ACL or PCL ligament is torn, you will generally require surgery. In this surgery, the surgeon will take tendons from other parts of your leg (or from a cadaver) for the reconstruction. 2. What happens if you do not have the surgery? a. If your ACL or PCL is torn and you opt out of surgery, you may experience continued knee pain or instability. If you want to continue to participate in sports or physical labor, the surgery is often warranted. If the ACL or PCL is completely torn, there will be instability in the knee that can cause feelings of sudden knee shifting or buckling. Also, without an ACL or PCL repair, you have a higher risk of eventual injury to the cartilage in your knee (due to the instability). Generally, with a complete ACL or PCL tear, you will be unable to: 1. Jump and land on the knee 2. Accelerate and then change directions 3. Rapidly pivot on the knee If you opt out of surgery, a knee brace and physical therapy might help with stability. Keep in mind that the reconstructive surgery is complicated, and the rehab is quite involved. Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

Tired, Achy Feet? Try a Simple Massage Ball Are your feet stiff, sore, or achy by the end of the day? Whether from long hours standing, plantar fasciitis, or general foot pain, rolling your feet on a massage ball is one of the easiest ways to find relief at home. Using a ball under your foot can: Ease pain in the arches and heels Improve flexibility and circulation Reduce plantar fasciitis flare-ups Provide instant relaxation Best Massage Balls for Foot Pain When choosing a ball for foot rolling, consider the style and pressure you prefer: Bio Cork Massage Balls  – Firm, smooth, eco-friendly, and perfect for consistent pressure. Vibrating Massage Balls  – Add vibration and textured grips for deeper stimulation and enhanced circulation. Both are excellent tools for plantar fasciitis treatment at home and general foot pain relief. How to Use a Massage Ball for Feet 1. Seated Foot Massage Sit comfortably in a chair. Place the ball under your arch, heel, or forefoot. Roll slowly back and forth with light pressure. 2. Standing Foot Roll Stand up and place more body weight onto the ball. Focus on sore spots like the arch or heel for deeper release. 3. Targeted Pressure for Plantar Fasciitis Find a tender area under your foot. Hold the ball there for 20–30 seconds to release knots. 4. Cross-Fiber Massage Roll side-to-side across the foot instead of lengthwise. Helps loosen fascia and small foot muscles in a new direction. 💡 Tip:  For plantar fasciitis, roll near (but not directly on) the heel first, then slowly move closer to the sore spot as it loosens. How Long Should You Roll Your Feet? Most people only need 1–2 minutes per foot for effective results. Use foot rolling: In the morning, to warm up tight feet After walking or standing all day Before bed for soothing relaxation Where to Buy Massage Balls for Feet Bob & Brad’s Bio Cork Massage Balls and Vibrating Massage Balls are available exclusively at Walmart—both in-store and online. Look for them in the Pharmacy / Pain Relief aisle (near Tylenol & ibuprofen). Each set includes two balls. Vibrating balls are battery-operated and available in black & teal. These small but mighty tools are designed to help with: Plantar fasciitis Heel pain Arch soreness General tired, achy feet As well as being great for other body parts Quick, Affordable Relief Rolling your feet with a massage ball is a simple, low-cost solution for foot pain. Whether you choose a cork ball or a vibrating one, just a few minutes of rolling can release tension, ease plantar fasciitis, and make walking feel easier again. Your feet carry you all day—treat them to a massage they deserve! 👉 Ready to try it? Pick up your set of Bob & Brad Massage Balls at Walmart  today and start rolling your way to pain-free feet.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/QQhXAsemRiQ Mike: If you ever experience sharp heel pain, especially in the morning, when taking your first steps out of bed, you may be dealing with plantar fasciitis. Brad: That's right. We're going to go through everything about plantar fasciitis, all you need to know, and determine if you have it or not. So plantar, we're talking about the bottom aspect of the foot. Fasciitis is talking about the fascia. "Itis" is inflammation. So this tissue from the base of the toes to the heel, particularly, I have it marked in green, becomes inflamed, tender, and very painful. Now the tissue actually does go from the toes and around the heel up into here, but this is what the name refers to. Let's go on to the next thing, and some symptoms, Mike. Mike: Some of the symptoms, the major symptom most people complain about is they will have pain typically located near the heel. It can be more forward, a little more back. Somewhere in that region is normally where they feel the most amount of pain. Brad: And oftentimes it's getting out of bed in the morning when the pain is the worst. You put weight on it, oh, and it hurts. And you kind of go like this. Brad: And then after about 20, 30 steps or more, it starts to get better, more tolerated. Mike: Yeah, so oftentimes as the day progresses, most people don't feel the pain as much, especially if they're up on their feet and walking around. However, even if they just sit for a prolonged period of time, maybe half an hour, an hour, they get up again, it often reoccurs, so those are some very common symptoms. Brad: Now, some of the causes of plantar fasciitis are actually that the tissues of the plantar fascia get micro tears, and the small tears they rip, and then they start to heal. And then the next day, when you stand on it in the morning, it rips again, re-irritating it. It can go on for weeks or even months. So we really don't fully understand why people get it. We have some ideas. We'll get into that in just a second. Mike, you want to talk about it? Mike: So, some things we do know are that it is often caused by irritation of repetitive movements. So oftentimes people who run a lot, or are standing on their feet a lot for their occupation, can have repetitive stress and stretching of that plantar fascia, which can cause those micro tears and irritation. Brad: Right? And a lot of people do complain. Say they were pretty sedentary, and they started walking, or even a jogging program. And that big shift of stress to those tissues starts those micro tears, and starts the whole process up. So one or two of those. Foot mechanics can be a problem as far as whether you are flat-footed or not. And that changes as we age, which relates to what age group normally gets this, Mike? Mike: So this is pretty common between people 40 and 60 years old. However, it can happen at any age, but that's more commonly when it happens to people. Brad: There you go. So if you're experiencing symptoms consistent with what we just went through and it's really bad, you will want to go to a doctor, have it assessed professionally, and get some treatment for it. There are some medical things that the doctor can provide in regards to injections. There's a laser treatment, there's a number of things. Conservatively, Bob and Brad, we do have some good advice on how you can treat this if it's not so bad to take care of it yourself. Mike, what is that video? So we have more than one, actually. Mike: We have plenty. But if you want to check out some actual treatment options, if you think you have plantar fasciitis, watch Fix Plantar Fasciitis Fast, Foot Pain Gone (50+) . Brad: There you go, or if they do YouTube, search Bob and Brad plantar fasciitis, you'll get at least 10 different videos with 10 different options, and you know. Mike: At least. Brad: Yeah, what do you call that when you watch a video over and over? Mike: Subscribers, repetitive watchers, binge watching. There we go. Brad: Binge watch. Yeah, you can binge-watch. That'll put you in a good mood. Have a good day. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun A7 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun D5 Pro Plus Massage Gun (with heat) D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote EyeOasis 3 Eye Massager Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager G100 Pro Vibration Therapy Massager Hand Massager HandSpa Pro Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   iNeck Pro Neck and Shoulder Massager Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager M7 Plus Mini Massage Gun with Heat Therapy Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraHeat Knee Brace TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun ThermoRed Heated Back Belt Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Zero Pro Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

There are four main ligaments in your knee. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect one bone to another. In the knee, they connect the bone above your knee to one of the two bones below your knee. These four ligaments help stabilize your knee joint. Common ways the ligaments get strained, stretched, partially torn, or completely torn (often during sports): 1. Suddenly changing direction (cutting) or slowing down 2. Landing incorrectly or awkwardly from a jump 3. Sudden stop 4. Pivoting on your knee with your foot firmly planted 5. A direct blow or collision to the knee (example-football tackle) Indications you may have a torn or strained ligament in your knee: 1. Sudden and severe pain 2. A loud popping or snapping sound during the injury 3. Rapid swelling within the first 24 hours 4. The knee feels loose or unstable 5. Unable to put weight on the joint-painful or gives way 6. A loss of motion in the knee With these indicators, one should see a physician. Tests they may do to check the integrity of the ligaments: 1. Anterior drawer for ACL ligament (Anterior Cruciate Ligament): a. Lie on your back and bend the knee to 45 degrees. Grab the tibia and fibula with the fingers above the joint line. Pull in an explosive manner. Compare side to side. Laxity may indicate a strain or tear. 2. Posterior drawer for PCL ligament (Posterior Cruciate Ligament): a. Lie on your back and bend the knee to 45 degrees. Grab the tibia and fibula with the fingers above the joint line. Push in an explosive manner. Compare side to side. Laxity may indicate a strain or tear. 3. Valgus Test for MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament): a. Lie on your back – perform with your knee straight and at 20-30 degrees. Grab the inside part of the ankle and place the other hand on the outside thigh. Turn the lower leg slightly outward - external rotation. Bring the lower leg out into abduction. A feeling that the joint may be gapping is a sign ligament may be stretched or torn. Compare to the other side. 4. Varus Test for LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament): a. Lie on your back – perform with your knee straight and at 20-30 degrees. Grab the outside part of the ankle and place the other hand on the inside thigh. Turn the lower leg slightly outward- external rotation. Bring the lower leg in toward the other leg. A feeling that the joint may be gapping is a sign ligament may be stretched or torn. Compare to the other side. Check out the full Knee Pain Relief Program series of videos, along with downloadable guide sheets, here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/knee-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/mmWnJaYtKCY Brad: All right, we're talking about improving leg circulation, decreasing swelling. We're going to use three separate factors, and we're going to talk about that in detail and then show you how to do it so you get maximum success, Mike. Mike: This is geared towards people 55 and older, and you can do all these things in your home. They're relatively simple to do and low-level, so anyone can do them. Brad: But if you're under 55, it will work for you as well. Let's go to work, Mike. Mike: So the first major factor to help with maximum circulation is using gravity to assist with venous return. Your veins bring the blood back up your leg, which can help with swelling and edema. Brad: That's right, and the next is actually a specific massage that you do if you do have lymph or that swelling from lymph, and how to get it back up to where it needs to go. It's very simple, but it's very critical. Mike: And the third thing is actually using your muscle contraction to work as a pump, which can help return blood flow up to your heart. Brad: That's right. It all fits together, and it does not take much time. Let's set it up, Mike. Okay, now the first step you're going to do is actually position yourself so you can get maximum benefits using gravity. And actually, you're going to stay in that position for steps two and three. So all these fit together, making it very efficient. So what you'll do is get your bed up close to the wall. Now I'm going to show you a different option if this doesn't work for you. And you're going to put your feet on the wall. So now we have gravity. If you have lymphedema, that's going to go down; that's superficial. Just under the skin as well as venous return. The gravity is going to help that as well. Now you can keep your legs straight or simply put a little bend in your knees, whatever's more comfortable. Brad: Obviously, you're going to want to wear socks, and you'll see why in just a little bit. So socks probably would be better than barefoot, no shoes for sure. Now, if this is not possible for you because of moving the bed or because it's uncomfortable, or we know that some people's legs just aren't going to tolerate this, or are not strong enough, we'll show another option right now. Okay, now you can get the elevation of the legs and use pillows. I have three of them here, actually, I could put more into there. The higher you get, the better. Although with pillows, they get a little wobbly. So you'll do the best you can, depending on how many pillows you have. Brad: Now, there is another option that does work well, and it's called a leg wedge. They're not that expensive and they're very comfortable. They also work great for relieving back pain. They've had great experiences. If you're going to get one of these online, make sure you look at the dimensions because they do come in different dimensions. If you're taller or if you want a higher one. And then you actually add the pillows along with the leg wedge to increase that gravity assist. Brad: And then we go to step number two. Okay, so the second step is the massage that I talked about. If you do have swelling from lymphedema below the knees, it's very critical that we do some massage, but it's not what you might think. You might think you want to get really aggressive and massage and push that fluid at the ankle up, and then work it down. That is not the correct way. You actually want to start at the stomach or the waist level. And we're going to do a light massage. It's not aggressive. Lymph is just under the skin. And we need to clear the lymphatic system at the belly because it actually comes up through there before it goes central, and your body actually digests it or actually works with it. So I'm going to start here, and you just do a simple massage. Sometimes you can just do a light circular area. Now, if you do go to a lymph specialist, they'll go into a little more detail with this. I've actually observed it; it works very well, but by yourself, this will definitely help. And then you work at the knees, and you kind of work towards the medial or the inside of the thigh. And then we bring the lymph fluid down from the legs. Now, the third step, if your arms are long enough, you can go from the toes to the knee. This gets a little difficult. If you want to work on it here, then you can and work in this direction. The idea is, the way it weas explained to me that made sense is think of, the fluid has to go through the legs up into the trunk and we clear it in the belly first and then we clear it in the thighs so that the fluid at the feet can actually have a free flow all the way up to the trunk, and that's how that's done. Brad: So you're going to spend probably about two or three minutes starting at the belly for a minute or two, and then the thighs. And you know if you can reach the toes, then do an extra massage below the knee for a minute or so. And then we're going to go onto the exercises from this position, which works out very well. Mike: Now for the exercise portion, we are first going to show it on the wall, then we'll show it using a leg wedge option as well. So to begin, we're going to start distal to proximal. We're going to do some ankle pumps so you can rock back and forth like this just on the wall. Should we do roughly 15 repetitions, Brad? Brad: Yep. That would be good. You do it for 30 seconds, whatever works well. And we're working the muscles distally or at the ankle first to help push that fluid in the venous return. And then we're going to work on the next muscle group, hamstrings and quadriceps. Mike: So we're going to do some wall slides here. Obviously, the closer you are, the easier this one might be for some people. Brad: Yep. Mike: But you're just going to slide back and forth. You could do them together if you want, but that seems kind of odd because you don't walk like that or bike like that. Brad: Well, some people would like it; it's something different. Mike: I guess it's an option. Brad: And this is why you want to have socks so that they'll slide on the wall. You know, if you've got one of those rough walls in, you have a problem. Mike: Yeah. You might have some issues. And the last one, you're going to hold beneath your knee here. You could try both if you can at the same time. But I'll just do one at a time. And you're just going to kick up, kind of do some longer quads, let your knee bend all the way down, and then go up. We're working again, more proximal with this one. Again, 30 seconds or 15 repetitions, whichever comes first. And then switch sides. If you're limited on your motion, just do what you can. Brad: Yeah, a nice side benefit of this is actually that you get a little bit of a hamstring stretch, which is very good for most people. And you can tell Mike has got tight hamstrings. Mike: You don't have to rub it in. Brad: Yeah, some people will get straight, you're really tight. You have to work on those hamstrings. Mike: I try. Brad: And then you go right from that directly, and we're going to show you how to do it. If you're using the leg wedge or pillows or a combination, it's the same thing. Mike, go ahead and show them now. Also, remember, really relax and just enjoy these. Don't get all tense. The more relaxed you are, the more things flow, the better off you are. Mike: So the first one is ankle pumps. Again, you're probably going to have to get your feet off the edge of the pillows there. If they're in the pillows, they're going to have a limited range of motion. So let your feet hang off just slightly while you're doing this one. And again, 30 seconds or 15 repetitions, whichever is easier for you. You could certainly go longer if it feels good. Brad: And these, I really want you to emphasize the pulling up, because that's going to stretch your calf muscles a little bit, which is particularly great for older people, because those muscles get tight and that can cause tripping and possibly a fall. So pull it up, stretch it good. Mike: You can make fun of my tight calves, too. Brad: Well, no, they're looking pretty good, Mike. Go on to the next exercise, please. Alright, now, as far as the heels or the foot sides going up and down on the wall, it's very difficult. You can just slide your feet on the bed back and forth like that. Sometimes your feet will catch on the sheets, and it doesn't work so well. There is a device that actually works very well for this, it's called the FitGlide . I'm going to put that there, and it simply slides back and forth. Now, if you have some fragile skin, you may want to put a towel there under both of them, and it's a little more comfortable. But you can see this works really well, and this works in bed. And you can use this in the seated position as well. So it's not just restricted to this exercise. How are you doing, Mike? Mike: I'm good. Now you think I have fragile skin, too, I guess, huh? Brad: No, no, Mike, you're kind of sensitive today. Mike: I am. Brad: Anyways, let's go on to the next one. And you can work that, hold underneath the knee if you have some weakness in those legs. Relax and the same thing, and loosen up the hamstrings. Work those quads. Good job. Mike: Get straighter. Brad: All right, very good. Let's go to the next part. Now, once you do these once or twice, you'll find out it works very efficiently. You can get through it in just a few minutes. And if you want to really have improved circulation throughout the day, you might want to investigate either some Tubigrip compression garment or? Mike: Some type of compression socks. Now you want to check with your doctor if you have lymphedema or severe swelling in your legs. If you just have muscle soreness and you're trying to improve them, you don't necessarily need a doctor's order for some compression socks. Brad: That's right. Again, check it out with your doctor, and they'll help you get the right fit, or they'll send you to someplace that'll get you the right fit and the right way to use them. Mike: Now, if you tolerated all those exercises and activities well, you can certainly do them numerous times throughout the day if you have the time. You can do morning, afternoon, or evening. If you only have time for one time a day, that's certainly acceptable as well. Do what fits your schedule, and obviously, they should help and make you feel better. Brad: We've got another video that relates to the set you may want to watch as well. Mike: Watch " You Can Instantly Improve Leg Circulation & Blood Flow " for more on improving circulation and blood flow. Brad: There you go. Enjoy the day. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun A7 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun D5 Pro Plus Massage Gun (with heat) D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote EyeOasis 3 Eye Massager Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager G100 Pro Vibration Therapy Massager Hand Massager HandSpa Pro Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   iNeck Pro Neck and Shoulder Massager Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager M7 Plus Mini Massage Gun with Heat Therapy Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraHeat Knee Brace TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun ThermoRed Heated Back Belt Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Zero Pro Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in July 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/rngJdCU1h58 Mike: Do you struggle with muscle knots in your neck, your upper traps, or even your upper back region? Brad: Well, today we're going to give you three different options on how to treat this and get rid of these problems for good. For a brief explanation on why these knots and pains develop as a result of the scapula on the painful side actually being depressed and going down. It's typically on the dominant side. If you're right-handed, that's the side that will develop most of these knots. Now, Rick Olderman actually figured this out. He's a physical therapist who developed a system on how to treat this, which has worked very well. Let's go to the skeleton to show a really good model of the scapula here, actually being depressed. This would be the normal position, so they're about even, but it drops down. Normal Position Depressed Scapula Brad: Now, the key to this and why you develop those muscle knots is because the upper traps and the mid traps actually connect. The muscles from the cervical spine to the traps actually get stretched out. And don't forget, what is the one located at the back and side of your neck , that one thin muscle that creates problems? Mike: It's the levator scapula. Brad: Right. It connects from the skull down to the scapula. That can cause headaches, and it really is a key muscle that causes pain, so what we need to do is get the scapula back in the position that takes stress off of those muscles, allows them to relax, voila, your pain is gone. Now we're going to show you how to do that. All right, now the first stretch that we're going to do is quite simple, but the whole goal is actually to stretch the muscles of the lower trap, or below the scapula, so that there's enough range of motion, so the scapula can move up, because the lower trap as well as the levator scapula, the primary two muscles that pull it down, they need to get stretched, they are tight. They will stretch out relatively easily, allowing that upward motion to occur. So, stretch number one, we're going to use a door. There is another option. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: Yeah, we'll show a few options because some people aren't that tall and can't reach up here. So the first one, you're going to need a door frame. You can also use a pull-up bar if you happen to have one at home. So what you're going to do is take the side that is bothering you more, that shoulder. You're going to face your palm away from you, try to grab the top of the door frame, and then you're going to lean into it. Now this is the same exact thing you do with a pull-up bar. Obviously, if you have one against the wall units, you're not going to be able to go as far in. You're going to hold this for roughly three breaths, if you're more of a seconds person, 15 to 30 seconds, and then relax. Mike: Now, when you do this, if you want to get a little more stretch and pull with it, as you go in, slightly bend your knees and hang more. You'll feel more of a stretching motion going on. Mike: It's also good to do this on both sides just to compare and see if the other side feels better or looser. So, again, same concept. And just stretch it out, see if you notice a difference. Brad: There you go. Now, if you're too short or you're having a hard time grabbing onto the woodwork, or the woodwork literally falls off the door because it's not connected well, you can simply take, like, a mop, a PVC stick, or a Booyah Stik . You may put it on a counter or on a table. If it slips around, simply take a shoe, put it on there because you don't want it slipping around, and you do the same thing. Instead of grabbing the trim of the door, you grab the stick, and you do the same thing. Reach up as high as you can, grip up there so you don't slip there, we don't want the hand slipping down, and lean, and you'll get the same stretch. You can move your feet, adjust. Whoa, there we go, and I can feel a stretch here all the way down to my belt line. And, again, hold it. How long again, Mike? Mike: Three breaths or 30 seconds, Brad: Three breaths, 30 seconds, and do that, repeat it, and, again, like Mike said, do the other side. Then we get those lower muscles stretched out. Let's see what number two, the second exercise in the system, does. All right, now this is the final exercise, and what we need to do is stretch the muscles out here that pull the scapula down. Now we need to strengthen the muscles up here so that the scapula becomes positioned properly, which allows the muscles to relax as well. Brad: The mechanics of this joint, the shoulder joint, we call it the GH joint, that joint will work more freely, allowing a better range of motion and less pain as well. Mike, you know this stretch better than I do. Go ahead. I'll take a break. Mike: So you're going to need an open wall space. You can also use a smooth door if it's obviously closed. You're going to start with the painful arm again. You're going to touch the wall with your pinky, touching all the way to your elbow. Start with your shoulder joint a little bit lower, so lower than 90 degrees. You're going to start sliding up the wall. As I'm going up, I'm thinking about shrugging my shoulder to help me go up. If you're in pain anywhere, just stop. Try to go up as high as you comfortably can. You're going to hold here again for roughly two to three breaths. Relax, come back down, maintaining contact with the wall the entire time. You're going to want to do at least five repetitions of these on one side, and then you can switch to the other side to see if you notice a difference when you're going up or down. Mike: Eventually, over time, as they start evening out and you like the stretch, I personally do these with both hands on the wall, but it's not necessary. Brad: So one thing I want to emphasize that Mike did very nicely is go up once, and when I do these, when I get to about 90 degrees, I think about that shoulder blade actually moving up. That contracts these muscles to strengthen them. And then it's really important, as Mike said, hold it there. You're gonna do that three breaths, so you're going to stay relaxed while you're doing it. These muscles are going to get stronger and shorten up, pulling that scapula up. And just remember, Mike is not pushing his hand or arm into the wall. It's lightly touching, just very gently. How are you doing, Mike? Mike: I'm doing great. Brad: Good. Excellent. Good job on that explanation. We want to get that shoulder blade up. Now we do have one more, actually, a postural thing you can do in the seated position that can really help get rid of this pain quickly, and this is one that Bob found extremely healthy. We're going to get to it in 0.3 seconds. Mike: You mean helpful? Brad: What did I say? Mike: Healthy. It's both. Brad: All right. Now one part of the problem that can be a big part of the problem or causing that pain to continue is when you're working at a computer workstation or at a table and which really most people do for a certain part of their day, some do it for a long part, but when the arms are hanging down by the side, pulling that scapular down, over time that can create irritation to those muscles. That pain, the knots, all start to occur, and it's not fun. You're uncomfortable doing this type of thing. So what we need to do is rest the weight of the arms, which is pulling that scapula down, on some kind of surface. Now, if you have a computer workstation, desk, or chair like this, you may be able to just adjust those up and down. Brad: Some people have that, and they're not aware of it. If you have a chair like this, what you can do for a good option, and this is what Rick Olderman suggested to Bob, Bob did it and he was grateful, his pain went away greatly immediately, is take a pillow, fold it in half, kind of wedge it between your body and the armrest, we'll do that on both sides, and, voila, we have a computer workstation chair. Put your forearms on there, and I can already feel the difference. Brad: It just feels like my shoulders are floating versus hanging, and then you have your keyboard to work with. There you go. Now, if this works well for you, you're probably not going to want to do this long term. It's probably worth getting a chair that has appropriate adjustable armrests. Mike, why don't you give a good demonstration, and I mean a good demonstration? Mike: You could tell the big difference if I have this all the way down versus up, you can see my shoulder is probably depressed. I can't see in a mirror right now, but it's probably down a lot. Now, this might be a bit extreme. I may not need to go this high, but if you're having a lot of pain, sometimes getting it as high as you can is going to help relieve that pain or those muscle knots you're experiencing. If you, say, have a recliner or couch, I would definitely suggest using the pillows like Brad was doing earlier because, again, you can get in those depressed shoulder positions, putting a lot of strain on those regions, causing those knots and tenderness. So just get it up, good position, make sure you have good posture, and stick with it. Brad: Right. That good posture is obviously a big part of this. The armrests really accentuate and help that out. And, very good, I'm hoping that we made sense to everyone. It's a very nice whole system that Rick has figured out, and we got another video? Mike: If you want to check out more videos on how to help with muscle knots in the same region, check out the video, " How to Get Rid of Muscle Knots in Traps, Shoulder & Back in 90 seconds ." This one actually has more treatment options, specifically strain/counterstrain, I believe. Brad: Exactly right. A 90-second system, which has also been around for a long time and has been researched. It works very well. It's a little more difficult than this, but once you get the hang of it, it does work. Go ahead, watch that, enjoy it. And, I don't know, what do you say, Mike? Should we go to work or go home? Mike: Go home. Brad: There you go. Thank you, and enjoy the day. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun A7 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Back Massager C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy C2 Plus Massage Gun with Heat C2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head D5 Pro Massage Gun D5 Pro Plus Massage Gun (with heat) D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head EyeOasis 2 Eye Massager EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote EyeOasis 3 Eye Massager Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager G100 Pro Vibration Therapy Massager Hand Massager HandSpa Pro Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   iNeck Pro Neck and Shoulder Massager Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager M7 Plus Mini Massage Gun with Heat Therapy Posture Pad Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Q2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head Q2 Plus Mini Massage Gun  Q2 Max Massage Gun with Metal Head sWAVE Massage Gun with Belt T2 Massage Gun  T2 Pro Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Head T2 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head TheraHeat Knee Brace TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun ThermoRed Heated Back Belt Weighted Heating Pad for Back Weighted Heating Pad For Neck and Shoulders Weighted Heating Pad-Long X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head X6 Pro Max Massage with Heat-Cold and Metal Head Zero Pro Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Wall Anchor​ Stretching: Booyah Stik   Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store   and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop Medical Disclaimer: All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.