Pain in your hip can be referred from a problem with your back. It can be difficult to determine the true source. It is possible that you are having both knee and back pain or knee and hip pain at the same time, but it is not that common. We will try to provide some guidance. Number one sign your knee pain may be coming from your hip or back - You cannot find any tender spots on the knee. Make sure you press on the joint line, which is right below the knee cap. If the knee pain is referred from somewhere else, there will not be any tender spots on the knee. (Knee Joint Line) Signs Your Knee Pain may be from Your Back: 1. Pain is felt in the low back, or from the low back into the buttock area. Pain spreads from the lower back all the way to the foot or ankle. 2. Your pain worsens with sitting or bending? 3. Does your pain improve with standing or walking? 4. Do you have pain in your low back on the same side as your knee pain? 5. Coughing or sneezing reproduces or increases your knee pain? 6. Do you have areas of numbness or tingling on the same side as your knee pain? 7. You have both knee and back pain on the same side of pain at the same time. Signs Your Knee Pain May Be from Your Hip. 1. You have pain in the groin or side of the hip on the same side as the knee pain. The pain may spread down the side of the thigh to the knee, or down the front of the thigh to the knee, but not beyond. (Pain Areas) Squatting tends to aggravate your hip, not your knee. Tests You Can Do: 1. Sit in a chair. Note your pain location and intensity. Now slump down. Is your pain worse? Unchanged? Now grab the seat of the chair with both hands and, while slumping, pull up on it. Pain worse? Unchanged. (Pain will tend to change if the source is from your back) (Slump Test) 2. Hip Internal Rotation: Sit on a higher chair or surface with your legs dangling. With your knees together, rotate your ankles out to the side as far as your legs will allow. Compare the motion of each. Motion tends to be limited on an arthritic hip. (Poor Hip Internal Rotation) (Good Hip Internal Rotation) 3. Flex your hip in the seated or standing position. You may feel increased pain on the side of your hip if you have hip arthritis. (Hip Flexion) 4. Lie on your back. Flex your affected hip (leg) until your thigh is vertical and the knee is at a right angle (see photo). Grab your knee with both hands and pull the leg directly down (like you are trying to drive your upper thigh into your pelvis (see photo). While pulling the leg down, direct your hands to the opposite leg (you are adducting the hip, see photo). An arthritic hip may experience pain in the groin or outside hip. 5. In a standing position, hold on to a counter and extend the affected hip directly back. An arthritic hip may feel pain. 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 July of 2024. For the original video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egYc6GE05BQ Brad: Walking is one of the best activities you can do for exercise as we age. However, there's one big problem that commonly causes people not to walk, and that is foot pain. Mike: So we're going to cover five common causes of foot pain and give you some remedies. Brad: Five different remedies actually. Mike: So some of the common problems we're going to talk about today include heel and arch pain, commonly caused by plantar fascitis. Brad: And I'm also going to give the forefoot pain here. One of the common ones is Morton's neuroma, which I have, as well as bunions on the side of the foot by the big toe, typically. Mike: And the last thing we're going to talk about is hammer toe, which can be very problematic for some people, including Bob. Brad: Yeah, absolutely, let's get to it. These are things to deal with. Now, the solutions and the remedies that we're offering here and going to show you are from experts in the field. Number one is Dr. Ray McClanahan . He's a podiatrist and he has excellent success with his patients. He's cut down his surgeries on feet by, I believe it's over 50% as a result of some of the remedies we're going to show you. And then also, who is it? Mike: Rick Olderman , who is a physical therapist and a friend of ours. Brad: Right, now we're going to show some of the highlights of their treatment that we think are most effective. If you want to get into the details, you can go to YouTube and see the videos as well as podcasts for complete details. Let's get onto the first one. We're going to cover plantar fasciitis first, probably the most common one. Then we're going to get into the other pathologies. Now, one of the big symptoms that happens with plantar fasciitis is getting out of bed and putting weight on your foot, it's very painful. So what you'll want to do, before you get out of bed, this is my painful foot, we want to do an actual massage and stretch on the foot. It's very simple, you can simply use your thumbs and you can work the fascia, which goes from the heel up to the toes, and we're just going to do some circular motions. And you want to get in deep, this is not a superficial massage. Your thumbs will get tired, and that means you're getting deep enough. Now, I like splaying, where you pull the tissue apart and get in there deep so you can feel it. Oftentimes, the sore spot is at the base of the heel. If that's tender, stay away from it. Brad: If you can work it a little bit, go ahead, and then also stretching the toes back can be beneficial and really get a nice stretch, because that does go directly to the plantar fascia. There we go, and that is critical. Then you can get up and put your shoes on and walk around. We have a little more information on that in a second. Mike: Another option for massaging your plantar fascia is to sit down in a chair and grab a ball of sorts. I actually have a spiky massage ball here. These are like $5 to $10, you can find them in most stores. You can use a golf ball, lacrosse ball , massage ball, whatever you have. A tennis ball might be a little soft. It might be okay for early on, but you want something a little more aggressive for later. So simply place it on the floor and roll back and forth. You will find some tender spots in your legs. Now, personally, the larger the circumference of the ball, the less it can really dig in there. If I use a golf ball, say, I can really get in there. That's also way more firm. Go into the arches, wherever you feel it. You can start with gentle pressure if you are very tender, and over time, lean forward and put more on there. Brad: Now, we are going to talk about using a massage gun. A lot of people have these nowadays. That's going to be more at the end, so if you want to learn about that, hold on with us. The next thing is if you experience a lot of pain out of bed when you put weight on it, and you kinda limp a little bit, and after a while it loosens up, the thing that you can do is go and use a night splint . Mike's going to talk about that, he's got personal experience with it. Mike: So the night splint is a good option. It's actually a splint you wear on your ankle at night when you're sleeping, as long as you can handle it. Typically, when we are sleeping, if you look at my left leg here, oftentimes people are plantar flexed or their toes are pointing away from them. Mike: Now, when this happens, your calf muscles shorten, which pulls on your Achilles, which can actually shorten and pull on your plantar fascia. It is all one connected system there. So if you have a night split on, you could see my foot is more in a neutral position. Mike: This will prevent that shortening from happening. Thus, when you get up, typically in the morning, you're not going to have that pain in your plantar fascia, and you can start walking right away. Now, when you put these on, you'll notice I'm in a neutral position. You don't wanna pull it so hard that you're actually feeling a stretch because you're not going to be able to sleep, and it's going to get uncomfortable. Oftentimes, when people wear these at night, at first, you're probably not going to be able to wear them the whole night. You will wake up and it'll probably be a little bit stiff because your foot isn't used to being in that position for that long. So, a good suggestion Rick has is if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night or use the restroom, when you come back, try to put it on and wear it because it's more important to have it on when you wake up than the first half of the night. Brad: Good, good point. Alright, let's go down to the next point. We're now going to do the Morton's neuroma, bunions, and that type of thing. Let's go. Now, footwear is really critical, and that's what Dr. Ray McClanahan covers in detail. As a matter of fact, when he has a patient in with foot problems, he'll have them get appropriate footwear, or he will not work with them if they refuse to do that. That's how important it is, and the big thing is how wide the toebox is. In other words, your forefoot needs to have enough room so it can splay out as opposed to getting pinched together, and actually, the toes being pushed together in that pointy formation. And you'll see exactly what we mean. Here we have our traditional shoe, and then the wide toe box shoe. Can you hold onto that, Mike? Look at the shoe on the left, it points together. Your toes are actually getting pushed in together. The one on the right allows the toes to splay out, have room to work, and do what they need to do. We actually cut them open here so you can have a better view of what it actually looks like inside the toe box. Mike: Now, most of these shoes also come with what they call zero drop. So that means the heel of the foot to the forefoot is the same distance off the ground. If you look at these old common shoes, you can see that the heel is more elevated than the forefoot. This can actually shorten your calf muscle and cause issues like plantar fasciitis, as well as tight calves. Brad: Can we show them this? Mike: You can show them with that. You can see that the level with the first cutout is consistent. In the second cutout, you can clearly see that the heel is more elevated compared to the forefoot. Brad: Now, don't get too concerned about this. I've actually tried these minimalists, and I need more cushion because of my Morton's neuroma. So that is an option to get more cushion as well as getting the wide forefoot room. Mike: So I have two different pairs of zero drop. However, one pair is very minimalist. There ' s not much cushioning between the ground. I only walk in these, I don't do much else. These are my running shoes. These are technically zero drop, but you can see there's much more cushioning. If you're new to this, this is something I would suggest getting more cushioning. Just make sure it says zero drop as well. Brad: Right. When it comes down to it, make sure whatever shoe you have, get it wide in the toe box so your feet can move around. Now let's talk about the cost of some of these shoes. Mike, can you talk about the ones that you wear? Mike: So these are Altra shoes, these are running shoes. These cost more like 130, $150. I am putting a lot of miles on my legs right now, so I want the cushioning. I'm willing to pay for it. Brad: But I'm only going to walk. Mike: However, there are other cheaper brands, especially if you're new to trying them out. These are called Whitin , they're just an Amazon brand. They were like $40. This is what I first bought because I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, or Brad has another cost-effective option as well. Brad: Right, I like to wear the Crocs. They're more expensive now, they used to be so cheap. I don't, 50, $60, but they're great. A lot of toe room, easy to get in and out of, great for the weather. If they're wet, they clean easily. So this is what I wear pretty much all summer, in the fall, and in the spring, around the house. Mike: Ray McClanahan actually suggested those himself. Brad: That's right, you can't go wrong if he says it as well as they're comfortable for you. Okay, now I can personally vouch for the comfort from my Morton's neuroma. If you happen to have that, it's very painful when you have a tighter shoe. When you open it up, it makes a big difference in the comfort level, and we do have a video on Morton's neuroma that I can give you, even some more tricks that you can do at home. No cost to get rid of that pain. Now we're going to talk about massage guns. Mike: Specifically massaging the bottom of your foot and how you can do it with different devices. Brad: That's right, I mentioned that earlier in the video. Okay, let's talk about these reciprocating massage guns. They can be really effective and save your fingers and thumbs from doing a manual massage, as I showed earlier. Now, I like to use a smaller massage gun like the Q2 Mini Massage Gun . If you're heavier, have bigger feet, and you're a larger person, you could go up to the bigger size C2 Massage Gun . But I'm going to use a round head here, and I'm going to show you the big advantage. Both of these massage guns come with a round head. They also have an airhead; it's softer, which may be a good option. First, this is a Q2 mini. It is a Bob and Brad massage gun. It's a wonderful gun, I really like it, and they've been around for years. The time test passed. Now, I can work straight in, but that's usually what I don't do. I go at an angle, and that actually gives a cross-friction massage to the plantar fascia. And I'll work up, now that painful spot, which is right there, I'll work around it, okay? If you go on it and it hurts a lot, you're just irritating it. Wait till it starts to feel better, but you can work on that there. Brad: If you're using the larger gun, you may want to put the airhead on it, it's a little softer, and work that. And that might be too aggressive because you really can't do a cross-friction massage with the airhead. But you do want to work the calf muscles because if they get tight, as we mentioned earlier, that will tighten up the stress on the plantar on the bottom of your foot. So keeping the muscles here loose is also critical with plantar fasciitis, and it's going to help some of the other problems we talked about as well. Work the calf muscle, and that's where I like that airhead; it works out well. The round head is going to be a little more aggressive unless you turn it sideways. Work all the way from the Achilles tendon up to the bottom of the knee, and it'll work out well and save your hands. Brad: Now, if you want to global massage to your foot and really comfortable feeling at the end of the day or whenever you'd like, we've got this particular massage device. Mike: So this is actually a foot massager. This is the Bob and Brad Lite Foot Massager . You just turn it on, let it run to the settings you like. It has nice air compression, as well as kneading underneath the bottom of your foot, and it also has some heat options. They come with a remote, and there are a couple of different sizes, so just pick what works for you. They do fit up to a size 12 men's foot, so as long as you're under that, it should work. Brad: And we do have, for your convenience, more detailed videos from Ray McClanahan and Rick Olderman. What are they? Mike: You could check them out, they are " What Type of Shoes Are Best for Foot Health? " and " Fix Plantar Fasciitis Fast - Foot Pain Gone (50+) ." Brad: That's right, the one from Dr. McClanahan is a really nice podcast if you want to do that, and I think we have some podcasts with Rick, too, don't we? Mike: Yes, we have plenty of those. Brad: There you go, so driving down the road, listen to it. Watch it at home on your, I don't know, you can do it on your cell phone if you want. That's just too small for me, I can't see those little figures. 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 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/DeXTZbxkCog Mike: Many people struggle to put their socks and shoes on due to limited hip and knee mobility. Brad: Well, today we're going to show you three exercises to make this easier so you can do it on your own, be independent, and they work very well. Mike: Now, if you happen to have a total hip replacement, we suggest you check with your doctor first before performing any of these exercises, because each surgeon has a different protocol and rules. Brad: That's right, we want to be safe. Mike: So, for this first stretch, you're going to either do them on the stairs or you can perform them on a chair as well. Now, when you're on the stairs, you can start on the first step. Make sure you have handles for support, especially if you have poor balance. Now, when you're doing this, you're just going to place your front leg on the bottom step, and you're going to start going forward, leaning into flexion of the knee as well as the hip. The benefits of starting on the stairs are that you can start lower and, eventually, work your way up. Brad: That's right. Now, if you're going to use a chair, you don't have the steps, it's important you have a good solid chair with armrests because that's going to be your handhold for your balance. So you're going to put your foot up and obviously put something on there if you don't want to wreck the furniture, and you're going to do the same thing, hold here. It actually gets your hip, your knee, and your ankle, so it's really a nice stretch. You can actually do what we call noodling, or move the knee back and forth. Brad: Now, none of this should create any sharp pain; if it does, you're going too far with it, or it's not for you. It should feel like a stretch, like, "Oh wow, this feels like I haven't been here before." And if you can lean forward and it hurts, just don't go any farther. So use very good judgment. I would anticipate that a lot of people they're not going to go all the way forward the first time. It may be just a little lean forward. Over a period of time maybe a week or so, you'll get a little bit farther and just be patient. Make sure you do both legs, and you'll probably find one side is more flexible than the other, which is actually more common than not. So don't get excited about that. Anything else, Mike? Mike: You're actually getting the benefit of stretching both legs because this leg is back, you're stretching your hip flexors, and this leg is forward, you're actually stretching your glutes and working your hip mobility a little bit more. Brad: Now, we should address how many repetitions or how long you should do each leg. When you start out, maybe five repetitions, like Mike is going forward, stretch, and then come back at about a cadence like that, or you can hold it for five seconds to start out with, maybe up to 15. As you've been doing it for a while, you could go up to 30 seconds. Again, use good judgment, don't overdo it. All right, now the second stretch is, if you have a hard time getting your foot up towards your knee like this, that's actually external rotating and abducting your hip. This stretch is going to help out with that specifically. Go ahead, Mike. You can do it in bed, and that's a big benefit, before you get out of bed, actually. Mike: So what you're going to do is start by bending your knee slightly, feet flat on the ground, the closer to your buttocks you have your feet, the more stretch you'll feel. Just go to what's comfortable for you. Once you find that position, you're actually going to let both legs drop out to the side, your feet can kind of stay together. You may know this as a butterfly stretch in gym class; some people do it seated, but you can do it lying down as well. Brad: That's right. Mike: Again, with this one, I would probably suggest holding it for the duration of time versus repetitions like this. Maybe go down, hold for 15 to 30 seconds, if it's comfortable, and then come back up. If you are noticing one side's really painful, you could certainly just drop one side down to begin with and then switch to the other side. Brad: So drop the non-painful side down, and then work with the painful one. Again, do not get aggressive, especially if it's sharp pain; it's not ready yet. Mike: The closer my heels are coming to my butt, and you can actually see, if you're really flexible, you can even push down with your hands if you want so. Brad: And Mike's wearing his shoes, obviously, you're probably not going to be doing that. Mike: You don't wear your shoes to bed? Brad: Well, I quit that years ago. Mike: Oh. So the last stretch, again, we're going to work on the components of being able to lift your leg up and externally rotate it. Now, if you're very stiff on one side, you can start with just your legs slightly crossed like this, and this may be enough of a stretch for you. Mike: Obviously, sit in a normal chair; I'm on a mat table for demonstration purposes. But over time, try to slide your leg up your shin a little bit more. This can be your guide. Maybe Monday I was down by my ankle, maybe Wednesday I'm halfway up my shin, that's good progression. Once you can get above your knee comfortably with your ankle, then you can bend this leg, and you can actually start adding this component of the stretch. You may be here to begin with, that's perfectly fine, just slowly press down. Again, I would like to do two to three sets of 15 to 30-second holds with this stretch. Brad: Okay, I'm going to show you some practical things that may be helpful for you if you're having difficulty. In a chair like this, armrests are handy to have. Start out, and actually clothing works nicely because especially this type of clothing slides on each other, so it's a little easier. So what I'm going to do is start here, like Mike mentioned. Now, if I have a hard time actively pulling that foot up just by the strength of my leg, I'm going to help with my hand. You can actually grab your pants here, it works well. Pull up until you feel the stretch, hold it for a duration of time, five, 10, 15 seconds or longer, depending on your comfort level, and work that repetition maybe three or four times. Again, no sharp pain, gentle stretch. Brad: Now, another thing that works well is you can actually take a belt, put it around your ankle, slip it like that, and then that'll also be a nice way if you can't reach your pants or you're pants are getting stretched out, whatever it may be. But this is a nice way to do it. And again, like Mike said, once you get it above the kneecap, then you can grab your ankle there and pull up here, and that's the next step. Pulling your foot in like this. And once you get up here, if your knee is way up like this, the next thing we have to work on is gently bringing the knee down like this and getting it to here. Brad: Now my foot is accessible, I can reach it and work with it here, take the shoes off, put them on, socks, etc. What do you think of my socks? Mike: They're very multicolored. Brad: Yeah, they're nice. They're Route 66 socks. You know what Route 66 is? Mike: No. Brad: It's a route from Chicago all the way to LA. Or is it San Diego? Mike: Well, you don't even know. Brad: Well, I know it's something like that. Mike: Now it's important to take your time and realize that you've probably been immobile for quite a while. So, progression may take weeks in order for you to go from here all the way to crossing your legs. So just stick with it, pick which one of these stretches works best for you, or which ones you feel like you need. You don't have to do all three. Just do the most beneficial ones. Brad: You could do all three if you wanted to; they're all good stretches, and it will be healthy for you. But that'll work out well. We have other videos that are going to complement this. Mike: Now, if you're having hip pain, check out our video " 5 Specific Ways To Stop Extreme Hip Pain Fast !" Brad: Five specific ways. There you go. Thank you, and have a good day working on those knees, hips, and feet. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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.

If your knee pain was caused by an injury (sports, fall, work, etc.) you should seek out medical attention if any of the following conditions exist: 1. You have a deformity of the joint a. Compare your knees to each other. If your painful knee appears misshapen compared to your healthy knee, you may have a bone fracture or a dislocated kneecap. 2. You have significant bruising and or swelling after the injury. a. The greater the swelling and bruising, the more likely you have experienced a more serious injury. 3. You have difficulty walking after an injury. a. If your knee pain is causing you to limp or make you avoid walking, see a doctor. Intense pain can indicate a bone fracture, or a torn muscle or ligament. 4. You have an inability for the knee to hold weight. a. When you stand up, does it feel as though the affected knee cannot hold your weight? If so, you should seek medical attention. This symptom can indicate several knee conditions, all of which could require medical care. 5. Knee Instability a. If you notice that your knee is unstable or feels like it will collapse, seek medical help. An unstable joint may indicate a ligament problem, which could become worse if you continue using your knee as usual. 6. You heard a popping noise at the time the knee was injured a. The popping sound could be a torn ligament or tendon. 7. Reduced Range of Motion a. When your knee becomes injured, it may swell internally. This swelling can reduce your knee’s motion, making it difficult to straighten or bend your leg completely. An injury to the cartilage can also affect the motion of a knee. 8. Less Sensation in the Knee a. While many knee issues cause pain, lack of pain can also indicate a serious health concern. If you have leg or knee pain that does not increase when you press on the knee, your discomfort may be caused by sciatica or another non-knee condition. 9. Long-Term Pain or Discomfort in your Knee a. If your knee pain is chronic and ongoing, a doctor or physical therapist can help. 10. Knee Pain That Affects Your Daily Activities a. If your knee pain is ongoing and affecting your ability to perform daily activities, you should seek medical attention. 11. Pain That Affects Sleep a. Many patients with knee pain have trouble with sleep. If your knee pain is affecting your sleep, it is time to seek medical help. 12. Redness or Swelling Around the Joint a. Like deformity of your knee joint, changes in the shape and color of your knee can indicate serious problems. If you notice redness or swelling, touch the area to see if you feel any tenderness or warmth. These symptoms can be signs of infection. If you experience a high fever along with these symptoms, seek out emergency medical care. 13. High Intensity Knee Pain a. Do not try to wait out your knee pain. If you experience pain that is high intensity, or if you notice a sudden change in your symptoms for the worse, seek medical attention. If you notice a sudden change in your symptoms or experience symptoms of high intensity, schedule an evaluation with a knee expert, especially if you’re an athlete. If you experience extreme symptoms such as a high fever, seek emergency medical care immediately. 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 July of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/SwOv8zUzUpg Mike: Most doctors will never discourage an older adult from walking unless they have a heart condition or severe arthritis. Brad: That's right. This reminds me of a case where I knew two people personally. They were both over 90 years old, very alert, very mobile, very healthy, and they had one thing in common. Mike: What was that? Brad: They both walked on a daily basis. Mike: So, whether you're an avid walker or you want to get into walking to become healthier, this will have the detailed plan for you. Brad: That's right, we're going to help you out, get back out there, and walk away. Let's clarify some of the benefits that walking offers. Number one, it's great for your heart and for your lungs. Mike: Number two is that it helps increase leg circulation. Brad: And as we age, we know our balance starts to deteriorate. Walking is a good functional way to exercise your balance. Mike: And number four, it's just good to get outside and be a little social. Brad: That's right. Walk with someone else. Maybe not every day, but at least twice a week. Keep each other in check, so you keep doing it week after week after week, it becomes a habit. Something you enjoy if you don't enjoy it now. Alright, now we've got five very common problems that actually stop people from walking. And then we're going to go through five solutions on how to avoid them or work around them so you can continue your walking habit. Mike: The first reason people commonly stop walking is due to foot pain. This can be caused by plantar fascitis, bunions, or hammer toes. The list can go on and on. And a common cause for most of these issues is your shoes. So, if you look at this shoe on the right, this is a standard shoe. If you look at the shoe on the left, this is a wide toe box and zero drop shoe. Mike: You could see we actually cut apart the bottom of the shoes here. You could see how squished your toes actually get, which can cause bunions and hammer toes and a whole array of issues, whereas, if you have a wide toe box, it allows your toes to actually separate and be in their natural positioning. The zero drop, you don't need to get minimalist ones like these. Brad: What's minimalist? Mike: There is not much cushioning underneath your foot between you and the ground; you can buy more cushioning. Just make sure from the forefoot to the heel, it's the same height off the ground. Brad: That's right, now I personally have had great luck with getting the wide toe shoebox in my late 50s. I realize how much more comfortable they are, the minimalist shoes, where they're really thin, can be good for your feet. But for myself, it's too uncomfortable. I have Morton's neuroma, and that irritates it. But the wide toe box is a great benefit. This is an example of a nice cushioned shoe. This one is not zero drop, but it's not too far off from that. Brad: Anyways, let's go on to point number three. So good footwear, make sure you're wearing a wide toe box. Mike: We're going on to point number two. Brad: Oh yeah. Mike: Okay. The next thing is joint pain. A lot of people develop knee pain, hip pain, and even ankle and foot pain. A lot of times, from arthritis, whatever it's from, it can be irritated and oftentimes is by how you walk. Typically, people strike with their heel first. Mike's going to explain it and tell you how to avoid this and change your walking pattern so it becomes pain-free. Brad: Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So with the common day shoes, we have an elevated heel. This has caused us to heel strike a lot while we are walking. Mike: So, if you actually walk barefoot in your house, heel striking is very uncomfortable. You feel the shot going through your leg in through all your joints. It's much more obvious. Try walking around in your house barefoot. You're naturally going to start walking with a soft knee. Mike: This'll take the pressure off the joints and put them more on the muscles where they should be going. Also, when you're walking, some people really put the foot way out in front of them. This is going to put more force through the leg. You're just going to be taking those nice short steps with the soft bent knee, land more on your forefoot or with the flat foot, and this'll help engage your muscles more, taking pressure off all the joints. Brad: Right, I just want to clarify one thing in case some people didn't catch that. Typically, people heel strike and look at the knee is locked out straight. All that force from the heel strike goes directly through the joints. The muscles are not taking up or absorbing the shock like when he goes on his forefoot. Brad: And actually sometimes you can have the heel come off a little bit. The knee is flexed. So that has a little give there. The ankle has worked so that the muscles take the shock, and then you have your leg actually becomes a shock absorber as opposed to a shock creator. Mike: This walking pattern also engages your glute max a lot more, which is appropriate for walking, which will really help take pressure off the joints. Brad: Right. I like to practice this on a hard floor or actually concrete at home. Go barefoot and you can really feel the difference when you walk on your forefeet versus that hard, direct heel strike. Okay, the next thing is people start to have a gait disturbance, in other words, a Trendelenberg gait or a waddle walk, where you go like this. Brad: There could be other problems that are created by pain and compensation, leading to pain and the weirdness of walking, where it's not attractive to other people, and it becomes a personal thing. We need to get rid of that. We're going to talk about how to do it. Mike. Mike: So what you want to do is actually the first two steps we talked about, looking at your footwear and walking with the bent knee will really help this as well. However, most people, when they're in this predicament, have weak hip abductor muscles, so the side hip muscles as well as a weak glute max muscle. So your buttock muscle. So we're going to show you two strengthening exercises you can do. Brad: We're getting this information from an expert in the field. He has written a number of books and taught people this with great success. Mike: His name is Rick Olderman . He is a physical therapist, and he wrote a book with Bob called " Top 3 Fix ." Brad: That's right, so let's go through and talk about the two exercises to address these weaknesses. Okay, we're going to show you a couple of ways to strengthen the hip abductors, which really helps with that Trendelenberg or the waddling. If I'm doing the right side, I'm going to bring my feet a few inches apart, good posture, and keep my trunk vertical throughout the whole exercise. Bring the leg out to the side here and back in. Two things that are critical. Again, don't lean to the side; that's not going to work that muscle. And also look at my toes. If I point my toes out like this, which is really kind of a compensation, that's a no-no. Keep the toes straight ahead and just go out to the side. We're not going really high. Good control and then back down, and do that going slowly in and slowly out. Brad: I'm using a Booyah Stik for balance. You can hold onto the wall or a cupboard. If you want a little resistance, Mike, what can they do? Mike: You can use a band. It's also important that the leg that is stationary isn't locked out. Try to have a slight bend in the knee. You're actually going to work both hip abductors, because to stand up on this side, your hip abductor has to engage. So you can use a band if that seems easy for you. Typically, if you can do three sets of 15, it's time to get some resistance. You can start with yellow. So all you do is place it between your heels here, in front of your heels a little bit, and you're just going to kick out to the side. Preferably have your shoes tied, unlike me right now, so I'm going to pull up, the higher up the bands, the more resistance I'm going to feel. Again, I'm not going to rest this right leg, it's going to make it work a little bit harder. Try to work up to 15 reps on one side and switch again. If you start to notice you're swaying a lot during this, it's not time for bands yet. Brad: Good job. The next one is the glute maximus muscle. Oftentimes, that muscle does not work as well as it should. So we need to do an exercise that focuses on it and makes that muscle turn on. We're going to show you one of the standing options that Rick Olderman does, and that's using cupboard space or something you can lean on. You're going to lean forward, you're going to put a 90-degree bend in this knee, and then we're going to go from this position up to this position. We're not trying to kick up really high. We're just doing a mid-range oscillation, and then we're going to do that for 15 to 30 seconds. And one thing you can do to isolate that glute max is actually to turn your foot in and then work it. You'll just work that, and you'll feel that muscle start to fatigue and burn in the muscle fibers of that glute max. I'm starting to feel it now. Brad: Again, 15 to 30 seconds. Do both legs. You can do two to three sets once you get used to it. Another really common thing that happens as we age is that we get unstable. Sometimes there's joint pain, sometimes we just start to lose our balance a little bit, and you feel like you're going to fall. Good reason to stop walking, but just take your pride down a little bit and use either a cane or a walker. Mike's going to talk a little bit about how to use a cane. They work well. They show dignity in that person. Mike: So what you want to do is make sure to get a cane that is either set up for your height when you buy it, or it's adjustable. Typically, when you stand up, your arm is relaxed at your side. It is roughly at the crease of your wrist. Now, the side depends upon your dominant hand or your weaker leg. So, say my right leg was weak and bothering me, and I had balance issues, I'm going to actually use it in the opposite hand in that case. If you have no weakness or issues in the legs, just use whatever hand you prefer and make sure to sequence it with the opposite leg. When you walk, your arm swings opposite. So, make sure to put the cane on the opposite side when you're using it Brad: Yeah, just walk normally with it. It can make a tremendous amount of difference. Just having that extra stability. If you do need more, which is not uncommon, then I recommend going to a walker with four wheels and make sure the wheels are larger in diameter. That's going to make it more stable on uneven surfaces, on sidewalks, gravel, et cetera. And it's nice to have a seat there, and they're just as stable as can be. You can walk as far as you want, and a nice added benefit. If you get tired, you lock the brakes, turn around, sit down, and take a break. When you're ready, get back up and keep walking. There are a lot of people who take advantage of these, and don't be shy. It can make a big difference. Mike: When purchasing a walker. Just make sure you look at the height options on it as well as the weight, because depending on your height, they might not be able to get tall or short enough. Brad: Right, they come in different widths and weights. Some are rated at like, I think, 300, and then there are other ones at 450 pounds, and just, you know, find out what you like. It'll all work into place. Wel,l we also, one more thing Mike: We do. Brad: One of the problems that happens with people who start an exercise program, doesn't matter if it's walking or not, is that they lose motivation. Mike: So, sometimes just finding someone to walk with can help. Oftentimes, if you have to get up early in the morning and go for your walk to beat the heat during summer, you don't always want to do it. So sometimes having a partner to keep you reliable or you don't want to let down, can help. Brad: That's right. Make sure you do that or find a group. Oftentimes, there's a group in the local area, walk with them. Maybe not every time, maybe just once a week. And then when you talk to them, when you do get together with them, you can talk about, oh my walk Wednesday morning, I saw an Oriel right in a tree, six inches from me. Mike: A cookie? Brad: Something like that. Yeah, socialization. A cookie. My god. Yeah, and that's what happens. You laugh a little bit, you talk about silly things or personal things, whatever. It's all part of the activity. Alright, so keep up your walking, or if you want to start a walking program, make sure you look through these. We really wanna walk. Not every day necessarily, but at least three times a week. Three to five times a week is a really good number. Don't walk too far if you're just starting. You don't want to overdo it. Good judgment. Enjoy the walking, and Mike, you've got some other relative information. Mike: Yeah, so if you'd like to check out more videos on walking, check out " One Incredible Trick To Improve Your Walking ." This one looks at more if you have trouble tripping over your feet, which muscle you should strengthen. Brad: Ah, yes, there is one muscle that really makes a big difference, but I'm not telling you, you'll have to watch the video. We're not telling . For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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.

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to honor the women who give so much of themselves every day. This year, consider giving the gift of relaxation and relief with trusted wellness tools designed by physical therapists Bob and Brad. Whether she’s managing a household, working long hours, or simply in need of well-deserved self-care, these handpicked products will help her feel supported, restored, and appreciated. Eye Massager – Help Her Unwind and Sleep Better The Bob and Brad Eye Massager provides gentle air compression, heat, and soothing sound to help reduce eye strain, tension headaches, and improve sleep quality. It's a convenient way to support mental and physical relaxation after a long day. Ideal for:  Eye fatigue, tension relief, and nightly wind-down routines. Foot Massager – Restore Tired Feet For mothers who are constantly on the go, the Bob and Brad Foot Massager delivers deep kneading massage and soothing heat to ease soreness in the feet and calves. It’s like having a personal foot spa at home, ready whenever she needs it. Ideal for:  Sore arches, plantar fasciitis, and general foot fatigue. Hand Massager – Soothe Hard-Working Hands Perfect for mothers who experience hand fatigue or discomfort, the Bob and Brad Hand Massager uses gentle air compression and heat to relieve tension and improve circulation. Ideal for:  Arthritis, overuse, and daily hand relief. Heating Pads – Reliable, Targeted Comfort Our high-quality heating pads provide consistent, therapeutic warmth to areas like the neck, back, or abdomen. They’re available in various sizes and contours to suit her specific needs and offer a simple solution to everyday aches. Ideal for:  Muscle tension, menstrual discomfort, and stress relief. Back Massagers – Comfort She Can Count On The Bob and Brad Back Massagers are designed to deliver effective deep tissue massage with adjustable settings and optional heat. Compact and easy to use, they provide relief without the need for appointments or extra time out of her day. Ideal for:  Shoulder tension, lower back discomfort, and relaxation at home. Thoughtful Tools for a Well-Deserved Break This Mother’s Day, give her more than flowers. Give her comfort, relief, and a chance to prioritize her own well-being. With Bob and Brad’s expertly designed wellness tools, you can show your appreciation in a meaningful and lasting way. Explore our full line of health and recovery products on Amazon .

INTRODUCTION This program is designed to help you with your knee pain. Specifically, it may help you with knee arthritis, knee tendonitis, iliotibial band syndrome, knee bursitis, patella-femoral syndrome, knee chondromalacia, knee muscle or tendon strain, and, with some exceptions, Osgood Schlatter Disease (see our specific video on Osgood Schlatter Disease). Knee pain is extremely common, and many people are surprised at how intense it can be. Many of our patients believe there must be something seriously wrong with their knee for it to hurt that badly. We approach most knee pain issues with the thought that the knee is not working or moving quite right. This dysfunctional movement is causing your pain. The abnormal movement may be from weakness, tightness, or laxity in the knee. It could also be caused by problems with your hip or ankle/foot. An obvious exception would be an injury to the knee from an accident, fall, or some type of physical trauma. Our first goal is to get your knee joint working correctly. Once it is working correctly, we can work on getting it to move pain-free through proper strengthening and exercises. At least, get your knee working as well as it can be expected. The second goal is to eliminate or lessen the knee pain makers in your life. In our world, a pain maker is an action, a position, or a thing that causes pain. We will cover this in detail in future videos. Our third goal is to strengthen the knee so it will continue to work correctly, remain pain-free, and be able to handle the stresses of work and everyday living. 1. It is up to you to get better. You oversee your body and the outcome. You are in charge, and you are responsible. Somebody is not going to swoop in and magically heal your problem. There is no magic pill, surgery, or shot that will solve your problem. 2. The body has a great capacity to heal, and it wants to heal. Provide the environment where it can heal. 3. You must believe and follow recommendations. If we recommend exercises and you fail to perform them, you will not get better. It is as simple as that. 4. We are not big believers in having a therapist or doctor do something to you (manual therapy, massage, some type of modality). We are big supporters of people managing their own bodies with therapists serving as consultants. DISCLAIMER : This video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may, however, serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional, make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about knee-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. 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 June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/PbatyQqqHAQ Mike: Dan Bracaglia, who does tech product reviews, wrote for Tom's Guide an article titled " 7 reasons why I like this budget-friendly massage gun better than my $200 Theragun ." Brad: Now, Dan is actually a very physical person. Likes to snowboard and a number of other activities where you get sore muscles. He has a lot of experience with massage guns, particularly the Theragun massage gun. Now, what brought this to our attention was that Dan thought the Bob and Brad Massage Gun kind of had a silly name. Of course, we kind of questioned that, maybe took a little offense to it, but we looked into his article, and we're very pleased to find out what he had to say about us. Mike: So in this article, Dan decided to compare the Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun to the Theragun Mini. And these are seven things he found interesting about our massage gun. So, the first thing you looked at in the article is the PPM or percussions per minute, meaning how fast the speed settings are. Now with the Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun, it can range from 1,800 all the way to 3,000 PPMs. Brad: With a total of five settings. Mike: Five different setting options in between them. Brad: And the Theragun Mini has a total of three different settings from 1,750 to 2,400. Mike: The next thing he looked at was amplitude. That is how far the massage gun actually traveled into the body, into the muscle. Now, the Q2 Mini here has seven millimeters of amplitude, and the Theragun Mini has 12 millimeters of amplitude. Meaning the Theragun actually traveled deeper into the muscle bellies. Brad: Now, for a lot of people, that probably is not a big deal. For me, for example, I don't care if I have 12 millimeters. If you're a very large person, have a lot of muscle mass, and are very toned up, you may want that. So, that is definitely a concern, or maybe a concern for some people. Mike: Now, Dan actually said he prefers a seven-millimeter amplitude when he is really sore or tender muscles because it doesn't travel as deep and doesn't feel as aggressive, he found that somewhat of a positive. The next thing he looked at was the size and weight of the massage guns. Now obviously, we don't have a Theragun Mini here, but he said the Q2 was much more lightweight and portable in comparison. The thing he liked the most was when you remove the massage head. Our massage gun is flat here, where the Theragun actually protrudes out a little bit, making it easier to travel with. Brad: The next thing Dan brought up was a topic of volume, or how much noise the gun makes when it's running. He did note that the brushless Q2 is very quiet. He did not find specs on the decibels for each one, but he did have a functional test in which he was talking on the phone while massaging himself with the Q2. And he said he could speak very easily, communicate with the other person on the phone while using it, whereas he was not able to do that with the Theragun. Mike: The next thing Dan looked at was the battery life on both models. Now with the Q2, it is estimated to run four hours on a full charge, and a Theragun Mini typically runs two hours. Obviously, that depends upon how intense you have it and how frequently you use it. So, it can vary between those things. Brad: One thing that Dan also talked about when he was on a trip snowboarding for four days, he would use it every day after the snowboarding activity to massage and loosen up his muscles. On day four, he was still using it on one charge. Now, this actually plugs into a? Mike: The USB cord is simply on the bottom. Dan also mentioned that the Theragun Mini has the old school, big style chunky chargers, which he doesn't like that much. The sixth thing Dan looked at was the different massage heads we offered with the Q2 massage gun. He said that when he bought the Theragun Mini, it originally only came with one massage head. However, he bought it a long time ago. So now, it comes with more options. He liked that ours came with five options right away. He specifically liked the round foam head as well as the air cushion head Brad has on his model. He says they were his favorite, but he says he appreciates that ours come with an instruction guide on which massage heads to use in which body parts. Brad: There you go. Mike: So, the last thing Dan looked at was the shape and size of both massage guns. Now, ours is kind of a "T" shape, as he described it. The Theragun Mini is more of a triangular shape. He preferred the "T" grip because he found it easier to turn it on and reach behind him to say, massage his back region. And he also liked that the button on it is relatively small. You have to hold it for three seconds to turn it on and off. And he said the one on the Theragun brand is about the size of a penny and only takes two seconds to hold to turn on and off, which it doesn't really seem like a big deal when you look at it, but when traveling, his other massage gun would turn on and cause quite a scare. Brad: Well, it was in his traveling bag. You kind of wonder, where's that noise coming from? Not a big deal. It can easily be changed. Now, let's talk about another. There's one more big thing, I think, that we need to look at is the cost. The Theragun is definitely a good quality gun. Very powerful, more travel. But if you don't need that and you look at the cost, that may change your mind about which is best for you. Mike: Yes, he said, typically, this is a third of the cost of what he paid for his Theragun Mini. So, you can get a massage gun of pretty similar quality for a lower price. Brad: Now, we do have to finalize one thing, our name. The question was, "Is Bob and Brad a silly name?" Bob and Brad Q2 Massage Gun? Well, it's still up in the air. We think it's an outstanding name. We're very proud of it. We'll leave that up to you. Mike: I want to know when we're going to get the Mike gun. Now, if you want to check out more videos on massage guns, specifically how they work and how to use them, check out our video " Massage Guns: Why They Work & How To Use Them- Bob and Brad Concur ." Brad: That is a good idea. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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 of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/HVWdzdW7eQ0 Brad: Now, this is our best information if you're a senior and you're concerned about increasing leg strength, blood flow, and improving your balance. Mike: So we're going to show you three functional exercises you can do, which will address all of these concerns. And you can do them at home in less than three minutes. Brad: Just a little warning, if you do them, you're going to want to have shorts on or some pants that are stretchy and flexible. Alright, before we get started, we need to talk about how you're going to do this safely, because if your balance is off a little bit, you may want to have some support. Let me give you an example. You could have a chair on both sides of you so that you have balance, or maybe you only need one chair off to the side, or you may have it in front of you. Or you can simply use a wall for balance. And as soon as we get into this, you'll understand why. We're going to go through each exercise briefly, and then we're going to go through the whole routine without stopping. So you can go with us at that point. Mike: You can also use a railing if you want, if you have a handrail in the hallway or near your steps, that's definitely an option for support as well. And all these exercises are functional. They are compound movements, meaning they work more than one muscle group. They're all gonna be focused on the legs. And let's just get to it. Brad: There you go. Okay, now I'm going to use the Booyah Stik for balance. You could use that, a walking stick, a cane, or whatever we talked about. First thing, let's just do a little warmup for about 20 seconds. Simply marching in place is good. If you want to get the hips warmed up a little bit more, make circles with your knee and just think about doing that. Mike: If you feel unsteady, you can take shorter steps or smaller steps initially, and work up in height over time. Brad: Okay, now the key to this, as far as balance is we're going to work in three different directions. First of all, we're going to do a simple squat, up and down. Mike: You just go wherever's comfortable for you. You can even have a chair behind you if you want, or a surface so you don't feel like you're going to fall over. Brad: Right, if you go too deep and you can't get back up, then obviously we're going to fall. And that's not desirable, so just be cautious. Use good judgment. Now, the next thing we're going to do is a sidestep. We'll call it a side lunge. Now, don't go real far out and do not go real deep. Just take the little ones to start out with. Get a good feel for it. We're using large muscle groups. This is incredibly helpful for keeping your balance because, oftentimes, when you lose your balance, you need to sidestep to regain the balance. This does the exact same movement. Make sure you do it in both directions. Mike: We'll do 10 repetitions each way and 10 repetitions for the squat as well. You can alternate going both ways. We're just kind of limited in space, and we're going to kick each other if we get too close. Brad: Yeah, we want to be safe and have no issues. Mike: What are we on? I'm on a hundred, I think. Brad: Okay, and the third and final exercise is a lunge going forward. Notice I'm taking a small lunge, not going very deep. Mike's feeling stronger, more advanced. He's going to go down, and he put a cushion down so that if his knee does hit the floor, it doesn't create pain. Mike: Yeah, so you can do this holding onto maybe a bed or a countertop, something for support, maybe at your stairs as well. Just having a cushion or pillow or something down there kind of saves your knees. You don't have to have one. Again, make sure to do 10 repetitions on one leg. Take a break and catch your breath if you need to. Make sure to switch to the other side. Brad: And in regards to balance, you can see why oftentimes walking forward, if you stumble, you need to get one leg out in front of you to catch your balance so you don't fall. Exact same movement as what we're doing here. So it all fits together. Keeping you stronger, safer, using all muscle groups, so that your blood flow is going to increase in the legs. It's a wonderful combination. I did want to mention that if you're feeling a little more advanced, you actually can do a step backward. Mike: Yes, this actually works the same muscles, but it'll engage your glute max on the front leg a little bit more. The leg that's always in front should be working more than the back leg. Brad: There you go. And again, as far as balance, moving backwards is a common area where balance is lost, and you need to have the ability to step back and catch your balance. So it works that wonderfully. Alright, let's get on and just do the whole routine, Mike. Alright, so let's get ready. We're going to go through this. It should only take two to three minutes. I am actually going to use a wall for balance. It's a good option. Everyone has a wall to use. Mike is going to be facing you with a stick. Do what you need to do for safety. Okay, ready to go, Mike? Mike: I'm ready. Brad: Okay, let's start out with our squats and let's go. There we go. Mike: 10 repetitions total. These are not Jack squats because that means nothing. So we're doing full squats. Brad: Mike, this is a family show. Mike: What does Jack have to not be family for? I don't know what number we're on. Brad: We're on seven. Mike: Okay, good. Brad: Eight. Mike: Again, go to what depth is comfortable for you. Brad: Now let's go to the sidestepping. Start with the left leg going to the left. Again, don't go out too far, take your time with it. If it is too easy, simply go a little deeper, but not too much too soon. Be cautious. Mike: We're just going to do five on each leg for time's sake here. Brad: Yeah. Mike: So we'll switch sides now. You can do more at home. You can do 10 on each side. If you need breaks in between all these, that's perfectly acceptable as well. Brad: That's right. Remember that you're breathing, you're relaxed. Breathing through your nose, out your mouth if you can. That makes a big difference in your endurance and how you feel. Mike: I already hit 10. Brad: Oh, sorry about that. Now we're going to go forward with the right leg first. Take a step, and all the weight is going through that front leg, or most of it. You're going to feel your quadriceps really working now. Mike: And you want to make sure to have an upright trunk with this. Don't lean forward too much. It kind of destroys part of the benefits of this exercise. Brad: Yeah, we don't want that. Make sure you do the opposite leg. Now we're going to add the extra credit on at the end of this, going backward, but we want to get at least five on each leg. Mike: What do I get if I do extra credit? Brad: Extra credit, well then, you get a donut. Yep, cream-filled. Okay, now again, if you feel like doing the backwards, I wanted to make sure you have good control. Take a step backward, because your vision is now out of the picture, which is a very big part of balance. Squat down, hold that wall. You know here and here. Sometimes a hallway works well, especially if you have some handrails. Okay, now I think we might have done over five. Mike: I did five on that side, I'm switching sides. You can alternate these, too, if you really want to spice it up. Brad: Yeah, that's true. You're going to feel it a little bit differently when you do it this way in your quadriceps. It is different. It has some nice advantages. There you go. That's it. And I think we did it in less than two minutes. It was right around there. I know at home, I did it in less than two minutes. After you do them a few times, it'll go very well. Make it a part of your day. Get up after you've moved around a little bit. Go ahead and do these exercises. If you want to do them twice a day, that's okay too. But the big thing is, the first day you do it and you haven't done it before, you might feel sore the next day you get up, and those quads and legs might be a little tender. Mike: So maybe, yeah, take a break that day and do it every other day. Brad: That's right. Mike: Now, if you want to check out more videos on how to improve leg circulation without exercising, check out our video " Best 3 Options To Increase Leg Circulation/Blood Flow Without Exercise ." Brad: There you go. So you could do this one day and the next day do that without exercise to recover. And then the day after that, you'll go back to this. Mike: And get your cream-filled donut. Brad: That's right. You always need a little bit of reward after the hard work. There you go, we don't need to talk about that with seniors because seniors know they're very wise people. I'm a little bit of a senior. Mike: This is rambling on a little bit now. Brad: Yeah, that's right. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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.

Posture Squats - no movement in the back 1. Practicing Squats: A broomstick or Booyah Stik is helpful for alignment. First, squat with the stick in place. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly (back of the head, mid-back, and pelvis). Assess knee position. Knees should be aligned with feet (not in or not out). The knees should remain over the feet (halfway between the heel and toes). 2. It is helpful to stretch the overhead arm as far above the head as possible to give a sensation of stretching and straightening the spine. All motion should come from the hips. We want you to bend forward as deep as your hips allow and repeat 5 times. Make sure the glutes (butt muscles) are working and contracting. If you have pain in your back while performing this exercise, try tightening your abdomen at the same time. 3. How to tell if you are tightening your abdomen? Take a single finger from each hand and poke yourself on each side of your belly (abdomen). Tighten up your abdomen and when doing it correctly you should be able to feel it with your fingers. Check out the full Back Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/back-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/Mei9bmFquRI Brad: All right, I personally have been using bands for resistance training for over 10 years, and I'm going to show you, and we're going to tell you why and how to use bands for biceps and triceps to give you the best workout possible. Many people won't agree with it, but we're going to tell you why, and it might change your mind. Mike: So we're going to show you five different options to help tone your arms. Plus, you're going to get a little bit of core work involved as well. Brad: More than just a little. Wait until you try it, Mike. Mike: So, some of the benefits of using a band versus a weight itself are the progressive resistance you get while going through the motions. So, for the biceps example, as I pull up, it's easier down lower, but as I get higher and more tension in the band, it becomes harder. Now, with a weight, you're going to be stuck at whatever weight you can do at the bottom range here and start to curl up, because as you curl more, it becomes easier. Brad: That's right. That's a system that a lot of people actually work with who are serious. They'll actually combine bands with weights. The other thing is if you're traveling, and you want to get your exercises done in a hotel room or whatever, it's easy to put these in your luggage. Not so easy with weights. Mike: And number three, you can do vertical or horizontal resistance with bands. Brad is using horizontal. I am doing vertical. With the weight, you're always going to be stuck in some sort of vertical plane, even if you're benching, technically, you're pushing in a vertical plane. Brad: Gravity always goes vertical. Now, one of the big advantages, particularly for people who are 55 or over, when you go with the horizontal resistance like I was doing, not only is my bicep getting strengthened, but my core is, because the resistance is pulling my body back this way. My core has to engage to maintain my vertical stance as well as balance. If my feet are working, you may not be aware of it, but they're really working on balance as well as the core. Big benefits, particularly, like I said, for people with gray hair. Mike: So, some general rules for all these exercises are to start with one set or up to three, depending on whether you're a beginner or more advanced, and try to do 10 repetitions each time. And also make sure to do them every other day. Give your arms a break so the muscles can actually repair and grow. Brad: Right, so we're going to try to get to 10 repetitions. That's one set. Rest, and then do another one. It all depends on where you're at as far as your conditioning. All right, we're going to show you five different ways to exercise those arms, tone them up, and we're going to start with your typical vertical standing one. Then we're going to get to the ones that really add the benefits we just talked about. Mike: So, when you're standing, you can use one band like Brad is. You can use two, three, four, however many you want. That's the benefit. And the wider your stance is, the more resistance you're going to feel. The closer my legs are, the less resistance I feel. So go with whatever's comfortable for you. Hold that position and try to do 10 curls. Try to keep your elbows tight to your body. Don't be doing hurling over. I like to keep my elbows in tight. Keep them there. Brad: Yeah. Mike: And that gives a good bicep workout. Brad: That's right. And notice, for resistance, you can use different bands. Typically, you'll get five bands. Each one has a different color. They have different colors, where you know what the resistance is. Mike is actually doubling up, using the red and black, because he's much stronger than I am. I just have the red bands. It works out very well and very efficiently. Mike: So with this next exercise, you're going to need to use the door anchor if you're going to do this system. Brad will show the wall anchors. Simply put it on the bottom of the door frame, and then close the door, and it will stay in place. Mike: So, for this exercise, we're going to do a curl again, but we're going to hit a slightly different angle. And you could start with just one band. And I'm going to curl across my body. And if you want to make it more challenging, try to grab both handles at the same time and then do it, and it's going to be a lot more oomph. You can also change the angle with this if you want to hit different parts of your bicep. Brad: There you go. Again, we're working on balance and core there. Depending on the angle here, I'm going to show that if you happen to have the wall anchors , they're handy because you simply just put them on right there. And you don't need the door. Hard to travel with the wall anchor, though. And we're going to work on that here. One hand, two. And actually, I'll go and do both from this angle. I usually do it on the next angle up at mid-stance, but we will get into that a little bit later. So it really gives you a nice stretch, good posture, good core, and everything works together. Let's go to the next one. Mike: For the next bicep exercise, you're going to need to put it in a top position, either the top of the door or the top of the wall anchors. So simply get the band in nice and taut and make sure your arms are straight out in front of you. And then you're going to curl up, bring your hands towards your head, and then back like this. Try to have a nice, controlled motion. Try to keep your arms in the same place. Don't let them sway up and down. And you're going to, again, try to do 10 repetitions. Brad: Good. Now I'm going to do it with two bands on the wall anchors. And this is the way I really like to do them. I'll start at this angle. It's going to give me the benefit of bicep as well as the core. And this part of my back, remember, is an important part of your core. So I actually lean into it or lean back. So it's working my core, ab, tightening my abdomen, and I'll work it here. And I feel my back right around my lumbar spine, those muscles really working right now as well. You can stagger your stance a little bit if you feel a little awkward or like you're going to fall. It's kind of a nice, unique way that most people never think about. Brad: Okay, the next one is with the door anchors. Simply put it at about chest level. Go ahead, Mike. Mike: So with this one, you're going to face away from the door, and I'm going to have my arms nice and taut behind me, and then I'm going to curl up like this. Brad kind of showed it earlier. Gets a good core activation as well. Again, try to do 10 repetitions. If you have to do a staggered stance, that is fine, but you're going to hit biceps here, and Brad's going to show how you can hit triceps in the same position. Brad: That's right. I really want to emphasize postural benefits with this. It pulls the shoulders back, stretches the pec muscles in front for people who have this rounded posture. Another benefit of using this particular technique, I'm going to use the anchor on the top. You'll typically get three anchors with a set. If you go to BobandBrad.com, you actually get four for about the same price. And the wall anchors work really well. I'm going to pull down, and when I do this, it's all tricep. I'm not going to bring the arm all the way down. That wouldn't be a bad exercise for the shoulders, but for the triceps, try to keep the elbows stationary. And right now, my abdominal core is working overtime so that I don't get pulled backwards. And I'm going to work here. Yeah, there we go. And I usually do 10 of these. Really works the core well, and the triceps. Mike: Okay, the last exercise we're going to do is triceps. Brad and I will show different variations. Now, if I had more bands, I could possibly do the standing. However, to make it more taut, I'm going to grab up a little higher, and then I'm just going to bring my arms down like this. Good tricep activation. Again, I'm not bringing my arms way up. Keeping them at my side, keeping my core engaged. I'm trying to pull straight down. If you pull towards your body more, you get a little bit different activation of the muscles. If this is way too easy for you and you're a taller person, you could certainly try kneeling down like this and then doing the tricep exercise. But it's just a good way, and I can feel it working. Brad: Right. Now, the option of grabbing the band, I would never do because it just seems silly. So I'm going to use them like this. You can go body against the door or against the wall and work. Now, this really isolates the triceps, so you don't get any of the other benefits that we talked about, as far as core, balance, those things. But what you can do if to make it more resistant. Here, I have two bands on there, and I'm going to squat down and do the isometric chair, working my legs, hips, etc. And now I'm going to do my triceps. It's just another variation, something to break up your routine. All of these different variations, you can try one, two, or every week, do a different one. Good way to work it. You'll find your favorite ones very quickly and work those. Mike, you want to finish it up? Mike: Now, if you start to have some sore muscles after working your biceps and triceps too much, you can simply try using a massage gun on the area to help loosen it up. Make sure you pick a nice massage head. The Q2 mini massage gun is a little less aggressive. So if you're a smaller body type, they'll work well. Brad: That's right. Now you don't have to have a massage gun. You can simply do a manual massage on that bicep or tricep. It works very well. Do it 'til your hands get tired, then work the other one. The massage guns do work very nicely, and I like that airhead because it's not too aggressive, not too, it's easy to use, and you can get around on both sides well. I like to work all the way up into the shoulder. You can really do a complete job with it. So, they're really nice, these smaller ones, for this type of massage. Is there anything else? I think there's another video related to this. Mike: Yes, if you'd like to check out more videos on arm exercises, you can check out our video " Lose Arm Flab, Using Body Weight, Dumbbells, or Bands. " Brad: Great. So we're using all the methods on that one. Mike: Is your wife in that video? Brad: Yes, she is. And she's a lot better looking than both of us put together. For this week’s Giveaway visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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 June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvfm3Lb3Ojs Brad: All right, the Achilles tendon. If you've got Achilles tendon pain, we're going to show you the biggest mistake people make when they have this pain, and we're also going to show you how to remedy it. Mike: So we're going to give you five steps to help calm down this pain to prevent limping from happening, and get you back into action. Brad: That's right. Now, you have two of the Achilles tendons, and it's the largest tendon in your body. It accepts almost 100% of your weight every time you take a step as you walk. Now, when you jog, run, or jump up and down, that tendon can experience up to 10 times the amount of your body weight. It really has a big job to keep you up and moving. Mike: Yeah, this tendon is actually part of a long chain running from your calf muscles down to your Achilles tendon, and actually it turns into your plantar fascia. So it's a large chain. It takes the brunt of the work when you are walking, jumping, etc. Brad: Now I'm going to tell you the biggest mistake a lot of people make, and I actually did this myself years back, is that we get a strain in the Achilles tendon, and the first thing we think we have to do is stretch it. No, no, don't stretch it. Bob actually read a whole book from a person who studied this in detail, and we're going to show you the alternative to stretch it, because if you tear some tissues and then you stretch it, you simply retear the injured tissues. It's like pulling the scab off a cut. It just makes it prolonged, and the injury just lasts and lasts and lasts. If your Achilles tendon is really flamed up, sore, and it's just very tender, you really need to give it some rest. And I mean non-weight bearing rest, you don't have to lie down like Mike is here, but you can if you want, put some pillows under there. Get comfortable. You can do it in a recliner or in bed, whatever, but get a cold pack , one that is nice and pliable when you pull it out of the freezer. It'll work much better than if you get one of those that are stiff. Here we have his tendon marked in green. Lay it down, and it's nice to actually wrap it around. Get yourself some Velcro or some Ace wrap and get it so it conforms, and you get a lot of contact over that sore area. 15 to 20 minutes. Do that two, three times a day. It should settle down within a day or two. Then we can get onto the next part of the program. Brad: I do want to follow up if you're using that cold pack. Now, this cold pack is a really nice one. It actually has a felt-like cloth surface on one side, so your skin doesn't get too cold. A lot of them don't. If that's the case, you're going to want to take a towel and put that over the cold pack and then wrap it around that ankle or make sure you have a sock on so you don't get too cold and you can actually irritate and frost bite your skin if you get too cold of a cold pack directly on your skin. Now let's talk about step number two. Mike: Step number two is self-massage. What we're going to do is called cross-friction massage. So what we're going to do is actually grab the tendon, make sure this isn't too painful. If it's really painful just to the touch, it's too early for this step yet. If that's the case, you can certainly massage up in the calf muscle, belly into the tendon if it's not painful there to begin. If it feels good when you grab it, you can certainly massage it. You can actually kind of pinch your tendon because it's so thick, and you just kind of go back and forth working in spots that may be tender going up and down. This is just going to increase blood flow to the area, which can help the healing process. Brad: That's right. That actually does do some as it's healing. There's going to be scar tissue, and it can break up scar tissue where it shouldn't be. Now, if it's sore when you first start doing this, but after about 30 seconds, it starts to feel good, or it feels numbish, then you know it's ready for that cross-friction massage. You're only going to do it for two or three minutes or until your thumbs or fingers get sore, which happens first. Mike, let's talk about the option if you want to work the muscle, so you don't wreck your fingers or irritate your fingers. Mike: If you happen to have a massage gun , you can certainly use that instead of here. And I'm not going to go directly onto the tendon, going more at an angle, and again, I'm going to work this thick part of the tendon laterally. Do whatever area feels tender where it feels good. You can kind of dig in there like this. We have the round head on. Brad has an air cushion head. They're less aggressive, so it won't be as painful, especially if you're still healing in that region. Brad: Yeah, you're not going to use one of these bullet heads or something that's too aggressive. The round head at an angle really makes a big difference. This one's a soft cushion head, and that would be a nice option as well. Brad: If you happen to have one of those large guns that has 10 or 16 millimeters of amplitude, you're probably not going to use it at all down here. But if you want to work the calf muscles, which you do want to make sure your calf muscles stay supple and relaxed, so it takes stress off that tendon, go ahead with the larger gun if it's tolerated. You'll probably find one area that is tender and tight. Spend more time on that when it comes to the calf muscle, and you'll know once you get a feel for it and you work with your leg. Yeah. Mike, anything else? Mike: No, let's go to the next part. Brad: There you go. I'm having fun. This feels good. All right, now this is absolutely one of the most important keys to getting your Achilles to start strengthening, and this is very important. What we're actually going to do is isometric stressor strengthening on it before we start doing some strengthening, going up and down, like a lot of people make the mistake and jump right to that. It's too aggressive. Go ahead and explain it, Mike. Mike: So to begin, start with something lower, maybe a two-by-four book, and over time you can progress to a stair if you like. Right now, I'm actually stretching my Achilles, which is what we don't really want to do. So what you want to do is just lift your feet up a little bit so your foot is level. This is going to start strengthening that Achilles tendon, and we're going to hold it here. Now you can go 15, 30 seconds if it feels hard, up to 45 seconds, just hold and stand in this position. You can use something to hold onto for balance if needed, and then relax. You can do that a few times a day. We don't want to do the full range of motion strengthening exercises like calf raises quite yet, early on. Just get a nice neutral position and hold it. Brad: That's right. And you can see Mike is doing it with both feet, which is a good way to start. If it feels good for 45 seconds times three sets and you want to intensify it, simply take this foot and hold it so you can do it all the weight. And that's going to progress it accordingly before we start doing range of motion. Brad: Okay, now after you've done the isometric, so you can do it on one foot, there's no pain, 45 seconds, two to three sets, and you do that three times a day, it's feeling better, and you notice that you can start to walk with small steps. It's not hurting so much anymore, it's actually starting to feel back to normal. Then we can start to do the strengthening exercises with range of motion, and Mike, show them how we're going to start with that. Mike: So we're going to do calf raises. We're just going to start on a flat surface. So just stand on the floor. Again, hold onto something if you want to. We're just going to focus on going up on the toes and then back down to the floor. Nice slow, controlled motion. No hard jarring effects here at all. We're obviously not going to jump. So, just nice, slow, controlled motions. Again, five, 10 repetitions. You can work out the 15 if you want, and do three sets. Brad: Now, when you feel comfortable doing three sets of 10 with this, with both feet, then you can start to go on one foot. But again, I would definitely have your hand on somewhere so you can assist or even up to a cupboard. So you can push a little bit with one or both hands to help that sore one and use good judgment. If you're developing pain after you do three or four of them, it's not ready yet. You want to get to 10 without pain before you go to the next step of exercises. Mike: Now, once you've progressed to those exercises, feeling easy, comfortable, no pain, and say you are more active, you like to run, hike, whatever, bicycle. Now you're going to want to strengthen it a little more through a full range of motion. To do this, you're going to actually stand on the edge of a step. I would suggest wearing shoes. I just don't have them on for video purposes. So you're actually going to go down into a slight stretch and then up and do the calf raises. Again, start with both legs when you do this, five, 5, 10, 15 reps, whatever feels easy. If this becomes easy, you can go to one leg, do both legs. You may notice a difference. See if one side is a little weaker than the other, but this is going to strengthen through a full range of motion. Brad: Again, no pain should be experienced while you do this. Perhaps a little stretch pain, but nothing that feels like a knife at all. That's going to be too aggressive if you do experience that. All right, now we want to get from this phase into the functional phase. Again, I just want to emphasize that if the most active you're going to get is a walking program or there are no real high-impact activities, you can skip that and just go walking. The big thing is just start feeling good while walking. Don't go out and overdo it too much, too soon. Just walk perhaps a block and back, see how it feels while you're walking, and the next day. If it feels good while you're walking, but the next day you notice it's a little sore, you may want to take that day off, wait till the day after, and go for a walk again. When you can go two days in a row walking a block, no pain while you're walking or the next day, then bump it up to two blocks. Don't go from one block to six blocks and think that that big of a step is going to be tolerated, because you might just take a big step backwards. So that's really important as you progress, getting back to your regular activity. Mike, do you want to talk about people who are going to be active, playing tennis, jumping rope, you know what else, whatever people do? Mike: You're going to want to slowly progress in increasing your activity with that as well. So, say you are active for 20 minutes and it feels good, keep doing 20 minutes. Don't go up to an hour with an activity. You're going to have to slowly progress over time so your body gets acclimated and accommodated, preventing any injuries from recurring. Brad: That's right. So if you are a tennis player, you're not going to jump from walking to playing an active, full-on on 100% game of tennis. You're going to do some side-to-side activities at a low 50% level and then work your way into that full level activity, and make sure you don't irritate it or tear it again. Mike: So if you want to check out more videos on, say, progressing your Achilles tendonitis or other issues to be more active, you can check out our video " Fix Achilles Tendon Pain in 60 to 120 Seconds, Including Tendonitis, Strains, & Tears. " However, if you want to just learn how to massage your Achilles tendon region a little bit better, you can check out our video " How To Use A Massage Gun On Achilles Tendonitis. " Brad: There you go. We've got all the answers A to Z, and just keep those Achilles tendons strong as you walk, run, play, and have fun. Take care. For this week’s Giveaway, visit :  https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: A2 Pro Massage Gun 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 D2 Mini Massage Gun D5 Pro Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun D6 Plus Massage Gun with Heated Head D6 Pro Max Massage Gun with Metal Head Eye Massager  EyeOasis 2 Plus Eye Massager with Remote Eye Massager with Heating and Cooling EZBack Massager   EZBack Massager With Remote Fit Glide Foot Massager Hand Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream   Knee Glide   Lite Foot Massager 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 TheraPanel 4 -Headed Massage Gun Uni Massage Gun 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 Fitness: Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit   Pull Up System Resistance Bands​   Stress Balls   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.