After you determine your arch, choose a shoe that is suitable for your arch. • To minimize the risk, try to only buy shoes that are immediately comfortable, not that you will need to “break in”. If you need the added support of arch supports or plantar fascia inserts, it’s usually best to replace them with your new shoes. If you don’t yet have a new pair, swap your old inserts into your new shoes until you are able to replace them to ensure you always have proper support. • While trying out shoes wear the socks you will normally be wearing. • Try on shoes at the end of the day in case your feet swell during the day. • Length of shoe. The shoe should be about a quarter inch longer than your longest toe. • Width of shoe. Depends on your overall comfort. Too narrow and your feet may go numb. Too wide and your feet may slip. • Heel to arch length. The widest part of your foot should line up with the widest part of the shoe. • The heel counter: Simply the back part of the shoe that cradles your heel. Tighten the laces of the shoe to a comfortable level and the heel should not slip. • If you have plantar fasciitis you may want to wear a shoe with a little more heel which will decrease the pull from your heel cord. Heel height can be anywhere from 1/3 inch up to ½ inch depending on comfort. • Rotating footwear between at least two different types of shoes decreased the incidence of plantar fasciitis by 72 percent. (study by Werner et. al 2010). The time allows the soft material in the footwear to rebound and provide better cushioning. • Dress Shoes for Men: Leather shoes are not very cushioning and don’t absorb shock very well. If possible, opt for a softer soled casual dress shoe. Just search for soft soled dress shoe. • Dress Shoes for Women: Women and high heels. If you can wear proper good supporting footwear 90 percent of the time- you need not worry about the ten percent of the time with high heels. If you are wearing high heels at work and sitting most of the day- this is also not a problem. • Work Shoes: Work shoes were designed for safety and not for comfort. You may want to remove the sock liner. Replace it with an insert that is thick, supportive, and comfortable. • Hiking boots: Hiking boots tend to be great footwear for people with plantar fasciitis. They have great arch support. However, if you are seeking more “cushioning” in your footwear you may need to look elsewhere. • Replace your footwear when you begin to see wear patterns that are more than half of the treads in once area. • Change positions often if on hard surfaces For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program https://youtu.be/PZDxyck_QPw

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded October in of 2019 . For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMIf-CFS7Qs&t=301s Bob: Once again, we are joined by someone, Brad, do you want to introduce him? Brad: Chris the pharmacist. I’ve known Chris for about 25 or 30 years now. He is the man we go to to get some real good scientific information about this topic we’re going to go over. Bob: We want some authority, and this is the guy. I would say, semi-genius? Or full genius. Brad: Yeah, I would say he’s right up there. Chris: Let’s lower the bar. Bob: Alright, we’re going to talk about the harms of marijuana/THC on the young brain. This is a very important topic obviously as things become legalized and we want to make sure we explore it fully. Brad: Right. And all three of us have adult children. Chris still has a high schooler. Chris: I still have a teenager at home. Brad: So, we can relate to this at a personal level as well. I guess growing up when I was younger, I didn't use or at least I didn’t inhale, older joke. But anyway, does it really hurt a teenager if they smoke some marijuana? It’s been around back in the 60’s, it seems like it really got popular and exposed to the public and also in the media especially. Also, at the same time, there’s the question about can you justify it as it's becoming medically legitimate. They’re saying it’s legal medically in some states now. It’s a good pain killer. There’s some research being done with cancer and that kind of thing, but we need to get this all cleared up. Chris: Well, at the end of the day, I mean, people smoke marijuana to get high. I mean, it’s recreational use. I think that’s probably the area that we’ll focus on because that’s where the danger really lies. And kids are going to be kids. I think it’s something that, as parents, we give them the best possible information we can. As far as marijuana, THC, which is the active component which gives you that high effect, is actually probably something that is very, very dangerous to a developing brain. There are actually some pretty decent studies that show pretty eloquently why it’s a bad thing. The brain doesn’t stop developing until about 25 years old. So, I guess, even alcohol use, which is also dangerous for a lot of reasons, but we won’t side bar that too much. But probably shouldn’t even drink until you’re 25. When we take something like marijuana, THC, it really does affect the teenager’s brain. There’s a lot that happens between 12 and 17 and continues to happen until about 25. There’s that magic spot right in there where there’s just lots happening in the brain. When you smoke marijuana, what happens is, you get these chemicals, it makes you feel funny and high and all these silly kinds of things, but it actually really stunts brain development. Those risks that happen are just really traumatic. The high rates for depression and anxiety are huge, off the Richter scale. We’re talking, on the normal population, it’s between anywhere from, depending on the study, 15 maybe 20% of people will suffer from it without adding any risks. I mean it’s not; you’re walking by without a net. You add marijuana into the frame in a young developing brain and it increases that risk fivefold. So, it’s a much higher risk. Not just little bits of depression and anxiety, but lots where actually it’s very clinically significant. It’s requiring prescriptions, it’s requiring watching out for things as dangerous as suicide. It’s something that we have to be very careful with. Bob: A friend of my son’s, smokes marijuana and it just happens to be that he does have huge issues with anxiety and depression now. I mean, I know that’s a one case of one. It’s just interesting to observe up front. Brad: But you’re talking about studies that reveal this clearly. Chris: Yeah, there’s study after study that shows it very clearly. Actually, the things that are really the most damaging, so the younger and the frequency of use dictate the amount of damage later down the road. So, that’s the take home. So, if you have a 12, 13, 14, 15 year old kid that’s using this and using it habitually, it’s something that we have to be super careful with. Their risk for anxiety and depression, what they show, is permanent, and you’re going to have problems. Just to kind of jump it around; there’s a study in Norway that actually had a twin study, which was kind of interesting. It was a small study, so I don’t know that you could necessarily hang your hat on it, but it’s certainly something that brought it up. There’s two separate kids, one that did and one that didn’t. They were twins. So, you’ve got good matches. That’s what’s so interesting about his study. It showed that the one that didn’t, seemed to be well adjusted and fine but there was a much higher incidence of suicidal ideation in the twin that used. It wasn’t really clear on how much marijuana was consumed, at what ages, but they showed that suicidal ideation and depression and anxiety were very very high in the ones that did compared to the twin. So, even though the study was very small, I think at least it gives a window on what we have to be prepared for. It’s something as a parent, none of us want our children to be exposed to those types of things. Life is hard enough as it is. I don’t think we need to do anything to make it more challenging. Bob: What about that thing you often see in marijuana use in movies that’s the lack of ambition. Is there anything to that? Chris: Oh, there’s a lot to that. That goes with a lot of things that occur with the smoking of marijuana when you’re talking about the developing brain you have the frontal cortex where all the thinking goes on, but you have other areas, your hippocampus, where all your memories are processed, so there’s lots of really complex things happening in that brain. That chemical, for whatever reason, seems to slow down your ability to, you’re apathetic, you’re impulsive, so you’re more likely to just say, hey that sounds like a good idea. So, we’re going to do that. We have problems with memory and recall. Spatial orientation. That’s just directions to the local quick mart. It’s like, alright, you’re going to take two stop lights, you’re going to take a right and then a left. You know, we all got it. Two stop lights, a right and a left. Well, all of a sudden, they’ve gone left and then two stop lights. So, I mean it’s something that does affect how the brain works, and it’s interesting. Some of the studies actually show after periods of absence or not using the product, what happens is, it recovers a little bit, but not great, and it seems like those effects are probably permanent. Bob: Especially used at a young age. Chris: Yes. I mean, you have kids that are in school, they’re learning. They talk about things like verbal fluency, so when you’re learning to use your vocabulary and different words, you kind of get stuck on one word. It’s easy to make fun of because we see it in the movies. We see the comical aspects of it. There’s a lot of truth to it and there’s a lot of very real issues that occur. I think what these kids do not realize, and I think we can call it, they’re children, our children. They don’t realize the damage that they are doing. They’re stunting their development; they’re stunting their intelligence. They’re opening up their lives to possible, really sadness, misery and anxiety. Just for the short-term gains because maybe societal pressures, peer pressure. Hey, I’m doing it, so you have to do it. See, now you’re cool, now you’re not. There’s a lot of things. It’s very hard to be a teenager. I think in this day and age, it’s probably harder than it was when we were kids. There’s so many more options and choices that are available to them. Bob: Now that it’s being legalized in a lot of areas, I mean is society saying, yeah, it’s okay now. Chris: It sends mixed messages. I think, again, everybody is free to choose, but I think at least until that brain is 25, and even after 25, there’s still studies that show it’s not a good thing either. But there’s also aspects of marijuana use that can be good as far as pain relief and cancer relief, seizure control. I mean, it’s a slippery slope and we have to very careful with what we’re doing. But in the case of our kids. Bob: Now what you’re talking about though, is basically, again, choosing your poison to some extent. It’s going to be a lot better to use marijuana than maybe some of the opioids. Chris: Oh, yeah, yeah. They are lesser evils. We’re not going to tell you to go out and find some meth or find some heroin. It’s all very bad. Let’s face it, they’re all bad. At some point or another, people use it recreationally, but you know, I’ve been guilty of having a beer at a local tavern. It’s certainly something that my friends can attest to how many beers I’ve had. So, it’s certainly something to be aware of. Bob: That’s the argument quite often that they make. Well, they legalized alcohol. The thing is, that alcohol is bad. So is marijuana. So is if we legalize another drug. They’re all bad. We’re just adding to the mix there basically. Brad: We were talking earlier; Chris and you had mentioned there was a study on was it your IQ or something about your cognition? Without the use of marijuana and with it, or the THC. Chris: Yeah, so there are some good studies that actually show that your IQ could drop as much as 8 points. Bob: I don’t have 8 points to lose. I don’t know about you. Chris: Exactly. Now, if there were a drug that would give me 8-10 points of intelligence, I’m all about it. But I mean, when you’re going backwards, and you’re old and it’s one of those things where, I don’t want to lose those 8 points. When you’re in a developing mind, it’s even more serious because the damage that you do then, is probably more permanent. So, we are going to have problems down the road. It’s like, we want these kids to emerge and flourish. The last thing we want them doing is going backwards. We just can’t do that. Brad: Especially when it sounds like it’s a permanent thing. The damage is done. It’s not going to correct itself like the lungs. If you’re smoking and you quit smoking, your lungs do regenerate. Not the case here. Chris: I mean, there is an extent with abstinence where it does get better, but it never seems to get where that baseline is. You’ll never really get that what you once had. It’s kind of one of those things that these kids for the most part come out and they’re perfect, for the most part, unless there’s other mitigating factors, and every day you live is a little bit closer day to death. So, why would we do anything that’s going to make that path from A to B more difficult? I think, unfortunately, with a developing brain, it can. Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash Bob: Now, you’re mentioning too, that some of the doses now of marijuana are much more potent now than what people may remember when they tried it as a kid. Chris: Oh yes. I think what happened in the 60s and 70s and 80s, we’ve had some very smart botanists out there that really know how to manipulate plant genes. They can structure the types of highs that they can manufacture. It’s interesting because I think there is some medical aspects that it can be certainly researched and hopefully moved forward with some of these scientists. At the same time, I think we have to be careful again, with the age of things and the exposure. We just have to be so careful because of the damage that we can do to the brain. It’s just something that we have to care to care. Brad: You know, we were talking just a little bit ago about that they’re changing genetically the plant. I can relate to that because my nephew just got his PhD in agronomy and he’s been literally, he tells me about it in the stories that he’s growing grass, actually, grass seed. They want to make a grass seed better, like in your lawn. It’s amazing what they’ve done with what they can do. There’s a Bill Murray reference in there. Someone with his knowledge had decided, well, if I can do this with grass seed, I’ll do it with marijuana plants. I can just imagine that they can really change it. In other words, one joint from the 60s versus one joint today, modified, the level of THC could be doubled or tripled? Chris: I don’t know if we have a straight percentage. I think what you can say is that the level of THC produces a more potent high. I think you can take that to the bank. From that standpoint, they just understand, like I said, how to manipulate the plant genes. In the case of your nephew, it’s just another plant that we can manipulate genes. You see it all over the place. It’s the genetically modified organisms. It’s something that they’re going to continue to do it and maybe even make a better plant. I mean, heaven knows what’s going to happen out there in the future, but I think there’s so much research that we need to do for the safety of everybody that’s involved. What are the dangers will be, obviously? There’s respiratory illness, there’s going to be cardiac issues. Obviously, the mind is what I typically focus on. It’s certainly something we have to be very careful with. There’s emerging evidence. There’s this cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and it’s something that ER doctors have kind of reported. It’s an interesting article. Bob: And hyperemesis is what? Chris: Throwing up a lot. Brad: Profusely. Chris: To the point where they actually dehydrate, and all these other really bad things happen in the body to the point where it can actually cause death. I think that’s the thing we have to take away from. Bob: And not recognizing it in the ER for being caused by marijuana. Chris: It’s being recognized now because it’s becoming more of a hot topic. It’s been misdiagnosed. The problem is that there’s a very casual thought that marijuana’s not that big of a deal. I think it is a big deal, and it should be treated that way. Alcohol, I think is actually worse than marijuana. If you were going to pick the two poisons. If you look at the addictive scale, alcohol comes in well ahead of marijuana. But it’s certainly something that has its own emerging set of problems. I think over the next 20 years, we’re going to see more and more of those. Going back to that hyperemesis, the throwing up, there was an example of a young lady that, she was 27 years old and she knew she had this. She figured, well one more night’s not going to kill me. So, she went out on, I guess for lack of anything else to say, a marijuana bender. She partook of various different foods and types of smoking. Brad: And this was at a restaurant? Chris: Yeah, just a restaurant. It’s something that’s kind of a fad thing out west. I mean, I think you’ll see a lot in California for sure. They have clever chefs that try and add this to make things at least get people through the door. So, she went through but the takeaway is that she ingested tons and tons of marijuana that night, and it landed her in the ER. It ultimately put her in the hospital for days. The study, I believe said three days. She nearly died. There’s a really tragic story, same article, of a 17-year-old boy that had the same thing. He was vomiting so profusely and dehydrating and everything else that went with it, it shut down all his organs and he passed away at 17 years old. What these physicians are noticing is that they didn’t realize that it was probably from marijuana use and so it was being treated as stomach ailments or maybe a virus. Now your astute physicians, and they’re all sharp. I mean, I think for the most part, so now they’re becoming more and more aware of this particular condition. I think as it becomes more decriminalized and more people use more of it, it’s simply a small example of the dangers yet to come. I think that’s the take home. As parents, as friends, you just want to make sure that your friends and loved ones are being taken care of. We don’t want anybody to go down that route. Bob: You may have just saved someone, Chris, because we’ve all seen it more then once on our channel where we’ve warned people of something and they’ve emailed us later and said that because of you, we figured this out. This is why we’re vomiting. Chris: Maybe. It’s just a dramatic example for sure. And I chose that simply because it is a dramatic example. But I mean, it is something, a real possibility. We’re seeing many many more people affected by it. Another friend of mine is a physician and he’s like, just you wait. You’re going to see an eruption of problems associated with marijuana. Respiratory, cardiac, obviously the mind, which we kind of gravitated to through this program. It’s something that I think we have to take with a grain of salt with our youth, in particular, but even as choices as adults, we have to be careful with it. Bob: I think if some of the states wait long enough, they’ll watch some of these other states that have legalized it and start to see the issues cropping up there unfold. Chris: It’s hard to deny the money unfortunately. That’s where the problem is. Schools and bridges, I mean it’s crazy. Brad: Another conundrum that our society is going to have to face. We’ll get through it with people like Chris. Our channel can educate some people and help it out. Bob: Thanks again to Chris for coming. Well done, well done. Brad: Excellent job, Chris. Chris: Thanks guys. Bob: Thanks for watching. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs Wimkin: https://wimkin.com/BobandBrad Mewe: https://mewe.com/i/bobandbrad Minds: https://www.minds.com/bobandbrad/ Vero: vero.co/bobandbrad For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in October of 2020 . For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKio9c3sGZI Brad: Hi, Brad Heineck, physical therapist. Mike: Mike Kenitz, Physical Therapist Assistant. Brad: Together, we are the most famous physical therapist on the internet. Mike: In our opinion, of course. Brad: There you go, Mike. Today’s episode is understanding spinal decompression using an inversion table. And will it work for you? You’re going to understand it and you get some answers for this. So, understanding why this can take care or delete or does it actually work? Or take care of your back pain. We’re going to cover that. How it works, is traction or decompression which really is the same thing. We’re going to look at that closer using the spine. If we look at the spine, often times particularly with sciatica, we’re going to be dealing with a bulging disc. Now if you have tight muscles, this also can be helpful just for relaxing the muscles, but we’re going to look at the bulging disc. Here we have, L3 and L4 and there’s a bulging disc here pushing on the nerve causing back pain and sciatica all the way down the leg. Now, that bulge, if we can centralize it or reduce it, medically speaking. We want to get it to go back in. If we actually could pull the vertebra apart, allowing space for the bulge to go back in, that is good. Mike: Typically, reduces the pain you are experiencing from sciatica or wherever it may be causing. Brad: Now, what used to happen back in the day, when I was early in the therapy, there wasn’t inversion tables. They had traction machines where you would lay down. I should call them devices. Machines sound a little industrial. Mike: They still have them. Brad: They would have a device where they connect up your waist and connect up your trunk or your torso. Mike: You laid on a big table and it would pull and would get relief. Brad: If you got relief, you’re doing the right thing. You typically lay there for 15-20 minutes on a certain protocol prescribed by the therapist or the doctor. So, how do we do this without an expensive device? We found out the inversion table can work out very well. These have come more popular over the last 5-10 years. Mike: Yes. This is a Teeter table. They have different versions. We have one of the higher end models here. This one just has a bigger base of support. It also comes with a few adjustable features compared to the other ones. But, they all work well. Brad: I used to have an inversion table. It worked well on my spine for about two and a half years with spondylolisthesis, then it stopped working and I actually sold it on the used market. That worked out well, but these are very top quality. You’re going to be happy with how it’s built mechanics and the how it works. Before we get into that, I did do a little research Mike, I want to share this with people. There’s a nice research study done, people who had a sciatica, a bulging disc, according to the MRI. And they split it into two groups. One group had therapy exercises alone. The other groups had the same therapy exercises with the inversion table treatment. What they found out was that people who had the inversion table, by the way, all of these people were cited for surgery. There was a significant difference and people who used the inversion table did not have the surgery, evidence that it works. Mayo Clinic, I looked at them. They also said they’re very consistent with reducing back pain. Then they’re saying not for long-term, in other words, you might need to use it for maintenance. I’ve had patients own one. They say they love it because they invert, they decrease the pain. It lasts but not forever. Mike: Yeah, it’s not a long-term solution. Brad: Should I let you talk? I’ve just been babbling on. Mike: Go ahead. Brad: LOL, so, why don’t we demo? Mike: Okay. So, to get into these, you have to first step in. Obviously, if your back is hurting, you might have to have someone bend down to push this closed. You want it tight. You don’t want it so tight your ankles are uncomfortable. So, I’m just going to snap it in. That feels tight for me, it’s adjustable. We have this preset to my height. We also have it strapped in here, so it will not fully invert. Mike: You can full invert. We do not recommend it. Full inversion is honestly used more for exercises, which we’ve showed in previous videos in the past, but this is set up so all I’m going to do is lean back. As soon as I lean back, I’m going to get to a neutral position. This is set up for me, for my height, my weight. You’re going to have to mess with it. Brad and I are the same height but I’m a little more top heavy than him. So, I have to set it up a little different than him. As you can see, if I bend my knees, I start to come back down. If I straighten and go back this way. I’ll go neutral, start in neutral. And then to actually invert, I’m going to start raising my arms up above my head. And down I go. Brad: And at this point, as the weight of his arms, head and trunk offer that traction and Mike, as the person using it, or the patient if you will, needs to learn to relax the abdominal muscles and the core muscles. And that allows that traction to occur. If you’ve got that bulging disk allow that to centralize go back in or if it’s just a relaxing of the muscles. You have to kind of learn how to relax here and focus on your breathing. Are you feeling okay, Mike? Mike: Yep. Brad: Also, if you have arthritis in your back, in the facet joints that can gap those and allow that synovial fluid to get in reducing the pain and Mike’s going to come back up. Mike: Also, if you had any type of back surgery, you probably should not do an inversion table, check with your doctor. And some people's pain is so bad, getting into this is uncomfortable. So, it’s not for everybody. Brad: There are a few instances that you’re not going to be a candidate for the inversion table with some medical issues. Number one, if you have glaucoma. The pressure in your eyes goes up when you invert. And if you have any eye problem, make sure you check with your eye doctor or your eye doctor. Glaucoma’s uh, what are you laughing at Mike? Mike: The eye doctor or the eye doctor. Brad: Did I say that? Mike: Yeah. Optometrists, is that what they’re called? Brad: There you go. Heart conditions. If you have blood pressure problems, any cardiac problems, make sure you check with that doctor. If you recently, or in the past, had a stroke, a hiatal hernia, because you don’t want the pressure and that to change and irritate that. Or, if you’re pregnant. Mike: Or high blood pressure. Hypertension is also precautious. Brad: Didn’t I say that? Mike: I think you skipped that one. Brad: All right. So, what I did was, I went to a store that had them and I tried it. You’re only going to, in my recommendation, you’re only going to use these if they offer relief while you’re doing it as well as after you get off and walk around and for the next few hours. In other words, it could feel good while you’re inverting, and then when you get up and walk around, oh man, that was not the right thing to do. That’s the problem. You’re not going to use one. If you invert and you’re going to not invert too long the first time. The first time I did it, I was inverted for about five minutes. I thought if one minute is good, five is better. Well, my back was feeling good, but I got a headache for the rest of the night. And I inverted too steep. I recommend 60 degrees, at the most and this is about 60, maybe a little less. Mike: The strap is adjustable. It’ll allow them to go further back or less. Brad: What if I can’t find a store, particularly now with COVID going on. You can buy one of these from Teeter. You have a 60-day trial. If you’re not happy with them in 60 days, full money back guarantee. Mike: Yes, if you go through the link we put in the description, you do get a bit of a discount as well. Brad: So, there we go. Understanding spinal decompression or traction as it is described here. I've used them. They are vaild and they're useful and I really hope that we helped straighten this out in your head. Mike: And your back. Thanks. Interested in learning about the products mentioned: 1) Teeter FitSpine Inversion Table: https://shrsl.com/2e6mo Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs Wimkin: https://wimkin.com/BobandBrad Mewe: https://mewe.com/i/bobandbrad Minds: https://www.minds.com/bobandbrad/ Vero: vero.co/bobandbrad For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

You should plan on purchasing shoes with good arch support and cushion. You may want to purchase a good pair of walking or running shoes (even if you do not run) You should purchase shoes based upon the type of arch that you have. To determine your type of arch, do the following: Put the water on the bottom of your bare feet and walk over a paper bag or vanilla envelope has been taped to the floor. Compare your footprint to the photos below. High Arch (first foot in photo) is a supinator and generally is very rigid. It does not absorb shock very well. Tends to take more pressure on the outer side of the bottom of the foot. Normal arch (middle foot) is neutral. It does not pronate much or supinate much. Foot pressure with a normal arch tends to spread out even between the inner side and outer side of the bottom of the foot. Low arch (last foot in photo) is a pronator and generally has a lot of mobility- can absorb shock well. This type of foot is referred to as a flat foot. Pressure tends to be on the inner side of the bottom of the foot. Running or walking shoe categories: Even though these are classified as running shoes, they are designed to help the average person with their daily walking Cushioning Shoes: generally good for a normal arch to a high arch. Provides increased cushioning but not a lot of support. Stable Neutral Shoes: generally good for a normal to low arched foot. Have a lot of cushioning AND more support for the arch of your foot. Stability Shoes: Generally good for a low arch or pronator. It has more support inside part of the shoe and material is stiffer in the arch. Motion Control Shoes: Have firm support on inside and outside of shoe. Stiffest and heaviest shoes you can get. Generally designed for people who severely over-pronate their feet. 3 Tests to tell what type of shoe you have: Grab the heel and forefoot of the shoe and twist it or wring it like a washcloth. If you can completely twist so that the heel ends up facing one way and forefoot the opposite. It is most likely a cushioning shoe. Grab the heel and forefoot and bend the shoe. If it bends at the forefoot and not the arch. it is more likely a stability or motion control type shoe. If it bends at the arch, it is a cushioning type shoe. Take your finger and poke into the base of the midsole. If it is soft and cushiony all the way around the shoe with no plastic bars or posts it is a cushioning shoe. If there is a hard or form plastic support, it is a stability or motion control type shoe. For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program https://youtu.be/RXzk7OdZ0Hs

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2019. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ZmxlmJnAQ&t=10s Bob: Today Brad, we actually have an interesting topic. It’s called horns on your skull caused by your cell phone and how to stop it. That’s intriguing isn’t it? Brad: Yeah. Bob: So what are we talking about, Brad, horns on your skull? What we’re talking about here is actually a bone spur that can occur on the back of your skull. We kind of created one here. So, we have Napoleon Bone-apart here, we took his head off. And you can actually see the little bone spur coming out. That’s probably a fairly large one. Brad: Sure. Bob: There are probably a lot smaller ones. Brad: But, you said you saw x-rays and it looked very similar to this. Bob: Yes. Now the thing is, why this is not surprising to us, is because you can get bone spurs in your shoulder, you get bone spurs in your back, you can get bone spurs on your heel. So, why couldn’t you get bone spurs on your skull? Brad: Right, because all we need typically, is a ligament or a tendon that attaches to a bone, overstress it, calcium deposits form, and it creates a bone over time. Bob: And we’ll show you what ligament causes that on the skull. Brad: There you go. Bob: So this is based on research. It was from the University of Sunshine Coast. What a name right? Brad: I’d like to visit. Bob: Yeah this is in Australia. You probably want to go to Australia, don’t you? Brad: I do. Bob: It’s in Queensland and they did 1200 x-rays. They did it on a wide variety of ages. One-third, Brad, that would be 400 people, showed bone spurs. Brad: At this location on the skull. Bob: Yes, at that location. And, the frequency decreased with increased age. It was more in the younger people that had it. Isn’t that a little frightening? Brad: Well, it kind of makes sense as we go into the research here. Bob: Yeah, we’re going to talk about this. So, first off where does this occur? It actually occurs right at the back, and actually, if you want to tell right now whether or not you have one, you can feel on anybody here. There is actually a bump on the back. It’s the occipital protuberance there. The first bump you will feel right in the back of your head. Brad: And that’s normal. Bob: That’s normal to have the bump there, but run your finger down a little bit down towards your neck. Now if you start to feel the bone continues and forms something like the protrusion on the skull. Then, you probably have a little bone spur. But not to worry. That’s not really going to give you any problems or any pain. Brad: I guess if it was large enough and you extended you head up and it starts to physically bump into something, then it might be painful or uncomfortable. Bob: It could. It’s like heel spurs, a lot of heel spurs don’t give you pain, either. But, why does this bone spur occur? So, we’ve got Sam our other skeleton here. And this is a great demonstration here because attached to that bony protuberance there, is a ligament. It’s called a ligamentum nuchae. I always remember that from college and PT school because, it’s an interesting name to me. But that ligamentum nuchae attaches to that bone and then it attaches to the bony bumps on the back of your neck all the way down to C7. Brad: Those are the spinous processes. Bob: And it looks similar to this. It’s really wide, but it’s very narrow if you look at it from the back. Brad: It’s probably not blue. Bob: It’s probably not blue. But what happens is, every time you bend your neck forward, you can see that stretching, don’t you Brad. Brad: Yeah, so you can see this tape is flexible, and it’s literally stretching. And that’s what happens when you bend forward. For example, to look at your cell phone. We’re looking like this, stretching that particular ligament out causing stress on that bone. Which causes the calcium deposits to form, causing bone spurs. Bob: Ergo, bone spurs. So this doesn’t happen overnight. This is generally from prolonged posture. So you have your head down for a long time. It could also be a laptop, if your head is down. So again, the bone spur generally is not a problem in itself. But the other things that are going on could be a huge problem on your neck. With your neck down like this all the time, now you can start to get some deterioration in the neck itself. And you could get, what we call degenerative disc disease. Brad: So the disc between the vertebrae are starting to fail or break down. Bob: Right. So we talked again about how posture, where for every inch your head is forward that puts 10 pounds more stress on your neck. So, if you’re way forward you’ve probably got about 40 or 50 pounds more stress on your neck. And so, how do we get away from this? Very simple. Don’t look down on your phone like that. Brad’s going to show you. Bring your phone up to you, we call it Tyrannosaurus arms. You have short little arms, bring it up to you and look at your phone that way. Brad: Or, you know, the other thing you could do is kind of compensate with your eyes. Instead of looking down with your head, look down with your eyes. And you can do this, but it is a little bit harder if you have bifocals, of course. But with healthy eyes, you can do it. That’s a habitual change, though, and it’s not going to be easy. But I’m thinking probably going to make a device, a harness that goes around the neck and you put the cell phone there and you go. You could just walk around with this thing bobbling around. Bob: Well, Brad, I think they tried it with glasses, you know. They had the google like glasses, where you could see things on there. I think they’ll probably implant something in our eyes is what they’ll do. Brad: Yeah, I see. Well one way or another it’ll get taken care of. Bob: But the thing is, it’s also what we talk about with laptops, you don’t want to have your head way down with laptops either. Down looking at your keyboard or laptop for long periods of time, I think may be the culprit more than anything. Brad: We have some videos on really nice ways to alleviate that, particularly people at work or at home. Bob: So, basically get rid of the horns, Brad right? Brad: Why, Brad, why? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Bob: Alright, thanks for watching. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs Wimkin: https://wimkin.com/BobandBrad Mewe: https://mewe.com/i/bobandbrad Minds: https://www.minds.com/bobandbrad/ Vero: vero.co/bobandbrad For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in September of 2020 . For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ru9h0NuBgg&t=1s Bob: Today we’re going to show you the one exercise that will improve your life forever including physical appearance, health and career. Brad: Absolutely. Bob: My gosh, Brad, anything else you want to throw in there? Will it make you rich? Brad: Bob, you know, some people say this may be clickbait but I am passionate about this subject. I think you are too. There’s no doubt about it. 30 seconds, do this daily. It’s going to change your life. We’ll talk about it in a little bit of detail. Bob: Multiple times daily is benefitial, by the way. Brad: So, why is this one exercise going to change our lives, Bob? We’re talking about the big P, posture. Bob: Right. Brad: I just read a study on posture and how it affects your breathing. They did it scientifically, measuring the amount of air you bring in and go out, goes up significantly. Okay? Posture as far as shoulder mechanics. We know that shoulder mechanics work much better. If you’re slouched, you can reach minimally. If you’ve got good posture, you can easily reach up overhead. Bob: You can swallow better. If your head’s forward, you can’t swallow very well. Brad: Back and neck pain, which can lead into arm and leg pain. Bob: By the way, I just was told about this study. I did not see it, but someone was telling me about it. If you have poor posture, you can actually, tighten up your abdomen. You can put pressure on the vagus nerve. That can actually increase your heart rate. So like, I always stress this with our runners in cross country. Is really good posture when you run, because your diaphragm’s in the right spot. Brad: Right, right. And lastly, people talk about it socially or professionally, what does that have to do with it? If you go into an interview and we were just discussing, the studies show that interview is determined within the first few seconds. Bob: They look at you and they probably already know if they’re going to hire you or not. Brad: And if you’re coming in slouched, you’re not a winner. You’re not going to help the company out. You come in here looking positive, posture up tall. You’re going to take over things. It’s all shown right there as well as your outfit. Bob: It shows confidence. Brad: How you dress is important too, obviously. Bob: We used to do a class on protection, right? Brad: Yes, self defense. Absolutely, Bob: That’s what I was trying to come up with. I remember reading an article about this criminal, and he said they would pick on people that were doing what they call the “Vic walk.” The victim walk. Brad: Oh. Bob: So they’d be slouched down. They’re the ones that they’d pick on. Brad: They look like a loser, Bob. Bob: Well they don’t look confident. So they think, well, I want to take that guy on. Brad: They look like a winner. Bob: A winner, that’s where he’s going! Brad: Which all leads to the exercise. I’m sorry to keep you going, but I really wanted to tell you why I’m so passionate about this. So the exercise is our Ws. We’ve talked about this many times. The reason this works is because you have to bring your head back, chin back, arms back, squeeze your shoulder blades together, which puts you in good posture. Bob: What you’re doing, by the way, is stretching the chest muscles, at the same time strengthening the muscles between the shoulder blades. Brad: So you’re doing both at the same time. So, in 30 seconds, you can do this between 5-10 of these. You’re not going to do them quickly, like this. It’s going to be, hold and relax. Hold. Do the chin tuck, don’t go forward. Chin back in and you’ll feel those muscle tighten up. You’ll feel a stretch in the front. And that’s exactly what you want. Bob: The key to this though is that you do it throughout the day. Brad: Right. You don’t have to do it for for five minutes. Again, 30 seconds is plenty. So, in bed, before you get up. Bob: Why don’t you show us Brad? Brad: Absolutely. You don’t have to lay down on the floor, but you could if you wanted. You need to take the pillow out, so you can do your chin tuck. Then back, like this. And you can do those. I even think if you’re doing 15 seconds, that may be adequate. 30 seconds is good. You can do them standing while you’re making your eggs. Do your chin tucks, you know? Bob: I’d love to be at Brad’s house in the morning. Brad: I put some turmeric on eggs, for anti-inflammatory. Bob: LOL, very good. Brad: At work, if you happen to have a job where you’re seated, boy you can just throw these in. Bob: Yeah, lots of these. Brad: Remember the "W." You’re going to win with this. It’s a reminder that you’re going to keep this good posture as opposed to this, poor posture, as well as all those other negative things that go along with it. Bob: Alright, become winners folks. I was worried when Brad was going to that loser thing. I mean, we don’t call people losers. Brad: Absolutely not, Bob, but we’re going to show them how to become "W" Winners. And "W" is for Wisconsin too, Bob. Bob: I knew that was coming. Brad: Yeah, that’s that state over there. Bob: How about Minnesota? Thanks everybody. Brad: Take Care. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs Wimkin: https://wimkin.com/BobandBrad Mewe: https://mewe.com/i/bobandbrad Minds: https://www.minds.com/bobandbrad/ Vero: vero.co/bobandbrad For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

The following is a list of the 12 things that can prevent plantar fasciitis from healing or getting better. If done to excess, they can also cause plantar fasciitis. 1. Standing or walking on hard surfaces over a long period of time. 2. Anything that overextends the plantar fascia such as kneeling and digging your toes into the ground. Anything that puts stress on the bottom of the foot. Anything that puts your toes in an extended position. Including exercises that place your toes in an extended position- planks, lunges, or calf raises. 3. Acute trauma- landing on your foot the wrong way during a sport or work. 4. Tight calf muscles and/or tight hamstrings. 5. Any leg injury that causes you to compensate and limp or taking greater weight on one foot can cause plantar fasciitis. For example, hopping on one foot because you are not allowed to place weight on the opposite foot. 6. Doing too much too fast. Changing the intensity in activities: Sprinting when you normally jog. Jogging when you normally walk. Jumping when you normally do not jump. Too big of increase in running, or walking. Too many planks. Doing too much too fast is common in January when you restart a fitness program. You should plan on ramping up workouts slowly. 7. Weight gain is a common cause of plantar fasciitis. Whether you are gaining fat, or muscle, the added pounds put additional strain on your feet. This can cause plantar fasciitis or trigger a new onset if you have already healed. 8. Poorly fitting shoes and old shoes: If your shoes are showing noticeable wear on the bottom tread, it is time to toss them out. A new style of shoe can cause plantar fasciitis if it does not fit properly or provide the proper support that you need. 9. Running, jogging, long fast walks, dancing, and/or aerobic type exercises. 10.Poor running or walking technique. 11.Leg length discrepancy: If the length of your legs differs significantly one from the other, you have a greater risk of developing plantar fasciitis. This is due to the increased stress placed on the longer limb. You can put a heel wedge or cup under the shorter leg to compensate. 12.Walking with bare feet or stocking footed. 3 additional things that may contribute to Plantar Fasciitis. 1. People with diabetes – less blood flow to the fascia (which has poor blood flow to start) and possibly balance problems which affects the way on walks. 2. Your age. As you age the plantar fascia becomes brittle and easy to injure. 3. Pregnancy- pregnant women- hormone Relaxin relaxes the ligaments of the pelvis and allows the pelvis to open for childbirth. Relaxin, along with the extra weight of pregnancy can result in plantar fasciitis. For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program https://youtu.be/I7X9UTRdFIQ

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in October of 2019.  For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEKwPtnwWq8&t=131s Bob: Today we’re going to talk about when you vape. This is a big timely question, don’t you think? Brad: It’s definitely a hot spot in society today and you and I really could not cover this adequately, so we got someone else in here to help. Bob: We have an expert, thank God. Chris has been with us before, Chris the pharmacist. Chris: Hi guys. Bob: We refer to you as that nomenclature, is that okay? Chris: Sure, that’s perfect. Bob: Chris is a smart guy, so we’re really pleased to have him here again today. Really a brilliant guy. He’ll be able to espouse his views on this and get you set straight. Brad: Right, its really science based, and the facts are what they are and we’ll find out. First of all, vaping, maybe not everyone is familiar with it. Chris: Basically, I think vaping is kind of the biggest trend that I think a lot of kids like to do these days. You know, actually, interestingly enough, the history of it itself, there was a gentleman by the name of Joseph Robinson. In 1927, he filed his patent for basically an e-cigarette at that point in time. Bob: So, it’s been around a long time. Chris: It’s been a while, but it didn’t go anywhere. Then there was another one. Herbert Gilbert in 1967. He came up with the smokeless tobacco-free e-cigarette and that didn’t really have much cache, so to speak. But then, interestingly enough, there was a pharmacist in China, his name is Han Lik, and in 2003, he lost his father to lung cancer and so he was trying to come up with an alternative to smoking because his father and he, himself, were a smoker. He came up with the incarnation of what we see that’s really kind of become the rage since 2007, and that kind of brings us to where vaping is today. Right now, it’s up to 3.6 million kids that admit to actually vaping. That’s a large number. Bob: I’m going to tell the quick story. My nephew and I, (I have a lot of nephews), so I won’t be able to reveal the school, but we asked him, “How many kids do you think vape at your school?” He said 70% and a lot of the kids do it in class. They’re real sneaky about it. I mean, it’s a huge problem there. Brad: Yeah, we have to get into that. Some of them make smoke and some of them don’t, is that right? Bob: I don’t know anything about that end of it. Chris: I think that with the newer units, I think its not quite as visible, because it’s still a water vapor that essentially comes off when you’re inhaling it. Bob: I saw a lady next to me on a plane before they banned them on planes, she did it and I didn’t see any smoke. Brad: Sure, but I see on TV where they show a lot of smoke and doing smoke rings and it’s amazing. So, it must depend on the oil or whatever. Chris: I think, you know, it depends on, the pen and the oil, the types of things that they actually place in the vapes, but all things being considered, the lung is designed for air. It’s not designed for anything else. Bob: So, you’re saying that this is a negative issue. Chris: Oh yes. This is not something that we would endorse in any way, shape or form. If somebody asked the questions, “What’s better, smoking or vaping?” I think you’re going to see that vaping is probably the better option, but it’s the lesser of two evils. So, you’ve got 7,000 chemicals in a cigarette after it combusts, and then basically, from that standpoint, vaping, once you light it, it breaks down into about 93, 94 different chemicals that are identified. Those break down and those are things that become very dangerous because it’s superheated to around 380, 400 degrees so when you’re inhaling that into the lungs, the teeny, tiny, particle size, microparticles that are ultra-fine, that go into the lung and into the uvula and then your system, that’s how you deliver your nicotine to give you that relaxing little buzz that you catch from them. The problems that arise from that are those microparticles. One of the chemicals that we think, and what the American Lung Association says is that, that’s the thing that may become a cancer risk. We don’t really know that yet for sure, 100% certainty, but we have a pretty dang good idea it’s going to lead down that path. The aldehydes that break down, so think of formaldehyde or embalming fluids. Photo by CDC on Unsplash Brad: So, toxic substances. Chris: Very toxic, it’s not good for the body, I mean, if you ever did the dissection in 7th grade with the frogs, you’re putting that into your lungs and that’s something that I think is terribly dangerous. Bob: Directly into the lungs. Chris: Yeah, lung, right into the bloodstream, so I think that’s why, also, for a lot of people, it’s more attractive than cigarettes because it’s a little bit cooler, as far as temperature wise. It’s a little bit more comfortable, so as a result of that, I think they can inhale deeper and that’s one of the problems when we go to the addiction aspects of it, I mean, it’s nicotine. They do contain more nicotine than cigarettes, so you a hold it in longer because the temperature is cooler, it’s more comfortable; I’m not sure if that’s really the right word. I’ve never vaped so I can’t really explain that. Nor have I smoked. Bob: So, the nicotine, is it the only substance that’s addictive? Chris: If we go down the path whether you’re putting CBD oil or THC in there, I mean, that’s certainly another aspect of vaping, but I mean, for the purposes of what kids are doing these days for the most part, it’s going to be nicotine. That’s where the addiction is driven. That affects the brain, it affects learning. Nicotine’s actually an interesting chemical substance from that standpoint. It’s a stimulant but it also relaxes you at the same time. I’m not sure what we’re doing to the central spinal systems, is it up, is it down, is it sideways? But it’s certainly something that is unique and some of the dangers for a teenage brain too. Though it’s a stimulant to some degree, also it seems to have problems with memory and cognition so it’s certainly something along with the addiction path. You know, we want to be careful with that when we have our kids that are doing this and I think it’s something to reach out to them and say, “hey, it can affect you.” If you’re looking to a pathway to get kids to quit, it’s something that, you know, teenagers want to be independent. The last thing on Earth they want to do is be dependent. They don’t want to listen to me, they don’t want to listen to you. That’s normal. We were there; I was as bad as they got. Just ask my parents. Ha-ha. It’s important to recognize that they’re becoming adults themselves. Basically, they use this way to spin it as, “well, do you really want to become dependent on something that has nicotine? I mean, all of a sudden, you’re feeling anxious and unwell, and you feel like you have to go to that vape to feel a little better. Do you really want to rely on that on a timely manner or you’re trying to sit through your class and focus on your studies and all of a sudden, “Gosh, I really could use a vape right now.” It just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Brad: So, typically, vaping is with CBD oil, is that right? Chris: Well, you can. CBD, I mean, you can vape it, you can have gummies, you can do oils. Brad: But that is the primary fluid that’s used with vaping or is there another? Chris: Well, I think the primary fluid would be, probably, nicotine-containing products and flavorings. A lot of things with the e-cigarettes or like, one popular brand would be JUUL. It’s the flavorings that get the kids hooked, so I mean, they’ve got bubblegum, strawberry, berry, cotton candy, unicorn puke, I mean, they’ve got just about everything. I’m not kidding, that’s a real flavor. Bob: I think that’s what attracts them to it, with this nicotine that keeps them coming back isn’t it? Chris: It does, and it’s just like the rat going for the pellets, you know? We all saw that study going back to the 50’s. Bob: I’m afraid that even when they ban the flavors, which they are trying to do in a lot of areas, probably drives it to the black market, but I’m afraid that the ones that are already on it are still going to continue because the nicotine is going to be what they seek. Chris: Well it’s the driving force and they have different nicotine strengths and cartridges and I think that’s the danger that you run. Brad: Nicotine is on the layer of substances that’ll get you addicted pretty high. You just told me that the other day and I was like, I was amazed at the level. Chris: Yeah, there were a group of scientists in the UK that did a study a couple years back and they wanted to try and quantify the most addictive substances and out of five, nicotine came in at number 5, and then it was barbiturates or sleeping medications. Bob: Yeah, it’s some pretty heavy hitters. Chris: Oh yeah. And then it was alcohol, cocaine and then heroin, so I mean, all these things, not good things to take so you have number 5 right there and trying to quit, there’s been some studies that say it’s actually harder to quit than heroin. I’m not going to tell somebody to take up smack, but it’s certainly something that I mean, it’s a challenge to quit. We use pharmaceuticals to help you do that because in many cases, it’s just too hard to cold turkey it. Bob: Let’s take in the pros and cons here. So, let’s say you are a cigarette smoker and you’re an adult. Is it better to jump down to the e-cigarette? Chris: If we had to pick our poison, I would say yes, it’s a safer alternative to smoking. Bob: But there’s other alternatives that you’d prefer them to try. Chris: Yeah, I think we would probably try and consider it, FDA approved, you know, things to try and help you to challenge yourself to quit. Again, it’s not an easy thing to do. When e-cigarettes did come out, I’ll touch back on its history, the thought process was it was going to be a step down process from cigarettes to vaping to quitting, Unfortunately, they keep putting nicotine in there, and actually some new studies are actually suggesting that it may in teenagers, make them prone to smoking more and more vigorously in the future, so it’s kind of an alarming trend. I think it’s something that realistically, may have been well-intended, but the unintended consequences are that it probably just fuels more addiction. Bob: And you know, cigarette use was going down among children and now vaping is coming up. Chris: It certainly is. Vaping is coming up, but actually after 2017, there was a slight dip again, so, which was encouraging, but it’s still raging. I mean, you’re talking about 3.6 million kids, you know. From 2011 to 2015, you’re talking a 900% increase. Brad: Wow. Chris: That is not small, I mean, wouldn’t we all like a 900% raise? Bob: Ha-ha Chris: I mean, that would be nice. It’s certainly something that we have to deal with as adults and kids. Brad: I think we should mention, just recently, that the deaths that they feel are strongly associated with it. There were six of them and I think, just on the news this morning in Minnesota, they mentioned, I thought it was in the teens that they associated deaths with vaping. I don’t know how strongly it’s correlated or if they say for sure, but it is the flavored vapes that they’re pointing at. Bob: I thought that they were like the black-market type stuff. Chris: Well, I don’t know that they are necessarily even black market, I think really the deaths, the six that I know of for sure, have all been linked to THC. It seems like THC, which is basically you create an oil that goes into the pens much like the nicotine or the e-juice, and the THC is stabilized with vitamin E, and so something either between the oily plant of the THC extract is, Bob: Can you explain what THC is? Chris: It’s basically marijuana. Bob: Yeah, that’s what I wanted to ask. Chris: It’s the component that gets you high. Bob: That’s what they’re adding to it then. Chris: Yes, and that’s what we want to avoid. Brad: That’s added with the flavor? Chris: No, it’s not even added with the flavor. It’s just its own little juice. You just put your drops into your vaping chamber, and then basically you turn the switch onto the desired temperature and then they inhale. What they believe with these pens, at least what theorized, and its not understood, so we want to be very clear on that, is that we don’t fully understand the mechanism that may be causing but they think with the oils that are being absorbed into the lungs, it’s blocking that tissue from getting life giving oxygen. It’s very tragic, very sad, and unfortunately very quick. Basically, with the vaping deaths, I think a lot of it is we’re going to find that it was THC in the oils. We don’t fully understand but we think, again, there’s probably some sort of imminent danger there but a ton more research needs to occur. Bob: Yeah, there’s really a lot of unknowns here isn’t there? Chris: Too many to be clear and concise. Bob: My belief system is that they’re going to be bad unknowns. Chris: Bob, that’s precisely it. I think the thing that we have to take away is, again, as I stated earlier, the only good thing for your lungs is air. Whether you’re using something that contains nicotine, something that contains THC, or something that contains CBD, which is also another oily substance, the jury’s still out. I think we have a lot more, probably like 20 years truly, knowing what’s going to happen with e-cigarettes, and what that future’s going to bring us and the people that are starting to vape today and what it’s going to be like tomorrow or down the road. We have to be very careful and I think the American Lung Association and a variety of other, you know the FDA. We are going to be looking at it much more closely to ensure, hopefully the safety of youth and people that do choose to make that decision for their lives. Bob: I mean, it seems like we’ve opened up a can of worms here, basically. Chris: Very much so. It’s not easy, it’s kind of like the great spaghetti incident, I mean, you have things everywhere and I think we just simply don’t know enough to make an accurate portrayal. I would say that it’s still something that you shouldn’t do but if you choose it, I think it’s better than cigarette smoke. Bob: I think that’s the overall line to be stated today. Did you want to mention popcorn lung before we end? Brad: Well, I know there was some research and a correlation with there can be some damage to your lungs that’s irreversible from vaping. Chris: Yes, it’s associated with the vaping, more particularly with the flavors. They had these flavoring agents, many of them are being banned, but they have these diacetates in there. It’s a chemical that I think you can kind of blend into anything and it gives kind of that sweet aromatic flavor, and basically that’s one of the problems with vaping. The kids like the flavors and that’s what kind of like, oh it’s cotton candy! Why not take a little hit of cotton candy fully not understanding. There’s an interesting study that showed that kids from 15-24 that vape, 2/3 of the people did not think there was nicotine in them. That’s kind of an astounding stat. Again, it’s keeping you coming back for more, not because of the great flavor but you know, you get that relaxing feeling when you hit the nicotine and all of a sudden, eventually, it dwindles after a couple of hours and we’re back at it and back at it and there’s that vicious cycle. Bob: The popcorn lung, what’s the reference there? Chris: So, popcorn lung, back when there was a factory, what happened is they were making the buttery flavoring for popcorn and found that several of these employees got very very ill and it caused irreparable lung damage. Starting out appearing like asthma, and so treated, maybe as asthma, maybe as they further went down to work, and kept getting more and more repeated exposure, they found that actually it caused much more severe damage to the small tissues in the lung and ultimately, some serious problems arose. Bob: I remember there’s been warnings about using microwaved popcorn that you shouldn’t breathe it in. Chris: Right and that’s the same warning. Brad: That’s the same chemical that’s found in the flavored vapes? Chris: Yep, diacetates. Those are the things that are banned. In the UK, they are completely banned, so if you’re going over to London, I guess it’s a safer place to buy vapes at this point. Realistically speaking, it’s still something that with their using vegetable oils, propylene glycol, I mean, you’re using other things that are breaking down in the lungs that are not good. So, popcorn lung is certainly something that’s going to be a problem. COPD is certainly a problem; the nicotine can cause cardiovascular effects. So is blood pressure, raising your heart rate because it’s a stimulant, so there’s lots of things that we have to be aware of. There’s really nothing good that we are going to be able to say, “Go out and vape kid.” It’s not the lesson we want to portray. It’s something that you’re going to become addicted to. For the short-term gains that you’re going to get, it’s going to cause far more long-term problems, and it’s just simply not worth it. I guess, just say no. Brad: There you go. Bob: Alright, a little reference to Nancy Reagan there. Thanks everybody for watching and thanks again to Chris. What a fantastic job. Bravo, bravo! Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs Wimkin: https://wimkin.com/BobandBrad Mewe: https://mewe.com/i/bobandbrad Minds: https://www.minds.com/bobandbrad/ Vero: vero.co/bobandbrad For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

Ice can serve three purposes: 1. Immediately after injury 24-48 hours you will likely experience pain and swelling. The ice can help with both. 2. Even after 48 hours ice can continue to serve as a natural pain control method by numbing the area without medications. 3. Ice can also help with blood flow. When you ice an area the blood vessels initially contract. When you stop icing, the affected area warms up and encourages blood flow. This can be helpful to an area with poor blood supply. Simple way to ice: Fill plastic water bottle 2/3 full of water and freeze. Merely roll the bottle under the arch for 10 to 15 minutes. You get the benefit of ice and some massage. Heat Regular heat only penetrates a few millimeters into the skin and fascia. Infrared heat can penetrate 60 millimeters or 2.36 inches. Therefore, we are big advocates of using infrared heat. An excellent product is the big slipper or big shoe by Thermotex. You can slip both of your stocking feet in it while at the office or home. An alternative would be the Thermotex platinum model- which can be used on the feet, but also back, shoulder, knees, hips, etc. Use the links provided in the description of the video for a significant discount on all Thermotex products. For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program If you are interested in the Thermotex Infrared Heating Pad visit: www.thermotex.com/bobandbrad Discount code: FAMOUSPTX https://youtu.be/7jdAyT6l8Ew

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2020. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-gNQPyxU4c Bob: Today we’re going to talk about how to sleep all night without being awakened from snoring or dry mouth. Those are two different issues. We are going to go over them separately. We are also going to talk about some home remedies. Brad: Right, absolutely. If one of your family members or you, has problems with snoring or dry mouth, and both my wife and I have dealt with this. I don’t know if it’s the aging process or what but it’s an issue in our house. I want to share what we’ve learned because I know we aren’t the only ones. Bob: Well this is where our audience are going to benefit from us getting older. As we get things, we are going to do videos on them, or our family members get things. We are going to be doing lots of things as we age. Brad: It’s because we care, Bob. Bob: Yes, we care. Brad: First of all, I think what I decided to do because it’s our show and it’s my choice on this one. I tackled snoring. Bob: Snoring, first. Big problem for a lot of people. Brad: Exactly right. If you don’t snore, someone in your house might, and either way, it can affect the whole household. Like I was telling you earlier, when my daughter was still living with us, we kept her awake many nights from our snoring. Not just me, but my wife as well. So, why do you snore? It happens because when you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat, they relax and with open mouth breathing, it starts to get these vibrations. My dad, we always joked was a chainsaw, you know? “How many cords of wood did you cut last night, Dad?” Bob: Yeah, I had a friend that stayed at our cabin and it was unreal. It was a phenomenon. Brad: Did you hand out earplugs? Bob: I mean, I had doors shut and you could still hear him. I think the town was complaining. Brad: Yeah, we don’t want to talk about it. That’ll make the news. Seriously though, you can get this looked at, by a doctor. Bob: I think you should. Brad: You can talk to them. We are doing this video to promote this, necessarily, because sometimes you don’t need it, but one thing they might do is a sleep study. You go in and you sleep, and they hook you up and look at your heart rate and monitor you as you sleep. Bob: I do want to say this, it is often a sign of sleep apnea and that is not to be taken lightly. It could lead to a lot of medical issues. Brad: I’m, not willing to accept this personally yet, because I don’t want to be hooked up to a thing, but I know many people say once they got a C-PAP realized how much sleep they were missing out on. They’d wake up in the morning with so much more energy because they weren’t oxygen deprived that slight amount for 8 hours. So, that’s one possible thing. Oral devices, they make custom ones that you put in your mouth. Bob: Appliances that are custom made for your mouth, right? Brad: Exactly, or worst-case scenario, surgery. What we’re looking at, if you feeling pretty confident you’re a healthy person but you have this snoring thing, maybe you can just try something simple that the worst it’s going to do is not help. One of the harder things, if you happened to be a heavier person, if you lose some weight, that can reduce some of the soft tissue. Bob: Yeah, we’re talking about the ones that are going to be very difficult to do. We know everyone wants to lose weight. Brad: Right! Stop smoking! That’s a tough one too. Bob: Yeah, that’s hard too. We all know it but a lot of you aren’t able to do it. It’s like a monkey on your back. Brad: Don’t worry, we’re saving the easy one for last. So just hang in there folks. Allergies. If you’re dealing with allergies, if you can get a medication that eliminates that. Bob: That’s an easier one. Brad: It is. A good friend of mine was having problems with this while he was going through a cancer treatment and his dry mouth was bad, but tape your mouth and you know where he learned it from? I found out; this is where you’re going to find a lot of these tricks. Not from a medical doctor but from a dentist. Bob: Yes, because the dentist, this is his area of study. The oral cavity. That’s all they do. You didn’t mention sleeping on your side though. Brad: Thank you for reminding me, Bob. Bob: You can try sleeping on your side. They also have those nasal strips. You said your wife tried those? Brad: Exactly, she put those little things on her nose. They are kind of spring loaded, you tape them down and they’re not that expensive. Then they change and we don’t know for sure, that it helped. What happened was she put those on as well as taping her mouth. Bob: Could she breathe? Brad: Yeah! I’m going to show you in just a little bit here but yeah, I slept like a baby. She was quiet all night long. I had to wake up a couple of times to make sure she was alive. Bob: Well, you taped her nose shut and you taped her mouth shut, yeah, I’d wonder if she’s alive too! Brad: Seriously though for the tape, you can just use a little baby, one of the little skinny band-aids. Bob: For you on the podcast, all he has is just a little thin piece of tape. Brad: It’s about a quarter inch wide and maybe an inch long and I’m doing this so you can see it. Actually, she used scotch tape. I’ve done that too because I’m guilty of snoring. Bob: You may want to get some tape that’s for the skin that is hypersensitive, you know? You could start to break the skin down. Brad: Yes, See, because I can talk with this one. I can breathe through here too. So, it doesn’t choke you and there’s a skinny little tape because if something happens where you want to open it, it breaks right open. One time we woke up, we didn’t know where my wife’s tape was. I was like, “did you swallow it?” It was okay though. We found it. Give it a try! Bob: Now, do you sleep on your side or do you sleep on your back a lot? Brad: A little bit of both. I can’t sleep on my side very long because my back starts to be uncomfortable. Then I go back to my back, but I’m definitely snoring, but I have a dry mouth issue. Bob: Sure. That’s the second part, part 2 of this video and podcast. Brad: The thing about dry mouth is the medical term is xerostomia. Bob: Xerostomia, I know stomia means opening. Brad: I didn’t look up xero but it’s probably a Latin word. It’s one of those words that’s tricky, because it starts with an X, but it sounds like a Z. That kind of thing bothers me so if you’re an English major out there and you know why they do that; I want a comment or two explaining that. So, xerostomia, dry mouth that causes of it. Now, this is different than snoring. This is something I really think you should talk to your doctor about to clarify any problems. If you’re diabetic, it may be a problem associated with it. If you had a stroke, which you would probably know, that could be it. Or medication. Bob: Yes, we see a lot of that. Brad: Sometimes your medications can cause dry mouth. Sometimes we have a saliva gland that has a problem. You want to get that checked out. Again, dentist is probably the better source than a medical doctor. Unless you got the medications from the medical doctor. Bob: Right, it’s a good one to bring up with the doctor, either one, and see what they think. Brad: If you’re a healthy person and you’re not taking meds, in my case, you know, that’s the way I feel. As far as I know, I’m healthy and I keep track of myself. I sleep with my mouth open and that’s why I snore. Then it’s dry in the house. We don’t have a dehumidifier going right now. Bob: You want a humidifier. Brad: A humidifier, right. So, I’ve got this dry air going in and out of my mouth and you ever wake up and my mouth feels like sandpaper. Everything in there. It’s like, the first time it happened, I felt like, I was afraid, I had to learn to talk again. Bob: What a tragedy that would be. Brad: I went, and I got some water and it started to saturate like a sponge. It went back to normal and it felt pretty good. But anyways, it is a little scary if you’ve never had it happen before. It’s just dry as can be. Bob: Interesting. Brad: So anyways, put water by your bed, the first little home remedy. So, you just wake up, drink some water and go back to bed. A humidifier in your bedroom can be a nice way to help so it doesn’t dry up like the Sahara Desert. Then of course, no alcohol or caffeine within a few hours before you go to bed. Bob: Right, and we also forgot to mention, that’s actually for snoring too. Alcohol can enhance that. Brad: So, we had to move our happy hour from six o’clock to three o’clock to eliminate that possibility. Bob: It’s five o’clock somewhere. Brad: Then again, the same thing actually. Bob: He tried the tape for this too. Brad: I have to admit, I think it works better for snoring. I get it, but not near as bad, but there’s still a little dry mouth issues with this, but you know, again, it’s worth a try, this taping. It may do very well for a lot of people. Bob: So, the obvious joke is Brad, your wife requested that you wear the tape all day long and maybe a bigger piece. I mean, I’m sure that’s come across her mind. Brad: That’s pretty funny, you go to bed, get the tape. Bob: It’s time to put the tape in place. Brad: Yeah, it makes life in the bedroom amazing. Bob: The stuff that you have to do when you get older. Brad: Sleep well, quietly and enjoy a nice night. Bob: Remember, Brad and I can fix just about anything, Brad: Except for, Bob: We fix snoring and everything else, but we can’t fix a broken heart. Brad: There you go, good luck with this. We made a little humor out of it, but that’s life. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo Website: https://bobandbrad.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobandBrad/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialbobandbrad/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ptfamous Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mostfamousPTs For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products: Grip and Forearm Strengthener: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Wall Anchor: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Knee Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Fit Glide: https://store.bobandbrad.com 15% off with code BLOG15 Massage Gun:https://amzn.to/36pMekg Hanging Handles: https://amzn.to/2RXLVFF Bob and Brad Resistance Bands Set: https://amzn.to/36uqnbr Bob & Brad Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/2RTSLLh Check out other products Bob and Brad Love: https://www.amazon.com/shop/physicaltherapyvideo?listId=3581Z1XUVFAFY Check out The Bob & Brad Crew on YouTube by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebobbradcrew Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced in order to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2020. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lo00bUBAbg Bob: Today we’re going to talk about things that happen to your body when you run too much. Boy, what is this about, Brad? Brad: Well, we’re both runners. I love running. I’ve run one marathon. I’ve run a number of half marathons. I continue to love to run, but I know two avid marathon runners and I’ve known them for years, they both have cardiac problems. One gentleman, his goal is to run a marathon in every continent. He’s done many. His nickname is Boston Bobby. He’s done the Boston many years in a row. Bob: He’s going to be fine with you saying his name? Brad: I didn’t say his last name. Anyways, there could be a lot of those. Long story short, he’s 65 now and he can’t run anymore. He run walks. He’s got atrial fib, but I don’t know all the details. It’s a heart problem though. He’s had to change his lifestyle because of it. But he’s okay. He’s adjusted and he’s very happy. Bob: I think this is a good video because I think a lot of people think, this is how I feel a little bit, gosh, running kind of solves everything. So, if I have a heart problem like atrial fibrillation, if I run, it’ll get better. That’s not necessarily true. Running might actually exacerbate the heart problem. Brad: But this is about distance running. Bob: That’s what I meant. They think, I have a heart problem, so the more I run, the better. You know what I mean? They think it’ll make it better and that’s not true. Brad: Not necessarily. It could, but you know, now all these people are such fun to be around. The second gentleman is 52 years old. His and his wife’s goal was to run a marathon in every state in the United States. And they did it. 50 states, 50 marathons. Plus, they ran a bunch of other ones. But at 52 years old, this is extremely sad, he was out for a run and he died. Cardiac problems, but there’s a little more to it that helps explain that. Overall, the good news is, running, long distance running, not a large percentage of them, it’s actually a small percentage of them, less than 5% do come up with cardiac issues that can lead to problems and sometimes death. Bob: 5% is fairly significant though. Brad: I think it’s less than 5%. I don’t have that number memorized. It’s not very much. However, if you have a history of cardiac problems, then you better watch out if you’re a distance runner because that can come back. I’ve got some research from Mayo. There’s a ton of research on this specific topic. Bob: Well, I wonder, Brad, I remember years ago, and I don’t remember his name, but it was kind of one of the men that founded the running, you remember this? Brad: I remember reading about it when I was doing research on it. Bob: He started the running craze kind of. He ended up dying of a heart attack. Everybody said, “See, you shouldn’t run that much.” But he had cardiac problems. Brad: And if you’re a marathon runner, you’re going to just ignore this, which is fine. If you want to run a marathon and you’re healthy, go for it. Bob: You’re saying that the typical marathon runner may ignore this because of their personality type? Brad: Absolutely. Bob: So, you shouldn’t ignore this is what you’re saying. Brad: Just keep it in mind. Take this as a grain of salt, listen to it and see what you think. Bob: Cardiac problems don’t go away when you run. Brad: They may not. They may, they have a chance of making things worse with distance running. This is all I did research on was distance running. Example, Dr. McCullough, Chief Cardiac Research at Baylor Institute, avid marathon runner. He ran 54 marathons and then as he’s learning more about distance running, he quit running distance. And the quote, he is “convinced of long runs, pounding the pavement,” he mentioned, “is not worth the risk to the heart.” Bob: See and I’ve read this too Brad, and, for what it’s worth, is that marathons are really hard on your organs overall. It’s an extreme stress on them. You don’t seem like you believe it. Brad: Well, no, I do. But you know, I would have kept running more marathons, but I had a joint problem with my knee and then I went into other things and it probably was, Bob: The best thing? Brad: Well, I don’t know about that because we’re going to have distance runners saying pooh-pooh. These guys are full of crap. Because that’s their attitude. That’s how they live, you know. I can completely relate to that. If you know someone, like again, just remember, these are facts. Bob: Do you want to tell some of the Mayo issues that they came up with? Brad: Oh, right. The actual problems that they found; we’ve got four of them here. There was a couple more. Patchy myocardial fibrosis. I’m not sure what that is. I’m not familiar with that. Bob: I’ve never seen that. Brad: It’s not good. Coronary artery calcification. Which kind of surprised me. Diastolic dysfunction and atrial fib. These are the things that they watch, and they found that distance running contributes to making these possibly worse. Bob: Now, atrial fibrillation is very common, Brad. Very common, so I think if you’re a long-distance runner, you’ve got to make sure that your heart is sound. Brad: Sure. If you’re having symptoms, you know, get in and get it checked out. The good news is, like I said, it’s a small percentage. Bob: And it’s much worse to be a couch potato. I still remember this Brad; I think I told you about this before. I saw a cartoon one time and there’s two big, stout, overweight guys and they were watching runners go by. One says to the other, “Those guys are going to have heart attacks.” I mean, it’s much better to run and exercise, then to be a couch potato. Brad: Right. So, as we continue our babbling on, Bob, they’re wondering what is a good guideline? There’s actually some guidelines on distance running. I think as you age, this is probably more important. I’m not sure about that, that’s my personal guess. According to the federal guidelines, moderate running, so not running real hard for 150 minutes per week is recommended. That’s five days a week for 30 minutes a day. If you’re a marathon runner, you’re not going to be able to do it. You definitely have to run more than that. Or if you have vigorous exercise, they recommend 75 minutes per week. So maybe that gives you some guidelines. Obviously, that’s going to flex depending. Bob: As you grow older in life, you find out that moderation is everything. It’s interesting, I knew a really good runner, Brad. A couple years back I saw him. He was 63 years old at the time. Always, I mean, he was a top-notch runner. He was a college runner, the whole bit. I could see he has some valgus. So, he’s bow legged. He’s like, “I know I’ll have to give up running at some point, I’m fine with it,” because he bikes too. “But I don’t want to right now.” And I said, “Well, how much are you running a day?” “Well, it’s when I run, I can run like 4 or 5 miles, I’m fine, but when I run a hard 7 miles, then I start to feel my knee.” I go, “Stop doing seven miles hard.” I mean, you know, listen to your body. You could probably run for maybe 10 more years if you don’t run seven miles hard. Brad: But Bob, this is about heart. Bob: I know but it still, it fits the same thing. It’s going too far. I mean, if you don’t have to. Brad: Right. So as far as the heart goes, you know, listen to your heart, if you’ve got chest pains when you’re running, you’ve got to get to the hospital. You’ve got to get that checked out right away. Bob: I’ll tell another story, Brad. This one fits. I just turned 60 years old. I have a neighbor who just happens to be within days of me, he turned 60. I hadn’t seen him run for quite a while, and all of a sudden, I saw him and he’s walking. I asked him, what’s going on. He said, “I got a real kick in the teeth.” He started having heart issues. He went in and he had to have a stent. He was like, “Running was getting harder and harder. I was breathing really hard.” Thin guy looks healthy. The whole bit, so it can happen. Especially if you have the history of it. It’s hard to beat genetics. Brad: So, again, stay active, but I feel like we’re promoting exercise and we’ve got a video on not to run. Ha-ha. Bob: No, I think you have to listen to your body. Brad: Be smart, yes. Train properly, train smart. Bob: Having said that, do we dare say this? We can fix just about anything, Brad: Except for, Bob: A broken heart. Yeah. Brad: But we’re working on it. 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Why walking CORRECTLY is so important in treating plantar fasciitis. If you are walking incorrectly you are placing increased stress on the plantar fascia with each step. Tips for decreasing the stress on the plantar fascia while walking and allowing it to heal. Walk with less heel strike. Your goal is to avoid full weight on your heel with the initial foot contact with the floor. Attempt to take some weight on the forefoot and heel at nearly the same time. Do not walk or stand with your knees extended or hyper-extended. Shorten your stride. You may need to shorten your stride by as much as 50 percent to start. This will help you spread out the weight on your foot. You will be able to use a normal stride length as you become comfortable with the new walking technique. When your foot first makes contact with the floor, attempt to spread out the weight between the heel and forefoot. The heel should take 50 to 70 percent of the weight and the forefoot the remainder of the weight (at the same time) Lean slightly forward with walking. When your foot strikes the ground your leg, pelvis, and trunk should all be directly over the foot. It may feel like you are falling forward on to the advancing foot. Always wear appropriate footwear. See our section on footwear. If you are a toe walker the opposite is true. Try to have your forefoot and heel strike the ground at nearly the same time. Make sure the weight is being distributed through all your toes- not just the big toe. For more information on the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Program visit: https://www.bobandbrad.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-program https://youtu.be/cQz7I78x3Xs