This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl6tFB2KekY&t=72s Mike: You might be shocked by what is causing the pain in your hips. Brad: Luckily we have the tools to fix it. Mike: In 95% of hip pain cases, this actually plays a major role. Brad: And what this is, is anterior femoral glide. If we look at the hip, we have the head of the femur in the socket, and it actually goes anterior or forwards out of position slightly. What we need to do is to get it back into the socket, so it has a good surface area connection and a very solid joint. Mike: And at the end of the video, we'll be showing you one treatment option that will help this pain immediately, plus we're going to show you two other things that will permanently keep it in place. Brad: Excellent. Typical symptoms, or how the body presents when you have anterior femoral glide is pain oftentimes in the front of the hip, and it can wrap around into the buttock. It's kind of unusual, and it can actually go down into the thigh, typically it does not run down past the knee like sciatica, however. Mike: And you often get a pinching feeling or possibly even swelling during movements like squatting or running, or sometimes even walking, because the femoral head is not sitting right in there and so you get that little pinching sensation, and it kind of hurts. Brad: Right, so the good news is we're going to show you a technique to get that femoral head back in the socket where it belongs. And if it works that way and your pain drops down, you know exactly what you have, then we'll show you some exercises to maintain that position. Okay, we have a nice demonstration anatomically of what physically happens when you do this technique. Here is the anterior femoral glide, the head of the femur is forward. We have a strap actually around the femur. Now obviously we can't do this, but it gives you a good example of what's going on. Now if we pull on this red strap, watch that humeral head pop back in and that's what we want. That's what we're looking for, that reduction or translation back into the spot of normalcy. Mike: So here's an exercise you could try to immediately help relieve your pain. And if this helps, you probably have anterior femoral glide syndrome. However, if you've had a hip replacement, we do not recommend you do this. Brad: That's right. Mike: So first you're going to put a band around something that is firm. So we have a railing here. You could possibly put it in a door as well. If you do not have a heavy-duty band, you can simply use a belt as well. So I'm going to put it around my hip joint. I'm going to go forward, get a pulling force, and I'm going to let it put my femoral head back into the socket. That's what Brad demonstrated earlier. And if this feels good or you feel like it goes back in, this is right for you. You can also try going at a side angle and pulling this way as well because this might help depending upon where that femoral head is sitting in there. Brad: Two really important points. He's putting weight through his left leg, the leg that is actually being moved or translated. The other point is, if this creates pain, particularly anything close to sharp pain, you stop and you do not continue at all. This only is to be continued if it feels like good pain, if things are going where they should be, then continue. And at that point, you may want to do it three or four times a day until it stays in place. But we do, again have exercises to help maintain that positive translation. Mike: Yes so if this feels good for you, then we want to go and do these next exercises we are doing to keep the femoral head where it needs to be. So the first exercise we're going to do is called some glute pumps. You can either go on all fours or you can go on your elbows. You're going to bring your one leg up and you're going to kick up towards the ceiling with a bent knee. You just want to do little oscillating motions in this range. You don't need to go through the full range of motion with this at all. Brad: So the idea is he's working that glute max muscle and that muscle connects right to the femur and pulls that femoral head back in where it belongs. We really want to get that muscle active and wired up for action, so it does what it's supposed to do, as opposed to gluteal amnesia where that muscle can actually fall asleep. Mike: Yes. Do you want to show the standing version? Brad: Absolutely. So don't do this one on the bed, do it on the floor. If you don't feel comfortable on the floor, do it leaning against a cupboard or solid table, or whatever you have, with your hands or forearms. And it's the same thing. Get that bend in the knee and work that reciprocating motion. Again, not way high, but you know you'll feel that muscle working right there. Get that gluteus maximus working. Rotating the foot inward a little bit can actually make that muscle work even harder. And I'm feeling the burn right now. All right. It does work. Mike: The next important thing to do is to work on your walking to engage your glute max more as well. So to do this, you want to walk more on your forefoot and not strike on the heel. Striking on the heel is very common, which locks your knee and disengages your butt muscle, which can lead to anterior femoral glide syndrome. That's a lot of chain reaction there. So simply walk on your forefoot as Brad has mentioned in other videos, and pretend like you have some popcorn kernels on your heel, and you don't want to land on it because it hurts. So this is a no-no. Mike: Walk on your forefoot. You're going to have to take shorter strides when you do this to start. It might feel a little awkward, but over time it'll start to feel more natural. Brad: Something I personally find out works best for this is walking stocking foot or barefoot on a hard surface. Even out in my driveway where I have concrete when I land on my heel, I clearly feel that heel strike. It's not comfortable. So it naturally motivates me to walk on my forefoot getting the proper mechanics. So yeah oh, look at the shoes that he has. Mike: So I have more of a minimalist shoe here, so it's all flat. There's no elevated heel. So it does not feel good to land on my heel with these. So this naturally makes me want to walk on my forefoot. Brad: There's like really nothing to it. Mike: No, those are very thin. They're not very warm during winter. Brad: All right, so that covers how to put it back in place. We're talking about the femoral head, and how to exercise to keep it in place. It's amazing how one little thing can change the pain here as well as going to help your hip and your knees and your ankles. Mike: It helps a little bit with everything. So give them a try. If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean you're broken. We just need to find different exercises for you to do. Brad: That's right. And we can fix just about anything except for... Mike: A broken heart. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYUs0eE3OM&t=52s Mike: Do you suffer from neck pain and you're wondering how you can alleviate it? Brad: We're going to explore five commonly asked questions that we've heard over the years of our therapy experience and adventures, and we're going to say, are they better or are they worse? It's going to be helpful. Mike: We're going on an adventure. Is it better or worse for your neck pain to not move your neck at all? Brad: Well, and that's a good question. When you do have neck pain, you want to actually move it, and get some motion in it so that it does not stiffen up and get worse. There are a few exceptions and that would be if you've had a fracture in your neck, trauma, or an accident, things like that, that kind of thing, it's very more obvious, but motion is lotion, as long as you're not getting sharp pain. Mike: Question two, is it better or worse to use armrests on a chair when you're experiencing neck pain? Brad: It's very important to use armrests, as long as you do it properly. What happens is if you use the armrest you're taking the weight of the arm, which pulls down on the shoulder and that pulls the muscles, the levator scapula, and the upper traps and into the neck. That can be the source of your neck pain. So if you have armrests, allow your arms to rest on them. If your armrests are too low or if you are a tall person and there's a gap there, you can simply take a pillow, fold it in half and put it at your sides. This is one of those things that doesn't cost anything. You're going to find out how much more comfortable that is, elevating, resting the weight of your arms, taking it off that neck. Mike: If your neck pain is traveling down into your arm but it actually stops hurting in your neck, does that mean it's getting better or worse? Brad: Excellent question. If the pain is going down the arm, it feels better up in the neck but worse down in the arm, that's actually a bad sign. We'd rather have it go the other way and have the arm feeling better, even if it's a little more painful up in the neck, that's a good thing. This pain we're talking about sometimes can be numbness, tingling, pain, or burning sensations. It's typically from a pinched nerve. Mike: If you have neck pain, is it better or worse to rest one hand on top of your head to help alleviate that pain? Brad: Believe it or not, this is not a trick question, and this is something that both Bob and I have wondered about. But actually, it's understandably, biomechanically, you put your hand on your head and rest it. It takes the pressure off the muscles that go into your neck, and it can actually relieve it, and you have nothing to lose by doing it. Do this and find out, the pain will go away very quickly more times than not. Mike: Is it better or worse to sleep on your side using a thin pillow if you're experiencing neck pain? Brad: All right, well let's explain it as you look. We want to keep the spine in a neutral position. So if you can imagine Mike's spine coming up to his head, and neutral would be straight. Now if you look at Mike's head, it's angled down a little bit. It looks like a little bit, but that can cause problems over time while you sleep. So in this case, all you need to do is one of two things. Take another pillow, and put it under your head to get things lined up. If you don't have another pillow, you may be able to take the pillow that you have, fold it up, and there you go. How are you doing, Mike? Mike: Better. Brad: Good. Mike: I'm going to take a nap. Brad: So keep things in alignment. All right, so you had five different scenarios, and now you know what's better and what’s worse to help relieve some of your neck pain. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

1. Bird Dog Hold (20 sec/side) 2. Bird Dog (5/side) *Extend opposite arm and leg out, hold for a few seconds, then switch sides, continue for 5/side 3. Bird Dog- Elbow to Knee (10/side) 4. Seated leg extensions (10/side) *Alternating leg extensions 5. Deadbug (10/side) 6. Single leg hold (30 sec/side) 7. Scissor kicks (10/side) *Alternate lowering your leg towards the ground; the further you lower your leg down, the more challenging the exercise 8. Bear crawl hold (20 sec x 3 sets) 9. Modified side plank (20 sec/side x 3 sets) This article is part of a series called Workouts with Jordan. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/workouts-with-jordan Jordan now has her own YouTube channel called Follow Along Fitness. Whether you’re a senior, a beginner, a pro, or even pregnant - there’s something for everyone!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzjlWj_Pk1g&t=12s Brad: I found that changing your sleep habits by one hour can dramatically change your life. This is research and everyone's going to want to know about this. It's interesting statistical information and it's accurate. Bob: I can't wait. Brad: All right the first thing, this really got my attention on this, when daylight savings time comes around in the fall and you fall back, okay? So that means you gain an hour of sleep, there was a statistical study that day in the United States, and there were 21% fewer heart attacks the next day. Bob: That's amazing. Brad: On the other hand, in the spring when you lose an hour of sleep, that next day, there are 24% more heart attacks that went to the ER. So really, it doesn't prove anything, but it really gets you thinking. Maybe that loss or gain of X hours of sleep is critical. Now we're going to go to number two. This is for both males and females. If you're trying to have a baby, your reproductive system is noticeably affected if you don't get enough sleep. So, if you're trying to have a baby. Bob: Yep, get pregnant. Brad: Get that family going, make sure you get adequate sleep. You know, at least eight hours a day if you're an adult. So, we'll move on to number three. If you're trying to lose some weight, you really need to get adequate sleep. If you're an adult, again, that’s eight hours. Don't cut yourself short, particularly if you do it consistently. Make that a goal when you're getting your weight loss. Bob: I read you burn more fat while you sleep. Brad: Yep, it's that fasting time. And I don't know all the technical parts of it but it definitely shows that. Bob: It's true. Brad: Yeah, it's true. So, get your sleep. It's a good deal unless you're a hyper person like we know some people. I think you really must work at it, but you can do it. Now, to number four. Bob, you probably got plenty of sleep, I don't think I did when I was in high school. Bob: I did, absolutely. Brad: So, your intellect, your IQ, how you think, your cognition is much better when you get adequate sleep. There was a study done with high school kids and their ACT tests. Bob: They need even more sleep than we do. Brad: They need eight to 10 hours of sleep. And they did a study of their group who did not get adequate sleep and the ones that did. And there was a significant increase in the ACT scores for those that got adequate sleep. Bob: Not surprised. Brad: Right. I know when I get up in the morning, I can think so much clearer than at 8:00 at night. Bob: Really? Brad: Yeah, by 6:00 at night, I'm burnt out. All right, number five, and the last one is pain. Particularly, if you have chronic pain, if you do not get enough sleep your body will increase that pain level. It's a chronic situation. It can build a snowball effect. Bob: Yeah, yeah. The more pain, the more you don't sleep. Brad: Right, and if you don't get sleep then you get more pain. So actually have a video that shows you seven tips that will help you sleep more. And this is updated from our other ones which we have similar videos. Bob: I can't wait. Brad: So yeah, pain levels, for sure. Get adequate sleep. Very good. Sleep well, learn well, and do everything better with your sleep. Bob: Peace out. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pcbvYNhaI0&t=22s Brad: Using cold packs can be one of the best things to work with pain and eliminate it. However, if you don't do it right or make mistakes, they just don't work well at all. We're going to show you the right way to do it. Mike: Brad, this isn't working very well. Brad: We'll show you. We'll show them. With over 20 years of working with patients, I've seen this first mistake happen often. People will say, well, I've got this cold pack. I use it for my lunchbox, and I put it on my knee. It's just not working well as you saw with Mike. These are not made for your body. They're made for keeping your sandwich cold. So, what you need to do is get a cold pack that conforms. Now you can make your own, we have a video on how to make it an ice pack. Mike: It is a homemade ice pack. You'll need two bags. They work well. However, after a while, they're going to leak and start to break down. You can make more, it's inexpensive. Or you can buy one that we sell through iReliev. Brad: Right, now sometimes store-bought ones do not work very well if they come out and they're hard and stiff. Those are no good. The iReliev cold packs do not do that, they come out very pliable. One side already has a nice cloth on it, so you don't have to put a cloth on your knee. We'll talk about that. They are a good cold pack, make sure you get a good one. I just wanted to mention that the homemade cold pack is rubbing alcohol that you can get at the store and water. The video will tell you how to make it. Brad: Okay, the second mistake is that you need to get in a very comfortable position while you're doing it. We're going to show you three different options. If you're treating your back, this is a great way to do it. Pillows under the knees, pillow under your head. Take your cold pack, put it under your back, and just lie there for up to 15 to 20 minutes. Mike: Second position option is to get in a recliner. Put a comfortable pillow behind your back and then you can put an ice pack right back there if you're having back pain. Brad: Now, if you have leg pain, knee pain, or ankle pain, lift the recliner up so your leg is up. Take your cold pack. See how it wraps around the knee so nicely. Brad: You could put it around the ankle. If it's a calf, you put it here. And then again, 15 to 20 minutes, and voila. Brad: All right, one thing I wanted to mention is in your recliner if you've got nice, fluffy armrests, you can use them. If they don't, put pillows under your arms and take the weight off your shoulders. It's going to help everything relax up here when we're treating shoulder and neck pain. So, Mike is in the position, comfortable. You can take your cold pack, pinch it between the shoulder blade and the back of the chair and leave it over the shoulder. That'll prevent the cold pack from falling. Cold packs on the shoulder are always hard. They always want to fall, but that will prevent that. Brad: If it's upper neck or neck pain, get a cold pack like this skinny one. Wrap it around the side of your neck and then when you lean back if you have a recliner with a headrest and it'll stay right in there very nicely. I've done this many times. You can do the back of the neck, all over wherever you would like to do it. It's a wonderful thing to use cold packs when you use them properly. We also found out that if you have a migraine headache, you can cool down the carotid artery. If it's on the left side, you put that cold pack there and that can be a wonderful way to remedy and eliminate that migraine. Mike: Mistake number three is putting an ice pack directly on your skin no matter where it is. You want to be cautious of a bony area, like say your kneecap as well. What you want to do is you can put your ice pack in just a pillowcase. Or if you have thicker pants, just roll them down. It'll work as well and just cover it up. Put a little barrier in between there. Brad: Right, and one thing, if you get a nice cold pack like the iReliev, it does have a cloth barrier on one side that you can use without the cloth pillowcase. So, make sure, if in doubt, to put the pillowcase there or the cloth towel and be safe. You can frostbite your skin. Mike: But Brad, this is still feeling too cold, and I have a little layer in there. Brad: That's mistake number four is if you haven't used them before there's a chill factor that you need to get through. Now, if you feel cold like that, simply put on a towel so it's not so cold and you'll adapt to it. Eventually, you want to get that extra towel off to cool it down more and then you'll feel it very nicely. It's a good feeling once you get used to that and you'll look forward to it eventually. Mike: Mistake number five is not leaving the cold pack on long enough. Recent research has said at least 10 minutes but historically Brad and I were taught 15 to 20 minutes is perfectly fine. Brad: The nice thing about a cold pack is if you leave it on too long, they simply warm up and they're not cold anymore. So, there's really no damage or harm to be done. Mike: Yeah, so just throw them on, go about your day, do your work, and then just take them off when they're warm. Brad: That's right. So once again, cold packs are good for anything except for like we say “we can cure anything except for…” Mike: A broken heart. Brad: A broken heart and yeah cold packs aren't going to work for that. Mike: I'll try it out. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Workout 1. Roll the ball in and out (10) 2. Roll the ball in and out - single leg (10/leg) 3. Bridge (30 sec) 4. Bridge hold while rolling ball in and out (10) 5. Inner thigh pulses (10 pulses x 5 sets) *Squeeze in on ball 6. Leg lifts (10 reps x 2 sets) 7. Plank (30 sec) 8. Push up ladder (5 reps, 4, 3, 2, 1) 9. Plank knee tucks (10) 10. Plank roll-outs (10) 11. Single leg lifts (10) and single leg circles (10)- right side 12. Repeat #11 on the left 13. Walk-outs (10) Stretches This article is part of a series called Workouts with Jordan. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/workouts-with-jordan Jordan now has her own YouTube channel called Follow Along Fitness. Whether you’re a senior, a beginner, a pro, or even pregnant - there’s something for everyone!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHdTOTCw8x8&t=79s Mike: Discover if the legs-up-the-wall yoga pose is right for you. Brad: That's right. We're going to help you determine if this pose is something that's going to be a thumbs up or thumbs down based on your individual health needs. You need to know if it's going to be good for you or not so good. Mike: So, this pose in the yoga world is known as Viparita Karani. It also is known as the legs-up-the-wall stance. And for some people, this is a perfectly good stretch. But for other people, it may not be. Brad: Right. And we're actually going to go into who should not be performing this and maybe explain how you're going to determine if you should not be, and it'll all be clear. Mike: So this pose may be a thumbs down if you have any of these conditions. And you want to make sure to check with your doctor before doing them. The first one is if you have heart problems, especially something like congestive heart failure. Brad: Or if you had a hip replacement. Mike: Also, if you have glaucoma. Brad: Or if you have kidney failure. Mike: Or if you have failure of the liver. Brad: Or if you're pregnant. Mike: And if you have uncontrolled blood pressure. Brad: Right. Again, you need to check with your doctor. This is something that should feel reasonably comfortable, with no pain. You're going to feel a hamstring stretch. As you can see, Bob is feeling that right now. He's shaking his head. Mike: Now, for the thumbs-up section. These people, if you're looking to get any of these benefits, you may do this stretch. The first one is to improve circulation, especially for venous insufficiency, or if you're standing or sitting all day long. Brad: Or it can help you to distress. Mike: Yes, de-stress and take it easy. Next is to ease pain and some muscle fatigue you may have in your legs. Brad: It also increases flexibility in the legs, especially in the hamstrings as we've already mentioned. Mike: And it can also help you decrease your back pain if you keep doing it. And if you're having some issues, you can also put a pillow under your back or your buttock to help relieve some of that. Brad: Right. Personally speaking, I know this looks like a pose that would help stenosis, which I do have. Mike: It can also reduce fatigue in your lower extremities. Brad: Now, this one we have not had any experience with, but we understand it can help alleviate menstrual cramps. Mike: And it can also help you fall asleep. Boy, that'd be a long time with your legs up if you fall asleep. Brad: Well, with that sort of thing you need to know the protocol of how to do it. Initially, try it. If you experience any pain or discomfort, you do not continue with it. Again, with the hamstring stretch, I would go no more than five minutes the first time you attempt this. And then as you feel comfortable with it and it feels fine the next day, you can build up to ten to fifteen minutes and go one to two times per day. All right, so we're going to finish up here. Decide whether or not you're going to do this. Make sure you're healthy with it and be careful. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in July of 2020. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYiH0p4hAm4 Bob: Today we are going to show a seven-minute “good morning” chair workout for seniors at home, alone or in a group, no equipment is needed except for a chair. Brad: We will need a chair, but there are so many people that want to do some exercises but don't feel safe, maybe doing standing ones and it's a good way to start the morning. No equipment is needed, the seven minutes may vary depending on how long or how fast you go through it, so we're going to probably take a little longer to explain them and make sure you do them properly. Bob: I'm going to turn to the side, so they can get my profile, my big beak. Brad: Yeah, okay, so one thing before you get started, it's important that you do this in a firm chair. Don't do it in a recliner, a soft squishy chair is not going to be a good option. One with armrests is nice, it can be helpful, but you don't have to. Bob has one without, I have one with and we'll go through the whole thing. Now these first two things, you may not think they're exercises but they are incredibly important to do before we get into the more stretching part of these and that is first thing, take a deep breath. Breathe in your nose, fill up those lungs, get your posture back, and exhale. Do this three times. Bob: It's good to go through the mouth when you're breathing out, through pursed lips, like you're blowing out a candle. Brad: So you're kind of getting some resistance and then breathe in through your nose. Fill up those lungs, so incredibly important to do this, and now we're going to work on that posture, which you kind of do when you breathe. So, it's shoulders back, sitting up tall. Make sure you tuck your bottom, or your butt back in that chair so you have a good tall posture. Brad: The next thing we're going to do is start out with chin tucks, so we're going to bring the chin in towards your throat and back. So not down. Bob: Not down, not up, straight back, like someone's throwing a pie in your face. Brad: The repetitions, you should do at least three but five of them would probably be better. You could go up to 10 but not more than 10. Okay, we'll do between five and 10 here and continue to be relaxed. You know, get some music in the background. Bob: Continue to breathe. Brad: Yep, breathing is very important. Now we're going to go to trunk rotations. So, you're going to look over to your right and then over to your left. Now if this feels pretty good and you have armrests, you can grab the armrests and give a little overpressure but not too aggressively. Bob: I'm just grabbing my leg and giving the overpressure. Brad: There you go, leg or armrest. I really like the overpressure on this one. This is nice if you're still driving, it really helps that range of motion so you can look behind you when you're backing up. Bob: You really want to emphasize good posture when you do those. Don't hunch forward and turn. Brad: Exactly, Bob, thank you for that reminder. The next one Bob calls the Hallelujah. So we're just going to lean back and bring the arms up, and depending on your shoulders, if you have tight shoulders, just bring them up as far as you feel comfortable. We don't want to irritate any shoulder impingement. If you want to bring your hands behind your head you can, or out to the side. Breathe in and exhale. Bob: And you have to say it, Brad. Hallelujah! Brad: Hallelujah! That's right, life is good and we're going to enjoy it. Bob: While we're still on this earth. Brad: While we're still on the chairs here. Okay next one, we're going to go to the hands. Hands out in front of you, make a gentle fist, don't make a tight fist, and do circles. Take a deep breath, and make sure you go both directions, five or 10 times. Get those wrists moving, there are a lot of little bones in those wrists, they're kind of complicated joints and it's nice to keep them loose. Brad: Then we're going to open our hands and close the fist. Open and close. Open and close. You can really feel all those, there are so many joints going right now with this. I should have counted them. Bob: Yeah, there are a lot of joints. Brad: Probably got 30 to 40 there altogether. All right, good posture, and then we're going to go to the legs and the hips. Marching, get those knees up one at a time as high as you can. 10 times typically on each leg. Bob: You know what I just read yesterday, Brad? If this hurts in the hip, that's one of the signs of hip arthritis. Brad: Oh really? The seated march, okay. Bob: It's one of the tests they were doing, active flexion. Brad: Oh I see, yep. Now we're going to go to kicking out or we call them long arc quads. Make sure on this one that you don't just do short cheating ones. They are not going to benefit your knees as much. Good posture, up and hold it a second or two. Bob: For those of you that sit a lot during the day, this is a good one to do throughout the day. It is very good for the knees; you get a little bit of strengthening but you also get some movement. Brad: It stretches the hamstrings and if you pull your toes up towards your nose, you're going to feel more stretch back in your calf. So, that's a nice way to make that exercise complete. You get more benefits out of it that way. Okay, now we're just going to leave the legs down in front, kind of on your heels and do ankle pumps. Now ankle pumps, the most important part of this is when you pull your toes up towards your nose, and keep your heels on the floor but that stretches those heel cords and strengthens the muscles in the front of the lower leg, which is really important for when you walk, so that you don't drag your toes when you walk because that's a fall risk. Bob: Yep. Brad: This is an important one, it's a small exercise but it's really important. All right, now this one, you're going to start with your heel flat on the floor and take your right leg and touch over as far as you can to the right. I call them toe touches. Bob: I touch my heel. Brad: Then the other leg. You can touch your heel, but I like to go with the toe, but the heel is okay. Bob: I'm taller so more difficult to touch the toe. Brad: Oh sure, whatever works, and with this one it’s nice to have the armrests as well but you don't have to. Bob: And going back to what I was just talking about with hip arthritis, this is one of the directions that you start to lose with hip arthritis is going out like this, so it's a good one to try to maintain that as long as you can. Brad: Now we have done 11 altogether, there are 12 of them. This last one is optional, it's more aggressive, you do have to have armrests and we're just going to push up with your arms and do chair push-ups, we call them. Bob: I'm just pushing off the chair so that really doesn't work. Brad: The idea is you're going to strengthen those arms a little bit because a lot of people will push off from the armrests and it gets those arms stronger for getting up. If you're strong enough, you may be able to get up higher. If you're not, like I said, this is an optional exercise. Bob: And you can use your legs to help. I mean, if you're weak, you can start with using your legs to help and then eventually go to more and more arms. Brad: You could do this if you don't have armrests if you feel stable and you don't feel like you're going to fall forward. Bob: All right, I feel revived. I feel ready for the day! Brad: And I think we're very close to seven minutes right there. Bob: Sure, funny how that worked out. Brad: The number seven, it is complete. Good things will happen when you work with it. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Warm Up *30 seconds of each 1. High knees 2. Straight leg kicks 3. Walk out plank Workout 1. Lateral Walks, Right (10) *Slightly bend knees, small steps to the side 2. Squats (10) 3. Lateral Walks, Left (10) *Same as the picture above (#1) 4. Squats (10) *Same as the picture above (#2) 5. REPEAT 6. Kickbacks, Right (10) 7. Kickbacks, Left (10) *Same as the picture above (#6) 8. Toe taps (10) *Tap toe out to the side, alternate legs 9. Repeat- 10 Lateral Walks Right, 10 Squats, 10 Lateral Walks Left, 10 Squats 10. Repeat- 10 Kickbacks Right, 10 Kickbacks Left, 10 toe taps 11. Final Burn Out! a. 3 set of 10 squat pulses This article is part of a series called Workouts with Jordan. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/workouts-with-jordan Jordan now has her own YouTube channel called Follow Along Fitness. Whether you’re a senior, a beginner, a pro, or even pregnant - there’s something for everyone!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtJNlTs_bCc Brad: Are you having SI pain or sacroiliac pain? It’s right in the buttocks and lower back. If you have it, you know it. It goes down the leg to the knee. We’re going to do five techniques that have worked in the clinic, for our commenters, and for me personally. Mike: We’re going to show you how to do them all and you just pick which ones work for you. Some are exercises and some are other strategies to try to relieve that pain. Brad: That’s right. I’m excited because these really work. Let’s do a little anatomy on the SI joint. First, we say SI, that's an abbreviation for sacroiliac. That comes from the sacrum and ilium, so the sacroiliac joint. This is a nice model we have because it moves. Now, in a real human, there are a lot of ligaments holding this joint together, quite solid, it doesn’t move very much. A little bit of movement can cause a fair amount of pain. Mike: Pain is very common with weight-bearing activities or walking. It can be sharp, and it can go down to the knee if it gets that bad. Brad: Right, usually not below the knee. What we’re going to show you is how to stabilize this and keep it from moving with five different exercise options. The first two techniques are going to be done lying down. You can do this on your bed or on the floor. They’re muscle energy techniques. What happens is your muscles, because of an isometric contraction will put force on the pelvis and a rotational force and put it back into place. It’ll feel better if you’re doing it properly. If you’re doing it wrong and it’s going in the opposite direction, it will hurt. In that case, you simply stop that exercise. Mike is going to show the first one. Mike: You’re going to bring the side that is painful first. You’re going to bring that knee up to your chest as far as you can. Your other leg will be relaxed. What I’m going to do is push my foot towards Brad, while resisting with my hands. You’re going to hold this for six seconds, then relax. How many times should we do that? Brad: If it feels good, you’re going to repeat it up to five times and then do it every hour until things start to feel better. Again, if it hurts, then you’ll stop and go to the next one. Mike: Should we try this on both legs? Brad: You can. You’re probably going to do it on the side that hurts. You can try it on the other one and only continue if it makes things feel better. As a therapist, we can zero in on one side or the other because we’ve done a complete assessment. In your case, you’ll just have to try and listen to your body. Only progress with that technique if it makes it feel better and that goes for all of them. Should we do the next one in this position? Mike: Sure. Brad: All right. With this, you’re going to need a stick. You can use a mop or a cane or you can use a Booyah Stik if you have one. They’re a little longer than you need though. We’re going to put the stick under your knee. Mike: It’s going to go under the painful side, in the crevice of your bent knee. Your leg is going to push down like it did before, but you’re going to use your other leg to pull up toward your face simultaneously. Sometimes when you do this, the cane is going to move a little, so you’re going to have to stabilize it with your hand. Hold that for six seconds. Pushing and pulling in opposite directions and then you’re going to relax. It’s the same concept as the first, just a little more advanced. Brad: Right. Do it one way, if you don’t have good results, try it the other way. If neither of those works, go on to the next one. The third option and this is one of my personal favorites is massage. I have right SI problems from time to time. I’ll get a massage gun out. This is our UNI massage gun and it works quite well. You need to have a massage gun that reciprocates back and forth. We have about 10 millimeters of amplitude on this one. You’re going to want either the round or air-filled head. Not all massage guns have air-filled heads but when using it on the SI joint it is almost necessary unless you know how to use a round head. This is exactly how I do it. I lie on my side with the problem side facing up. Flex the hip, in other words, bring my knee up and relax it. Get the massage gun going and put it at about half power. Work not on the sacrum, that’s the bone. It doesn’t hurt because I have an air-filled head but it’s not doing much good either. You want to go in on that and simply go where it feels good. You may work down on the ischial tuberosity, which is part of the pelvis to get things moving in the right direction. If you have a round head, turn it sideways, it’s less aggressive. As you want to get more aggressive, you rotate the gun directly into it and use as much force as you need. It should only feel good, if it hurts it’s not the right technique for you. You can also do this with a chair. Just put your problem side leg on the chair or stool and work it that way as well, if you have good balance. You’re going to work on this for one to two minutes. Mike: So we should say the point of the massage gun is to calm down the muscles surrounding the SI joint that are irritated right now to get them to relax. It’s not going to solve the original problem, but it will feel good and help relieve some of that pain. Brad: Right. If things relax and you work it, it will hopefully slide back into place. You’ll know. Now, the fourth option, I personally have not had success with, but I’ve had several patients and so has Bob have success with this. It’s using an SI belt. We’re going to show you one you can buy, but you don’t necessarily have to buy one. You can just use a belt from home. The placement of the belt is critical. What the belt does is it squeezes together and prevents that SI joint from moving, creating that pain. The belt goes around, below the iliac crest. Right around the pelvis and then tighten the belt and simply stand up and walk around. You’ll know it works because if it hurts to walk after the belt is on, the pain will go away dramatically, and you know you’re on the right track. If that’s the case, you should go ahead and buy a real SI belt. They work better and they’re more comfortable. Mike: There are many brands you can choose from. We’re not saying any are better than the other. We just happen to have a Serola belt. This is what Deb Riczo, who is an SI joint pain PT master kind of, recommends and sells this one. This one has two straps you can pull apart and tighten to make more pressure on that SI joint in there. Just go to whatever feels comfortable. Make sure you buy the right size for you. Brad: Before you do that, I want to give a little more attention to the belt. You’re going to put it on and it’s going to go lower than you think, lower than your normal belt. Pull it as tight as you can. I had a patient last fall do this. He was excited. He used his belt for the whole treatment. Do not wear it to bed, just when you’re up and walking, and for a few days to a week. Maybe two weeks and things will settle down. Brad: The fifth exercise is one of the go-to's for me for maintenance, particularly to keep my SI joint in place. I’ll do this hip flexor stretch. Get a stool, park bench, or whatever is available that is steady and solid. Put your foot on it and lean forward to stretch it. It should feel good. If it doesn’t, do not do it. I’ll spend about 20-30 seconds stretching and I’ll do a little noodling or move my hip around. So, work on all five, pick the ones that work for you that feel good. Good luck! Mike: You can do it on stairs, you can do it on anything. Pick what height is comfortable for you and you feel like you're not going to fall over. So, again, we're working on the right side if that is the painful side. Then bend forward, just kind of noodle around like Brad said. I'm moving more from my backside, or you can just move the hip more. Whatever feels best for you, there's no right or wrong to this. It's just supposed to help relieve some of that pain and get that pelvis tilted where it needs to be for the SI joint. Brad: Yeah, very good. Excellent job, Mike. That noodling thing is kind of going to kind of weird some people out. Well, we learned it from one of the experts. Mike: Kelly Starrett. Brad: Kelly Starrett, yeah. So, blame it on Kelly, if you don't like the term noodling. He's a heck of a nice guy. He's a really, really outstanding therapist. All right. SI joint, pick out the ones that work for you that feel good. Mike: And let us know what works for you and what you like in the comment section below. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Hand Warmer Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ The Bob and Brad Community is a place to share your experiences, ask questions and connect with others regarding physical therapy and health topics. Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Workout *Start w/ 8 reps of everything, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 rep 1. Push-ups Modified Push Up 2. Band Pull-Aparts 3. Bicep Curls 4. Plank Shoulder Taps *Reach up towards the opposite shoulder; continue switching sides This article is part of a series called Workouts with Jordan. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/workouts-with-jordan Jordan now has her own YouTube channel called Follow Along Fitness. Whether you’re a senior, a beginner, a pro, or even pregnant - there’s something for everyone!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2017. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdc7jGDLurQ&t=7s Bob: All right, today we're going to talk about the top 10 exercises to avoid if you have sciatica. Some of these are probably even good for people who just have regular old back pain. Brad: Right, a lot of times back pain can lead to sciatica. It's kind of a precursor oftentimes, so these are good things to think about with both conditions. Bob: And generally, the rule of thumb is that if you're doing anything and while you're doing it, it starts making the pain worse, you need to avoid it. Brad: If that's an activity or a posture, by posture I mean if you're sitting in a car and that consistently creates back pain or pain down the leg, you need to change how you sit in that car. Bob: Yeah, you must make an adjustment. This is kind of a battle of finding the things that lessen pain and finding the things that worsen the pain, and you must do more of one and less of the other. Brad: Right, more of the things that lessen it obviously, and less of the things that irritate it. Bob: I know that seems very simple but it's very true and it's very effective. Brad: Some people don't think about these things, we're going to go through these 10 activities that oftentimes irritate sciatica. So, this is just hitting 10 of the big things that we think a lot of people ignore because they're not aware of it. Bob: All right number one, what's number one, Brad? Brad: Okay, big thing, a lot of people when they have back pain think they need to stretch their muscles out. So, they'll start bending forward. And more times than not, I'd say the majority of sciatica is from a disc problem, a bulging disc. This stretch, most of the time is going to make the disc worse. It stretches the muscles too but it's not good for that bulging disc. Bob: I just saw a golfer, an older guy that was golfing with me do this. He took his club and was stretching but bending over. I was like, don't do that. This is terrible for your back. Brad: Right, you should be going in the other direction. So don't be stretching to the toes. Avoid that one. The next one, this is a really popular one. People like to do the hurdler stretch. And not only does this bend your back forward, but it twists your pelvis, and it locks your pelvis in place. It puts more stress and then you rotate a little bit. You're getting rotation, and excessive flexion with a locked-in pelvis. It's true, you're stretching your hamstrings, but you're damaging and making your back worse. You're putting a lot of stress on it. Bob: So, you're saying I should never do this one? Probably not, right? Brad: Yeah, there are a lot better ways to stretch your hamstrings than this. If you're a hurdler, maybe this is a good thing to do. But if you're not there are a lot better ways to do that. I'm not a hurdler's coach. I don't know about that. Bob: One of the better ways to stretch your hamstring when you're got back problems is just to lay flat on your back and bring your leg up with the stretch strap, or a belt, or a sheet. And then you can also push down and relax, push down, and relax. Brad: Yeah, contract, relax. These little stretch straps really work well for stretching the hamstring. And the back is in a neutral position down here, staying safe. Bob: Yeah, a great way to stretch without putting any stress on your back at all. Brad: Next, I want to get into some of the weightlifters. We have several comments from people that are weightlifters asking, “Geez, can I get back to my weightlifting with sciatica?” This lift here, we call it good mornings. When you're doing this one, I would take that lift and throw it in the garbage. Bob: Throw it in the trash and never do it again. Brad: Right, that one is hard on the disc, on the low back. It's true, it works the muscles. It works on the hamstrings, but it's really putting stress on the low back. So, good mornings, just forget about those. Bob: Say good night to the good mornings. Brad: Yeah, exactly. All right, Squats. Now I would even put this one on hold until your back is completely fine, and you have no more sciatica. Because even if you do perfect posture with this, you're putting a fair amount of stress. Bob: It's too much compression force. Now we're not saying that you should never do squats. The squats are fine for your back. In fact, I would recommend them to strengthen your back. But not if you're having back pain. Brad: Right. Anything with back pain, or especially pain down the leg, that's a big red flag. Put a hold on the squats and get back to them when you're feeling pain-free. Bob: If you're coming back to squats after having back pain, I would start off with doing real shallow ones with really good form. Because the further you go down, the more your back rounds out, the more stress. Brad: Yep. You get that butt wink. And there's controversy on that but we are firm believers that you don't want to get in that butt wink. It really stresses the disc. You know, if you're a hardcore lifter, they want to lift. I can understand. Bob: I understand too. Brad: Okay. The next one is the deadlift. This one is hard on your back. It's a great exercise for the overall body, hips, and legs. Bob: Again, it's going to strengthen your back, but not when you're having sciatica or back pain. It's too much compressive force. Brad: I've seen a lot of people do deadlifts and their backs are rounded, that probably created the back pain. So, if you're going to do deadlifts, really work on your form but put a big hold on it. Brad: We always talk about the three points of contact. If he's doing it correctly, he should have 3 points of contact. And if he's doing it incorrectly, one point of contact. Bob: That puts a lot of stress on that one point. I was at a high school tournament, a lifting tournament and I felt so bad for all those kids. It's like, they're going to have back problems if they continue to max out with poor form. Bob: Brad and I can watch people do things and we know eventually, they're going to have this problem or that problem. Brad: Right. If they continue with that kind of body mechanics. Bob: That’s just the way mechanics works, the body's going to give if you're doing things incorrectly. Brad: Okay. Number six, this is something that is near and dear to me, cycling. If you're a cyclist and you've got back pain, particularly if you have a road bike where you really get hunched over, it's going to take a toll. And I know, including myself, I must work on my posture. The taller you are up on your bike, the less stress on your low back. You're going to be slower too, there is a lot more resistance. So, if you're concerned about that, change your posture, or just take a break from the bike for a while. Bob: So, I have the upright handlebars, and I would even if I'm feeling a little bit of back pain, I don't really go biking. It’s that upward movement of your knees, it puts you into a little bit of flexion. Brad: Right, yeah. Especially if your seat's too low. Bob: Yeah. And my seat's not too low. Brad: So, cycling is a red flag on that too. Walking, if walking makes your back feel good, and your leg feel good, that's a good thing to walk. Bob: It's wonderful to do. Brad: But walking uphill, you must lean forward just to keep your balance. That's going to put stress on your low back. So, if you're going to walk, do not walk up hills, if you can avoid it, walk on the flats. Bob: The other thing I would say about walking with sciatica, sometimes it helps to take shorter strides. It can pull on that sciatic nerve if you're taking longer strides. So, if you're getting back to walking because walking is good for your back, especially if you can get like 20 minutes in, try to just take shorter strides and see if you can do that pain-free. Brad: Right. Okay, the next one is burpees. This is one of those exercises that is good overall, you’re getting your heart rate up, working your legs, and your hips, but boy when you're going down to the ground, you're putting your back at maximum flexion. Everything is curled up in that fetal position, which really stresses that low back. You're putting max flexion on there. Bob: People maybe don't know what a burpee is. Brad is going to show you. Brad: You might go to one of those classes and everyone thinks that if an exercise is really, really hard, it's really, really good for you. Sometimes that's true. In this case, if you have some back problems, it could cause more pain. Bob: We have to come up with a modification to that. But Brad is absolutely right. There are two spots in there where you're really hurting your back. One is on the way down and then when you come back up. It's throwing you right into flexion. And violently. Brad: It's a pretty dynamic exercise. So again, great exercise for aerobics and strengthening that area. But it stresses the back pretty badly. Bob: Next one is sit-ups. Brad: We have a lot of videos on how to do bad sit-ups, and how to do good sit-ups for back pain. But if you've got sciatica, you might want to leave the sit-ups alone for a while. If you're doing those old traditional sit-ups we did in school, that's terrible. Forget those. Brad: Or if you're raising your legs up and reaching for your toes, great for the abdomen, but not good for the low back at all. So really avoid sit-ups. There are sit-ups you can do with the ball that can decrease the stress on your back by quite a bit. Bob: We have a video on that, “BEST Abdominal Core Exercises to Do with Low Back Pain.” Brad: Okay, good. Bob: I just saw a whole article on it. It was really in-depth. Brad: And the last one, this is one a lot of people don't think about after you run, or you walk, or you do something that exerts you a little bit. You bend to get your breath or to get caught up. Bob: McKenzie talks about this. He said a lot of times people get pain after athletic activities. It's because they're maximally warmed up. They sit down and they slouch over because they're really warmed up and really stretched out. Brad: And they're tired and relaxed. Bob: And they're tired and it's really bad on your back. So, when you get done with your workouts, you need to stay in good posture yet, sorry. There's no time you can take off from having good posture. Brad: This is one, I need to think about when I do my pull-ups. A lot of times I'm tired and I want to lean forward. And I think, oh, then I'll correct myself. I'm breaking my habit of leaning forward. Same thing we're talking about here. So, there you go. Those are 10 things, but remember there are other ones, and if it makes the leg pain worse, or the back pain worse while you're doing it or afterward, that's an activity, or posture to stay away from. Good luck with your sciatic. And remember Bob, we can fix this about anything except… Bob: A broken heart. Brad: Exactly. Bob: But we're working on it. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. 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