This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A_H2UJOv6Q Brad: We have Chris here today. He’s done a ton of research on the most recent information we have on testosterone levels and how to boost it naturally. I don’t know, I’m assuming people want to boost their testosterone, is it mostly so they can get more muscle mass, or are there other benefits? Chris: Testosterone is a unique steroid hormone that’s based off of cholesterol, which is funny. People think, my cholesterol is high so is my testosterone high? It’s not the case, it doesn’t work that way. Brad: Testosterone is just in men or women too? Chris: Both have it. Men, it’s going to be made in your testicles and the adrenal glands. Women, it’s going to be made in the ovaries and the adrenal glands but at a much lower level. Guys have a certain level and women have a certain level. They both have testosterone and men also have a certain amount of estrogen they produce as well. But, with respect to what’s high, what’s low, what’s good, and what’s bad, I think that’s the question we’re all trying to figure out. Testosterone is responsible for a lot of different things. As early as seven weeks in the womb, if you’re male, you start producing testosterone. Which is an interesting study, I thought. What’s more intriguing is, that it helps with our development. As we go from being a little boy to adolescence to a man, so we’re going to see different levels of testosterone being fostered. It’s what determines our growth, hair growth, voice deepening, and sexual organ functioning. As we age, it’s going to be your bone health, your muscle development, and your mood. It does many different things. It’s your libido, your desire for procreating and just having fun in the bedroom. It’s a lot of different things, it governs a lot of things for us. There’s a condition called low T that your doctor would be specifically dialing in things for you and it would require a blood test. Because if you have to have medical testosterone supplementation it requires serious monitoring because if you’re just taking steroids off the street or trying to find the greatest and latest testosterone booster and you have low T but you’re doing it indiscriminately, higher risks for cancer, blood clots, heart disease, and cholesterol. It must be tightly monitored. When we want to look at things naturally, we want to do it safe and keep it at a normal safe guideline. What can we do? It’s going to be just our pillars of health in a lot of ways. It’s going to be eating well, getting our proper rest, and it’s going to be exercising. Those three things, and we’ll get into those, will help to naturally raise our testosterone levels. Albeit for short periods of time because it doesn’t stay up. Interestingly, when we wake up in the morning, our testosterone levels are higher. Usually for most people between 7 and 10 in the morning is what most studies suggest. It must have to do something with rest. Brad: And you measure testosterone levels with blood? Chris: Yes, via blood. You’d have to take a blood test. If you were worried about it, you should discuss it with your doctor because what does it mean? Maybe you have a depressed mood, feeling weak, gaining weight, or fat around the midsection. It’s interesting, but that comes down to cortisol and that’s another thing. When we talk about diet, cortisol is something that is like a testosterone blocker. It runs interference. Testosterone helps us to produce lean mass. It helps with stronger bones. When we eat a bad diet through processed foods, anything that comes in the box. We’ve talked about this on many occasions, you don’t want that. You want whole foods, fruits and veggies, and fats. Another unique thing, for testosterone you need carbohydrates. You want about 50% of your calories to come from good carbohydrates. Brad: Example or good carbohydrates are? Chris: It would be food-wise, things like yams, potatoes, brown rice, those types of things. They are starchy, sugary foods. But those foods also have other phytonutrients in there, but things that are important for our body to help it process testosterone to get that natural raise. Coupled with about 20% of your calories coming from protein and the remaining 30% of your calories should be coming from healthy fat. I don’t mean ice cream, it must be avocados, nuts, animal fats, sardines, and fatty fish. Brad: Meat if you have the fat that is associated with meat. Chris: Yeah. You can do lean ground beef, that’s going to have healthy animal fat in there. If you’re vegan then it’s going to be your nuts and legumes. Soy is somewhat controversial because they say that stimulates estrogen and may block some of the effects of testosterone. Much as I could garner, I would say even though it’s a good protein source for a lot of people, it may be counterintuitive but it’s so inconclusive that I would tell you if it’s been working for you, you can stick with it. If you feel like you need to shake it up, try a different protein sources. Brad: All right. Diet, you’re going to be eating good proteins, good meat, and good fats. Chris: Correct and timing is everything too. Let’s say we did a workout, and we’ll talk about exercise more. The timing of getting those nutrients in you is shortly after workouts. If you and I are going to do an interval ride or if we swam and then lifted weights or did resistance work with the bands. Right after, within 15-30 minutes of having our workout, we want to be ingesting something with the right kind of proteins. Brad: Right. Chris: It doesn’t matter what you get it from. Let’s say it was eggs, chicken breast, or a powder that you bought from the local health food store. Those are all excellent sources. It’s all clean protein. From a body weight standpoint, you probably want to do and what I’ve found is 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Let’s say you’re 200 lbs, it’s going to be about 160 grams of protein. Brad: So, is that like three steaks? Chris: Yeah. So, that would be throughout the day. Try to ingest 160 grams of protein, that’s going to be a lot. You’re going to divide that, but if you want to get 30 grams in after you work out, whether it’s a protein shake, that’s a quick easy way. Brad: There are some people that get into their diet so well they know. Chris: They do the macros and micros. Brad: If you’re not that, do you just make sure you eat plenty of meats and stuff? Chris: Yeah, whatever protein source you choose. You’re going to want that ratio or if you’re metrically based, it’s going to be 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram. Whatever protein source you choose and it’s going to help to foster development, but you can’t have a diet high in protein. If you’re just eating a high-protein diet, it can hurt you. It decreases the amount of testosterone your body makes. You need to have a healthy blend of carbs. Healthy carbs, you don’t want to be white sugaring it all day long. It’s a carbohydrate, but it’s not good for you. Then you also want to have a healthy blend of fats. Things that have your omegas. Those things are going to be important. Those fats do other things. They help with not only cholesterol. Cholesterol is a building block for testosterone. That’s why fats are important. That balance, although very complex, is important for us. If you lean to all protein all the time, you’re going to end up finding, if you did blood work, you would find lower testosterone levels. I thought that was interesting because I thought it would be, a high protein diet and off they go. They’re like, no, not so fast my friend. It’s something we must be careful with. Brad: So, we’re going to eat the high protein with the fats and the good carbs. Right after you get done working out is best. Chris: Yeah, and like I said, say your 200 lb. guy like myself, you’re not going to take all 160 grams at once. Healthy meals throughout the day. You do want to ingest protein right after a workout because it will help with recovery which gets you ready for the next event, your next workout, your next race, or your next whatever. But it does help to facilitate that and actually, you just get a spike. It's not a sustained thing either. But over time, it helps you to develop, put on more muscle mass, and take care of your bones. So very important. Brad: Right. Are there any supplements that can be taken? Chris: Yeah. You can use Vitamin D. That one is an interesting study that showed that if you took 3000 IUs a day and you would look on your bottle and you want vitamin D3 because it’s the most bioactive form of D, they showed that over eight weeks that it raised people’s testosterone to the tune of about 25%. Our testosterone levels peak at about 18 to 19, plateau in our twenties, and from 30 on for the rest of our lives it’s going to decrease at about 1% a year after the age of 30. That’s not a doom and gloom thing either. Everybody has a different range of testosterone and on the low end of normal, it’s going to be 300 nanoliters per deciliter which is small, to about 1,250 nanoliters per deciliter. That would be something your doctor would determine if you had a blood test. The average person, I mean if you’re feeling depressed, you don’t have any libido, you don’t have a desire to do anything, you’re weak or gaining weight, these would be signs to see your doctor. Then it might have to be medically managed. For the majority of us, if we are exercising well, eating well, or maybe taking a Vitamin D supplement or getting good sunshine is enough. They’ve shown, particularly more in fertility cases, zinc is a supplement, zinc sulfate, 20 milligrams twice a day, improves sperm motility, but also will help to give you more testosterone. Small percentages, not very significant. The other supplement that seemed to be interesting, it’s not so much for how much testosterone it fostered, but what it did against cortisol, which blocks it, it’s Ashwagandha. It’s an Indian herb that’s been used for thousands of years. It’s kind of an anti-inflammatory of sorts. It helps to minimize anxiety. I think that’s the target. Anxiety tends to raise cortisol. Cortisol is what makes us develop that belly fat, but in times of stress, it makes you burn a lot of sugar. That natural fight or flight reaction. If you’re stressed at work, let’s say Bob’s getting on you at work all day and telling you, Brad, we need more research, we need more product, we need more videos. You’re like, I can’t deal with it. Well, your body will go into a mode where it starts to produce more cortisol and you’ll feel sluggish, you won’t feel quite right. Even though it’s giving you quick energy to deal with the problem right in front of you, it’s creating long-term deficits in your body, you’re developing more fat, and you’re getting weaker. This herb, Ashwagandha, works well by reducing the amount of cortisol you produce. You’re also relaxing better, you sleep better, and is a natural anti-inflammatory which is a totally different side effect. Brad: So where do you get this? Chris: Any health food store, or Amazon. The doses range from a variety of different doses. It’s most commonly 500 milligrams, twice a day. You must watch it with that. If you have a thyroid condition, pregnancy, absolute no-nos. So, check with your pharmacist or doctor, or do some research before you take it. Brad: It’s not in food or a diet thing, right? Chris: No. It’s an herbal supplement used in Indian medicine, but it’s something you would find on Amazon, local pharmacies, and health food stores will have it in a pill form or powder form. Even drops. They have sublingual drops that absorb better. It had a range of 500 milligrams to 1250 milligrams. So, there’s not a cut a dry dose. It seems to work more on helping protect against cortisol development or that stress hormone, which we’ve found in cases of helping improve fertility and in a backward mechanism, free up more testosterone to help you with strength. Those will be from the supplements. You want your good proteins, the carbohydrates, and some of these supplements might be beneficial. More importantly, is exercise. Specifically weightlifting. All exercises are good, you can still stimulate testosterone production from a long run, and swimming, but weightlifting seems to be best. Followed up by HIIT training, that high-intensity interval training. There are a lot of different ways that you can do those workouts and you can find zillions of workouts that are catered to people online. Resistance training if you haven’t done anything then this is your arena. Proper form, making sure that your body is capable of being able to do these types of things. Start small and build up. You will find some sources that tell you that going heavy is better, but you need to build that up. If you go in and do a 300-pound deadlift doing three sets of those and you could blow out your back and now you’re set back again. Brad: You’re doing your one-rep max right off the bat. Chris: Exactly, don't do that. Resistance training is key, but anything is good. That helps our bodies because when you exercise, you tear your muscles. One of the body’s mechanisms and testosterone helps it heal and then develop growth and strength. When we have healthy testosterone levels, those things are all working in the right direction. We have more lean mass, energy, better bones, more libido, clearer thinking, and better health overall. That exercise component is critically important. The other thing with exercise is sleep. Getting proper sleep, good quality sleep. When I sleep, it’s the recovery processes that are going on. Seven to 10 hours is what’s classified as good sleep. But does it mean, oh I only sleep four hours a day, is that bad? It’s not the best for you. It’s interesting. There’s a paradoxical point in this study that I was reading, five hours of sleep was more detrimental than four hours of sleep. I don’t understand what that hour did, it was peculiar. They didn’t explain it, so, I think more research needs to be done. They said at four hours, you would have more testosterone than five hours. Somehow in the study, the graph has gone up and down. If you get good quality sleep, that’s ultimately going to be the key. It’s a restorative process. You’ll find that if they did blood work in the morning, your testosterone will be a little bit higher. It gives you the energy and everything else we’re looking for. Those are the components that are going to naturally help us to do it. If you’re still not feeling right, a blood test is going to determine if it is or not. The doctors are getting more specific between bound and free testosterone. 98% of our testosterone is bound to albumin and other things. Then there’s free testosterone and that’s the one that does the intrinsic actions in our body. That’s the thing that most physicians and endocrinologists are looking at more specifically now. And to help to create a healthier target to create a better you. Again, eating well, sleeping well, and exercising are the ways to naturally do that. Brad: Yep. Good, healthy living. I don’t know what else to say, Chris, you covered all the details here. Thanks! Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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 July of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNGXwRYwgLo&t=4s. Bob: We’re going to talk about 16 surprising things that raise your blood pressure. Brad: Yeah, we want to minimize them, Bob. Bob: Yeah, spoiler alert, some of them aren’t surprising, but some are. So we’ll go over all of those. Okay, let’s talk about the first thing. Sugar. Besides being an inflammatory food, which creates inflammation in the body. You’d be surprised, you find sweeteners in a lot of things. It can raise your blood pressure. In fact, it’s probably more than a lot of other things that you know raise your blood pressure. Brad: The only good thing about sugar is that it tastes good. Bob: That’s right. Brad: I’m serious, I don’t know what else to say about it. Bob: The more you can limit sugar in your life, the better. Unless it’s the sugar in your relationship, you know? Brad: You’re killing me, Bob. Bob: You want to track your blood pressure, which we recommend highly to do because that way you can experiment with what works and what doesn’t work. Brad: What do you mean what works? Bob: For example, my wife, she’s sensitive to salt. She takes salt, her blood pressure goes way up. Brad: She’s done it with self-monitoring. Bob: Yeah. We have the Bob and Brad blood pressure cuff. The thing about this, is I find a lot of these to be unreliable, and this one was tested, and I’ve used it myself. It’s consistent, it seems good. Our recommendation. Brad: I was using one that wasn’t reliable. It gave me high blood pressure over a period of weeks. I finally called the doctor and went in, and they monitored me, and I was fine. I had to throw that one away. Bob: It probably gave you high blood pressure because you were anxious. Brad: It probably was one of those things. Bob: Okay. Number two, for me, believe it or not, it was mouth breathing. I first saw this, it was a book you gave me, Brad. Brad: Breathing. Breath. Breathe. Whatever it’s called. Bob: Yeah, something like that. They talked about people that they did an experiment with just to guys. I also have seen it in the research where they would close their nostrils up and breathe through their mouth for a month. Then they did it the other way around where they taped their mouth shut. My wife would like that. I do it at night. I was mouth breathing at night and now I tape my mouth shut. My blood pressure went down about 10 points. It was very consistent. Brad: Did you measure it in the morning? Bob: I measured it usually in the morning, right. Brad: Because you’re supposed to measure it at the same time of day, same posture, and positioning. Bob: It was a drop. It made a difference. Brad: That’s interesting. Bob: Number three, caffeine. So, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, this is a good example. You might be fine with it. Your blood pressure maybe doesn’t react to it, but as little as 200 milligrams, which is I think two cups of coffee, that could increase your blood pressure. Brad: And a cup of coffee doesn’t mean one of those 25-ounce things you get at the convenience store. Bob: That’s probably about seven cups of coffee. Lack of sleep, we had a lot of videos on this. They’re finding it to be more important than we ever thought, Brad. Everything starts to go to heck when you’re not sleeping. Brad: To heck in a handbasket. Bob: That’s right. Brad: That’s true. Seven to eight hours. I was sleep-deprived over this, I was out camping. I didn’t have my bed to sleep on. I was down to four or five hours of sleep. Bob: Oh, you were crabby, I bet. Brad: Yeah, I woke up weird looking too. I couldn’t walk straight. Anyways, I didn’t check my blood pressure though, I should’ve. Bob: Inactivity. If you are not getting exercise, you know, we’ll give you one more reason to get exercise. Brad: That makes a big difference. I was tracking mine and aerobic exercise, for me, helps. Bob: You don’t have to get exercise in that fashion, you can walk your dog, play with your kids, gardening. Get some movement. Brad: You better believe it. Bob: Too much alcohol. Brad: Yeah, I field-tested that, but I’ve never checked it. When you live in Wisconsin, you’re up on that. Bob: The old guideline is women can have one drink a day and men can have two. Brad: I’m good then. Bob: Okay, smoking. I give this as an example, Brad, this kid was a nephew of a girl that worked for me, and he was 17 years old. He worked in a sawmill and cut off his finger. They were worried about getting it back on because he was a smoker, and his arteries were so bad already just from smoking at age 17. The narrower your blood vessels, which is going to raise your blood pressure. So, another reason not to smoke, and another reason to exercise. Some of the over-the-counter meds or supplements can also raise your blood pressure. We had Chris the pharmacist on who once warned us about St. John’s wort. He said this thing interferes with a lot of medications. Brad: Not necessarily St. John’s wort itself, but when you mix it with other meds that you’re taking, then it can be a problem. Bob: He said, you need to check with your pharmacist before you try anything like that. Brad: Yeah. Especially if you’re already taking meds, is the big thing. Bob: This is going back to the sleep thing again. People with sleep apnea have higher blood pressure quite often. That’s where the C-PAP machine can come in handy and help regulate that. Not enough potassium. Your kidneys need a balance of sodium and potassium to keep it right. So, if you’re eating a low salt diet, you can still have high blood pressure if you're not eating enough fruits or veggies or beans. Brad: You can just google up food with high potassium. You get a whole list. Bob: Thyroid problems. I know someone close to me that has problems with this. Sometimes you need to take medication for low thyroid and high thyroid. Brad: Hyper or hypo. Bob: NSAIDs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin and even ibuprofen can raise your numbers. Keep that in mind. Brad: Don’t take them chronically. They have other negative effects that could potentially happen so be aware of that. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to make sure you’re safe. Bob: I don’t think my wife will mind if I mentioned she had this next one. It’s the white coat syndrome. Brad: Oh, when you go to the doctor, your blood pressure is high there, but it’s not at home. Cause you’re nervous about seeing the doctor. Bob: Right. She complains that she gets there, and she sits down, they check it immediately. You’re supposed to sit for 5 minutes and relax. Brad: I don’t know if the doctor doesn’t wear a white coat if that helps. Sometimes they don’t. Bob: Wear a pink coat. All right, dehydration. If you’re not getting enough water, your blood vessels tighten up. Brad: I was surprised on this one because I thought if you're dehydrated, you get less volume, that it would go down. Or if you have a lot of fluids in your body, then your blood pressure goes up. Like if you have edema and all that. Bob: I think your body reacts though. I think when there’s not enough fluid in there, your body’s smarter than we are. Brad: I didn’t mean to ruin your number 15 but, anyways. Bob: Number 16, hormonal birth control. So, pills, injections, and other birth control devices can narrow blood vessels. Keep that in mind, sometimes your doctor might have to give you a lower dose of estrogen to keep your numbers normal. Brad: And those things are prescription, and the doctor will address that or hopefully should. Bob: If they don’t, you should bring it up. There they are, the 16. Keep track of it. Brad: Would we call it the sweet 16? Bob: Sure, I like that. Brad: It is a good idea, especially as you get older, your body’s changing, monitor your blood pressure. I have one in the drawer by my recliner. It’s convenient. When it's convenient you're more likely to do it. Bob: Thanks! Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble, Snapchat Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Back and Neck Massager Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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.

First you need to determine if this is a vital task in your day. When you are having pain and trying to calm things down you want to avoid tasks that don’t necessarily need to be done. Can you find someone else to do it? Making the bed is hard on your back, especially if you do it incorrectly. You need to avoid the rounded out slouched position. Keep your spine in locked position throughout the task. See previous video, “What is the Locked-in Spine? Is it good for you? How to do it?” The movement should come from the hips and the knees. To take stress off your back when reaching forward, you can place your knee up on the bed to allow you to better keep the back straight. Putting your hand on the bed for support can also unweight the spine while you use the other hand to make the bed. Alternatively, you can place your hand on our knee or your elbow on your knee to help keep your back straight. To give additional support to your back while you are making the bed, tighten your abdominal muscles. Check out the full Sciatica series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website. DISCLAIMER We insist that you see a physician before starting this video series. Furthermore, this video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may however serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about back-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. 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 February of 2022. For the original video go to Brad: We’re going to do this on back pain associated with these four diagnoses. They are probably the most difficult for me to pronounce, and different people pronounce them differently. So if you get diagnosed with either spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, spondylitis, or spondylosis, don’t worry. For the majority of these diagnoses, it’s not necessarily serious. It can be, but we’re going to go through them one at a time. Bob: I would say for the majority, it’s not serious. You know the thing is that they all sound similar because they all involve spondy, which is? Brad: The spine. I don’t know if it’s Latin or Greek but it’s one of those. Once you understand these, it’s not so bad with any luck. So, spondylolysis is typically in the low back. It doesn’t have to be though. We’re going to look at it in the low back because many of these are. What we are going to do, let’s say we pick out 1,2,3,4 on the 5th vertebra is where you have this diagnosis with spondylolysis, it’s a stress fracture in the vertebra. Often times it’s from multiple movements, something of that nature. You don’t really know what happened, it just starts to hurt. It’s typically found with a C-scan, not an X-ray. Although, you can see if with an X-ray but that’s beyond our capabilities. If we look at the 4th vertebra on this model, and we’ve got the pelvis, the sacrum. We are right above belt level. Vertebrae are basically all the same, from the lumbar to the neck, they’re just shaped a little differently. Bob: Yeah, they are. Brad: They have the same parts. If you look at this line right here, that is the pars interarticularis. That is where you have the stress fracture, right there. The spinal cord is right here. We’ve got the peripheral nerves here. So, it’s close to a lot of important structures. Bob: Fortunately, it’s only on one side. Brad: Right. There’s no real physical movement there, on the vast majority. Bob: Right, the spine, the vertebra stays stable. Brad: Typically, you have back pain with this. The back pain is typically worse when you extend backward, so you avoid that. 1 out of 20 people has this diagnosis. Often times it’s asymptomatic. Typically, it goes, and people live their life with some back pain. They avoid extension, it’s not a real big deal. Bob: It might not even give them any pain. Brad: Right, exactly. Let’s go to the next one. Now, this is a mouthful. I’m really particular to this one because I have this diagnosis and have a good model of it. Spondylolisthesis. This is where, it’s the same fracture of the par interarticularis, except the fracture is not just on one side, it’s on both sides. The 'thesis' is the movement, so you actually have movement of one vertebra on top of the other. So, these are vertebra coffee cups. They start out, lined up like they’re supposed to, and one shifts forward like this one. L4, L5 are the most common ones that are moved. This is what I have. There are four grades, 1, 2, 3, 4. Bob: So, grade 1 would be very slight, by the time you get to 4, it might need surgery. Brad: They’ll put in typically, hardware, something to stabilize it with surgery. It doesn’t get to that point very often. 5%-7% of the population have this to a certain degree, they estimate. It can be asymptomatic or non-painful. Oftentimes, it does result in back pain. Mine, at this point, the disc actually disintegrates, or it’s fused. Bob: So, the L4 vertebrae become fused to the L5 vertebrae. Brad: That doesn’t happen overnight. Bob: You had symptoms at one point where you couldn’t run. You had pain all the way down the legs. Brad: Yep, because what will happen is that the gap changes and you get some pinching on the nerve and you get some sciatic symptoms with it. Bob: You could also get pinching on the main spinal cord. Brad: Yeah. I don’t know if that’s quite as common, but sciatica is more common. If you have this, you should see someone. We’ve got great videos on it. There are some specific exercises you can do to help curb this. Mine has stabilized over a few years. I’m back to running. I ski. I do a number of things. But I’m careful, relatively. So, that’s spondylolisthesis. There is such a thing as retro-spondy, where the vertebrae actually move in the opposite direction. It’s not near as common but people do ask for that. We do have a video on it. Bob: But it actually, the symptoms are the same, going back, is going to hurt? Brad: No, I think you flex forward on that one. I’d have to look at my video, but I did do research on that, and the videos are out. I didn't refresh my memory though. Typically, I do want to mention if you’re younger and you have this like gymnasts often have it when they land, or you jump off a higher level like off a back of a pickup truck and you land with your back arched that you can spur this on. Mine I think started either in wrestling with a really silly move that I hope they outlawed by now or made it illegal. Bob: You getting pinned? Brad: No, no, if I show you, you will not believe they allowed that move where you arch back. Anyways, knee boarding is where I really arched it hard. Where you jump the wake, and your knees are strapped down anyways. Bob: It sounds like waterboarding. Brad: Yeah, it’s a little different than that but it definitely hurt. Anyways, if you’re younger, usually 4-6 weeks of serious therapy and exercises and you should be ready to go back to the event. Bob: Really kind of showing you what you can do and what you can’t. Also, how to manage things when things go bad. Brad: Exactly. So, the next one’s spondylitis. So, 'spondy' means spine, and 'itis' means inflammation. So, it's simply an inflammation of the spine. This often time occurs around the facet joints where arthritis can set in and cause inflammation. There are other reasons for inflammation; there are up to eight forms of spondylitis. So, if you have this, you need to talk to your doctor and get details. Bob: The most common is ankylosing spondylitis. In that case, it’s the entire spine that gets affected. It gets a bamboo appearance. If you look at the spine, especially from the front view, it looks like bamboo. Brad: I think part of that is because there’s degeneration of the disc and then the bones start to fuse together. They get very rigid and stiff. So activity and gentle stretching, pretty much on all of these, is important. You just need to know which direction to stretch and which direction not to stretch. Bob: What I remember about ankylosing spondylitis it would affect the shoulders and the hips too. Brad: Sure, it’s one of those things that may be a little systemic. Again, refer to your doctor on that and make sure you understand it. Spondylosis. This is probably the vaguest term because 'spondy,' spine, and 'osis' just means a lesion or a pathology of the spine. Typically, it’s a degenerative spine disorder. It gets worse with age. It’s like getting gray hair. You might get this diagnosis and it’s because you have a spine that’s degenerating, but it’s not unusual. Bob: It’s like arthritis really. It’s just degenerating and not being what it was. Brad: Right. For example, in the United States, 3 million people are diagnosed with this every year and they’re living a life relatively normally. They probably have some pain, and they are taking some over-the-counter meds oftentimes. It can get worse. It can get to the point at the serious end, where the spinal cord goes in and is actually getting compressed and causing some problems. You’ll know about that. Your doctor will definitely talk to you about that and approach that accordingly. Bob: A friend who had the cervical spine and they called it cervical stenosis and he was getting symptoms out into his legs. Brad: It’s not a common one like you said, but it can be so be aware. Keep in close touch with your doctor if you have that. So, you can clear that out and they’ll let you know. So, there you go, we have the four spondys. They are a mouthful. Good luck with your back and we hope that everything goes well. 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 Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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 August of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs7XRdHEMrQ Bob: Hi folks. I’m joined today by Jordan Tredinnick, a nutrition expert. Jordan: Sure, we’ll go with that. Bob: She’s got a master’s degree in nutrition so I think we can call her an expert. Today we are going to talk about five of the worst diet recommendations, correct? So why don’t we get started? Let’s start off with number one. Jordan: Alright. Number one cleanses and detoxes. Let’s give our little take on those. Bob: I don’t know anything about it. Jordan: Oh, ok, I’ll just kind of talk about it. I’m not a big cleanse and detox promoter for several reasons. There are so many out there on the market and I wouldn’t even know where to begin, honestly to give you examples of some of the cleanses and detoxes out there that you can purchase, that you can do, juice cleanses, etc. Bob: Is the idea that you're kind of sticking with one food for a while or what? Jordan: Some of them and some of them are just taking out meals in your day and replacing it with some sort of drink, pre-made drink. Bob: Really? Jordan: Yeah. Or like a celery juice cleanse. Bob: It sounds scammy. Jordan: It is. The best way I can tell somebody to cleanse honestly is the same conversation I have all the time with nutrition. Just get rid of the processed foods, and increase the number of vegetables in a day and that works as an amazing cleanse. Also, we all have livers. We are born with them, and the purpose of our liver is to detox our bodies. Bob: So, you’re saying watch what you drink or what? Jordan: Well, I mean, yeah but the point is we don’t really need extra whatever, the liver is doing its job already. Bob: Just don’t put it to too much work. Jordan: Correct. So, we’ll just keep that one simple. There’s not one that I would sit and recommend to people. Bob: Alright, next one. Exercise will help offset your poor diet so a lot of people believe that "I’m going to work out a lot so I can eat whatever I want." That is a big mistake. Jordan: I work in the nutrition industry, but I also work in the fitness industry. I have within the last 10 plus years. I have seen it many many many times where someone goes “gung-ho,” starts an exercise program, they’re in there every single day busting butt and nothing’s happening. They’re staying the same. That’s because they’re not changing their diet. Personally, if I were to put a percentage on it, I would say like 80-90% of your results are going to come from what you do in your kitchen. Not in the gym. Bob: I say this all the time, Brad and I do. The best exercise you could do is push yourself away from the table. Jordan: I love that. Bob: It really has way more of an effect and sometimes working out a lot makes you hungrier and you eat more. It’s a tough one to swallow but it’s good advice. Next one, the fewer the calories, the better. If I’m trying to lose weight, right? Jordan: Restrict, restrict, restrict. That’s the society we live in. We live in a diet culture mentality society. I don’t agree with it. Bob: We’re supposed to suffer from a diet. Jordan: Right. I actually probably like crazy as it might sound, especially females, and I don’t know why that is, females versus males but just in my personal observation, I see an issue of undereating more than I do overeating and causing someone to not lose weight, to be quite honest with you. We could do a whole video on that and causing your body to go into starvation mode and all that kind of stuff. But the diet mentality of less, less, less, back down, back down, back down, is not always the best way to go. My big motto is focusing on nutrient density and quality nutrients versus take out, take out, take out. Bob: Well, it’s kind of a lifestyle too. It’s like, I’m going to go on a diet for the next 6 months or next 2 weeks and instead it should be what am I going to do for the rest of my life. Eat right and eat as much as I want to be able to eat but just the right foods. Jordan: Correct. Bob: Alright, next one. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I hear this constantly. I still hear it from so many people. Jordan: I don’t know what your view is on it, but I’ve done a little digging into like where that actually came from. It’s really interesting. I encourage you guys to dig into it, but breakfast cereal manufacturers back in the day actually came up with this! Bob: Yeah, I saw the same thing. Makes sense to me. Jordan: There’s nothing in our human biology that says we need to wake up and go to the kitchen right away and eat. My first advice to clients is your first meal of the day should be when you’re hungry. Bob: If you don’t feel hungry until 11, then sure, eat then. Then you are somewhat fasting. Which I don’t think you’re against, correct? Jordan: I am not against intermittent fasting, not at all. Bob: We might have to do a program on that. Jordan: No, there’s some very good research on this. Bob: Next one, I’ve seen funny videos on this. Throw out the egg yolks. If you’ve ever seen that video on YouTube or Facebook where eggs were in, eggs were out, eggs were in, eggs were out. A guy came back from the future and eggs were out. Jordan: Yeah, that’s one of those back-and-forth things. That's one of the most controversial things in nutrition. I’ve never thrown the egg yolks out, to be quite honest with you. From a nutritional standpoint, that’s what I’m going to speak from, that’s literally where all of the nutrients are. Nature does that on purpose. There’s little to nothing in the egg white, a little bit of protein. Bob: I have actually done that before, where I did at one point take the egg yolks out and I ate the egg whites. I was so hungry. Jordan: Yes, yes. Bob: Where the whole egg really satisfies me. Jordan: The big reason for that there’s tons of healthy fat in the egg yolk. You’re just a lot of likes, it’s super nutrient-dense. We could probably live off eggs alone. Bob: I did my own experiment here and a little bit based on your recommendations. You said it was okay if I eat eggs every day. So, I ate three eggs a day. I just had my cholesterol measured. Perfect. No problem at all and I’ve been doing it for six months. I don’t know what else it could be doing to me, but my cholesterol is fine. Jordan: There are plenty of other testimonials or examples of other people doing the exact same thing. I think it’s more so if you’re eating egg whites along with a ton of refined grains and sugar where we could maybe have a conversation. If you’re eating a good clean diet and eggs are the only thing in there, that’s fine. Bob: Yeah, that was the only thing I changed so for an experiment of one, eggs were fine for me. The next one, red meat is bad. Jordan: I think we are going to ruffle some feathers on this one. Bob: Yep, we are going to upset some people. Jordan: I feel like every time, this is kind of like the eggs are in, eggs are out, kind of thing. There’s always some new headline about how red meat is going to cause heart disease. You’re going to get cancer from it. You’re going to get diabetes. It’s linked to all sorts of stuff. In big news articles, you’ll find it all over the internet. I haven’t seen anything recently, which means it’ll probably be something that comes up soon. A new documentary made on it, all sorts of stuff. One thing I found while looking into research with this is, that nutrition research is hard in general but studies don’t isolate like you can’t isolate red meat consumption alone. They’re looking at people who eat red meat having a higher risk of these, but what else are these people who are eating red meat doing in these studies? Are they smoking cigarettes? Are they drinking beer? What are they eating with their red meat? Bob: The thing I’ve seen in the studies is their red meat was not sourced. They were taking the beef with antibiotics or whatever, so in that case, you should not eat red meat. I don’t think you should eat chicken, with chickens that are injected with antibiotics. I think you’re going to pick up some weird stuff. Jordan: For sure. Unfortunately, that’s just not talked about. Like red meat is all lumped into one category and you can’t compare red meat from a factory farm to red meat that’s raised locally that’s not injected. Bob: Nobody’s done any studies on that. Jordan: So, it’s not bad, as long as you choose the right, good quality and know where it’s coming from. Bob: And I think there’s probably moderation like with most things too. We’re going to give you a bonus one here. You shouldn’t use vegetable oils for cooking. Jordan: Back in the whole era of saturated fat causing heart disease, that whole thing, we started to adapt polyunsaturated oils like soybean, canola, corn, vegetable oils, anything like that for cooking and ditching any of those saturated fats, like butter, and all that. My problem with those oils, first of all is they’re incredibly highly processed. I remember one thing I did get out of grad school. Some of it was garbage and some of it was really good information. They actually extract all those oils using a chemical extraction. I don’t know if you’ve heard that before. Bob: I have not, no. Jordan: So, leaving chemicals as a major by-product in those oils. Also, those oils are filled with really high concentrations of omega-six fatty acids which promotes inflammation in the body. Most of us, I think we can all agree, we want to promote a state of less inflammation in the body. Bob: That’s a big one right now. I think we’re seeing lots of the consequences of high inflammation in the body, arthritis. Who knows what diseases it’s contributing to? Jordan: That’s one of the culprits because unfortunately, all of those oils that I mentioned if you take anything out of a package, most of them if you flip over the package and read it, it’s going to have one of those kinds of oils in it. Bob: So, again, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil and you recommend? Jordan: I recommend olive oil, avocado oil, and I use coconut oil. Bob: I went with the avocado oil upon your recommendation, and we actually even spray it on stuff sometimes. It gives you a little more flavor. So, doesn’t avocado oil burn better or something like that? Jordan: Olive oil can tolerate very low heat, or I use it more for like salad dressing, things like that. To roast vegetables at 400 degrees in the oven, olive oil is not that good. Bob: That’s why we went to avocado oil. Jordan: Yeah, avocado or coconut oil can withstand heat. Bob: We could spend probably a couple of days on this topic, but we are just touching the surface. Maybe we’ll visit this again. We’d love to see your comments below. See what you guys think. We always like to hear from you. If you want a topic that you would like us to go over as far as diet or nutrition or as far as fitness, let us know. Thanks for watching! Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble, and 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 Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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.

To get up from the floor or to get to the floor, one must be able to perform a proper lunge. Getting down to the Floor 1. To perform a lunge, step forward with one leg and have the opposite knee dip down to the floor. 2. You may want to have a pillow to cushion the knee. 3. Your back is kept in the locked-in position the entire time. 4. Lower your remaining knee to the floor. 5. Take your hands and slide them down your thighs while keeping your back in locked-in position. 6. Place both hands on the floor so that you are now on all fours. 7. Extend one leg back while placing the hand of the same side forward. 8. Lower your pelvis to the floor, followed by your ribcage. 9. Roll on to your back using the log roll method. Your hips, pelvis, and ribcage should all be one unit. Getting up from the Floor 1. Place one foot on the floor with your knee bent. Roll on to your straight leg using the log roll method. Your hips, pelvis, and ribcage should all be one unit. 2. From your side, keep your back in the locked-in position. Next, raise up on to the elbow that is closest to the floor. Use your upper arm to push yourself up on to the elbow closest to the floor. 3. Roll over and move on to the all fours position. 4. Keep your back straight and walk your hands back to your thighs. 5. Slide your hands up your thighs until your back and pelvis are completely upright. 6. Raise one leg and place yourself in the lunge position. 7. If need be, place both hands on the kneeling leg and push up to a standing position while keeping your back in the locked-in position. Check out the full Sciatica series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website. DISCLAIMER We insist that you see a physician before starting this video series. Furthermore, this video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may however serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about back-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. 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 March of 2022. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7bXV43L5X8 Bob: So we're going to talk about the mistakes that we see people make after a total knee replacement. Brad, you and I have probably seen maybe thousands of patients. Brad: Oh, yeah, for sure. Thousands. They are usually pretty fun to work with. Bob: Yes, they are. Let's jump right into it, Brad. So number one they don't have a home plan for after the operation. So like they get home and they suddenly realize, " I don't have any food. I can't go out and drive and get some food. I can't make it up the stairs." They don't have rails. Brad: They don't put the little grab handles that you can put on easily beforehand, makes a big difference just getting in the house. Bob: How are you going to shower? You know, lots of things. And you may even need to go to a nursing home for a while. I mean maybe if you're that dependent. Brad: Actually, we have a video of a woman, she was young at the time. She went to a nursing home. She had both knees done. She owned a restaurant. She went back and was completely active with going up and downstairs, carrying things, et cetera. Bob: Brad, we're eventually going to have a checklist here of things you should think about before you go home. So we'll actually have a PDF. Brad: Oh, there's going to be a printout. And for free, you can print it out and have a list of things you should do. Bob: Go to bobandbrad.com and go to the program section and look for knee replacement. Brad: Right. And if you do this quickly and it's not there it's because we haven't had time to upload it. We are definitely working on it. Bob: All right. Number two. They're not taking enough pain meds. Everybody's worried about becoming dependent on narcotics. Right? Brad: Which is understandable. Bob: Yeah, that's understandable, but this is a painful surgery. They're going in there and they're hammering and they're cutting in there. Brad: Bob! You don't have to go into detail, they're not going to be awake for that. Bob: So, anyway, you've got to take the narcotics and the problem is, Brad if you wait too long like let's say you go, "oh, I'm going to see how I do without them." Then it gets really bad and you can't catch up. Brad: So yeah, just do what the doctor prescribes. They'll make adjustments. You can report back to them, they're very well in tune and they do not want to over-medicate you as well. You'll be fine. Bob: They know when to take you off and just depend on them. All right. Number three. I see this one way too off Brad. Doing too much too soon. That's your middle name. They progress to a cane too quickly or they progress to no cane too quickly. And all of a sudden they find out their range of motion in their knee gets worse and the pain of the knee gets worse. Brad: Yeah. You really need to take a step by step. You usually have a thing therapist that you're working with and follow their instructions. They'll help you out. Bob: My mother-in-law was a, a good example of this. She was doing great and she started using the cane, and she went downhill. Brad: She didn't fall though? Bob: No, she didn't fall. Brad: Good. Bob: All right. Number four. I don't know if you tell patients this, Brad but they listened to other people too much. Brad: Oh yeah, yes. Bob: Like other patients. They go, "oh my knee was going so much better at this point already." Or maybe it was worse at this point. But the thing is they have a very poor memory and it quite often is not what they thought. Or if you have two knees done you're going to find one goes way easier than the other. Brad: Typically. Yeah. Bob: It's hard to predict. Brad: As a matter of fact, Bob, I would go so far as if I had two people, two patients with a total knee replacement and one was doing really well, and the other one was not and was having some problems and maybe a week or two behind, which is no big deal, I would never schedule them at the same time. Bob: Deflate them. Brad: Yeah. The one who wasn't doing so well would say, "why am I not walking with a cane?" And so you really, it's a lot of psychological. Bob: Yes. Yeah. Brad: Us therapists are psychologists sometimes. Bob: It's psychological warfare. Brad: Whatever. There's a lot of positive attitude that needs to be approached. Bob: All right. Number five. This is my opinion. I don't know if you agree with Brad but you are given a whole bunch of exercises to do after knee replacement. But there are two that I think are really important, the ones that you should focus on. And that is, you want to bend the knee as far as you can. And you want to straighten the knee as far as you can. The strength will eventually come. Brad: Right! Range of motion and that's why then the therapists are measuring it every time we come in. Bob: It's a race against scar tissue. So one thing that we have found, Brad, do a little self-promotion now, we have found the knee glide that we created to help with the bending and the straightening really helps it along. I've had people that were stuck and actually got along further, Brad I want you to demonstrate how you can do assisted flexion with the knee glide. Brad: Right. I do want to say that therapists will probably have you, what they call, wax the floor. You must have a sock on, you need a shiny floor and then you're going to go back and forth like this. Brad: It works fine. And you know, we've been we did that for 15 years and we decided, boy something would be helpful. So, this works really nicely. Now you can assist like this to bend it more. And then to straighten it you could bring it out and I'm going to just push down. And the knee glide really works well because it's comfortable. Brad: And the big benefit is sometimes putting it at an angle like this makes a big difference. A little incline can help you get an extra five degrees without any issues. And once your range of motion gets back and then you can strengthen your hamstrings by angling it the other way and it works quite well for you. Bob: It's a lot more comfortable on your ankle, I think. Brad, I want you to show this really quickly in bed. Because I think it's a huge advantage that you can start exercising your knee in bed before you even have the strength to get out of bed. Brad: Right. So, that first week after surgery, in the first day or two, while you're lying there you can actually get the knee moving like this. Bob: You might put a towel underneath the heel. Brad: Yep. You can. There are a couple of options you can do to get it moving more. Let's say you just don't have the strength, but you know, it's going to bend more. You can take a towel and go under the knee and that may help, but it's even better yet if you can get a belt or a strap or a gate belt and get it around your foot. You don't have to tie it or anything, just wrap it around there. And now it's just like, rein's on a horse. You're going to just, whoa. Whoa, Bessie. Brad: But no, it really does works well. It gives you a lot more leverage, so you're not working. You can relax. And that's a key with range of motion, learning to relax. Bob: Right. You have to trust yourself. And I mean I find people do better themselves than with me pushing on them. Brad: Yep, exactly. I'd much rather have the patient put the force on the leg because they trust themselves. They don't trust the therapist. Bob: So one of the big advantages of the knee glide is the weight, I mean, I could carry it with one finger. You can carry it from room to room or you can transport it easily. Bob: Right? It's very easy to clean if you use it from one patient to another. We're happy with it because it works and it fits a need that has been out there for years and now it's filled. Bob: So another one is actually if they don't do their prehab exercises. Brad: Ah, yes Bob: I know that's before surgery but if you do your prehab your knees can be ready for the surgery. Plus you know what is coming. Brad: As a matter of fact, the knee glide works excellent for prehab to get your knee, if your knee can be straightened and flexed all the way before surgery the chances of rehab going well is going to be much better. I was going to say there are a lot of hospitals that offer a prehab course. You go maybe an hour or two and typically a therapist teaches it and they'll give you some exercises to do a week or two before the surgery. And they'll talk to you about things you do. You'll get rid of your throw rugs at home. Put grab bars in the bathroom. Bob: A lot of hints that will be helpful. Brad: It's really worth it if they offer it. Make sure you take advantage of it. Bob: All right. Number seven. The final thing that we see quite often is people trying to go back to work too soon. I know for many of you, you can't take that long off. I mean you don't have money coming in but it's good if you could do at least eight weeks. You go back to work too soon and you don't get the result that you want in the knee. It's quite devastating to spend all the time and money to have the knee done and then not get the results you want. Brad: I know I've had people go back to work, I remember one guy in particular, he was a carpenter. So he had to get down on his knees. Bob: Oh geez. Brad: And the doctor said, yes, you can, but you need a knee pad. You need to do it carefully. So we actually practiced getting up and down on the floor. So that he was very well aware and that he would not damage his knee. Bob: So again, at least eight weeks if possible 12 weeks is even better. Take it for what it is worth, our advice. This is after seeing thousands of people. Brad: Yeah. Good luck with your knee and thanks. You're going to say why didn't I do it before? Bob: Yeah. Why did I take so long? All right. Thanks. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble 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 Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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 May of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzuFGcIiKdw&t=157s Bob: So today we're going to show you the most important exercise for seniors to master. Do we mean seniors in school? Sophomores? Juniors? Brad: Bob, Bob, we're talking about people like us. Bob: That's right. Brad: In our wiser years. Bob: Yeah we're uh, slipping down the slope. So, the squat not only strengthens the main muscles of the leg but it's also extremely important in everyday life. You need it to get out of chairs, to get out of bed, to pick up all objects on the floor, it's just essential. Brad: There was a study that was done on, I had read that if there's one exercise that seniors should do to help their balance with walking and get out of chairs, it is the squat. Bob: This is it. This is it. Brad: This is necessary and needed. Bob: So we're going to start off with beginners, you know and when we say beginners, we mean beginners. Brad: If you've been sedentary all your life and you have really done nothing, you don't like to exercise but you realize it's important. Bob: Maybe you're even having trouble getting out of chairs. Brad: That's a great way to do this. Bob: So that's why we're going to start with bridging. Bridging, you can do this in bed, you can wake up and just roll onto your back, and you're going to start putting your feet flat on the bed and you're going to lift your butt up like this. You start and squeeze your butt cheeks together while you're doing this. Now, this is going to start working on the quads a little bit, but also the Gluteus Maximus, and it'll start strengthening those muscles you need for standing up or bending over. Brad: That's right Bob: Now, as you do these, you can do like three sets of 10, again for beginners, if you can do that, do less. Brad: Do what you can to start with. Bob: But eventually, if you want to, you can add some weight to this. Brad: The other thing is if you're starting this, you might find your feet slipping on the bed. That might be something you have to figure out. Bob's got his shoes on, but you don't have to wear your shoes to bed. Bob: You can do it on the floor if you're able to get down to the floor but I assume you can't. So here I'm adding a little bit of weight, and I'm making it a little bit harder on myself here. Brad: Yeah, you don't have to use a kettlebell. Bob: No, you can use any sort of weight. I don't know what would you have, or use around the house, Brad? Brad: Well, Bob, I was just thinking you could use a big, big book. Bob: Oh, uh, maybe. Some people, for some women, their purses probably weigh about 25 pounds. Brad: Now we're going to get in trouble, Bob. Bob: No, it's true! Okay. Next, Brad's going to show how to do a wall slide, versus using a ball. The ball is better, but if you don't want to spend the money on a ball, just do wall slides. You find a slippery surface. Brad: Yeah. A lot of times if you have a good solid door that has a finish on it, they are slippery, or slippery walls. If you have a rough wall, this won't work. Or, you know, with that texture on it, I have some like that at in my house. So, find a smooth wall, door, whatever, get your feet out so they're wide, so they're not touching but they should be shoulder-width wide at least. Make sure you have shoes on that are sticky to the floor. If it's carpet, you could probably maybe use your socks but you should have some shoes on, get back and you just simply slide down and up, baby squats I call them to start out with, and you can go down a little farther as you feel comfortable going back up. You don't want to get this down so far that you can't get back up, it's obviously a bad situation you're going to end up in a bad, dangerous situation. Brad: Now the ball Bob was talking about, If you have an exercise ball, you know if you're a beginner, you probably do not have one of these, but I'll just show you what he's talking about. Bob: There are other things you can do with the ball besides squats. Brad does a lot of different exercises with the balls. You can really do a controlled squat without not bending the knees too far over the front of the foot. Brad: So you can have a chair right in front of you, use that for balance and stability. Bob: You can actually, even if you have some knee pain, quite often you can do shallow squats and you can get away with it, it doesn't make the pain worse. So then, okay, you've done that for a while, you've gotten stronger, now you're going to progress to real squats. Now you can actually start on the corner of a bed, Brad. You can go like this and, especially if the bed's a little bit higher, and you can work on just standing up and sitting down, or, you want to show on a chair, Brad? Brad: So, if you've got a chair, you should have armrests so you can use your arms to help, and if you're having a hard time getting out of the chair you might want to put a pillow down or some kind of cushion, and it's amazing what one inch of elevation can do. Bob: Makes a huge difference. Brad: Yeah it does, it really, really helps a lot. So you might start out pushing up with two hands, and just take your time to go up, again shoot for 10 repetitions. You might start with five and you'll have enough and you may be short of breath. Then make sure you rest, you don't want to do this when you're out of breath, or feeling unsteady. Make sure you are safe. Once you can do 10 with the cushion, then you can get rid of the cushion, and then you're going to find, that you may only be able to do six or seven and then work on those for a few days, again using your arms to help, and you might even get to the point where you can put your hands on your knees and do the 10, that's a little bit next step up, and then the most aggressive is going like this. When you're doing 10 like this you're feeling pretty good about it, you've really accomplished some strengthening. That may take a few weeks from the start of this. Bob: Exactly, and you know the other thing is you can do these throughout the today. I mean you could do, I mean, if you do want to do 10 at a time, do three, every time you get out of the chair. And as you're creating muscle memory and you're teaching them the muscles, the nerves to work together Brad: You could avoid some muscle soreness, too. If you do a max amount, you know, you can be sore the next day, and then you may not want to continue. Bob: I'm going to show why you want to normally have your legs wider apart when you do the squat. It's going to be easier for you to get down deeper. I'm going to show this on the mat. If your legs are close together like this, and as I started to bend down, my back is going to round out real fast, which puts more pressure on it. Bob: But if you keep your legs apart and depending on how your sockets are developed or how you're hip sockets are made on you, most people can go down a lot further and keep their back straight. So, and that's what we had in mind. and that's why we want you to do that. Bob: Brad, do you mind grabbing the Booyah Stik and show how you can do squats with the Booyah Stik? Now, this is for somebody who has progressed along. Brad: Yeah, if you can already get out of the chair very easily, you're confident and you feel balanced you can try this. You don't have to have a Booyah Stik but we can show it very easily with this because of the color. You need a stick/dowel, whatever, four or five feet long. Bob: Yardstick or a broomstick. Brad: Yep. You're going to touch it on your back, you're going to touch your head right there. Bob: Yeah. We want three points of contact. The head, between the shoulder blades, and down on the pelvis. Brad: So this, obviously I'm not touching so I'm going to straighten up until it touches. Now I feel those and I going to maintain that contact as I squat down. I don’t have to go too far, because if I go down and I start losing those three points of contact you've gone too far. So it forces you to have good body mechanics while you squat. Then you don't have to have the stick there all the time. Get that muscle memory so you really feel what it's supposed to feel like to have good body mechanics. Bob: I think sometimes the visualization that you have a stick there helps, it seemed to help my wife like, "oh! That's what I need to do. I need to keep my back straight." So now, you may need to increase the range of motion of your hips, knees, and ankles. One, I am just going to show you a little mobilization that you can do. It's not too complicated, So I thought it would be worthwhile showing here. So I'm going to mobilize the right hip here. So you have to be able to get on the floor to do this, and right now I have the hip lined up right with the knee straight up and down, but what I'm going to do is with the knee of the right angle, I'm actually going to bend over to the side like this and rotate around a little bit, and that's working on the hip socket itself. Bob: Now you wouldn't do this if you've had a hip replacement. I wouldn't even do it if you like had rheumatoid arthritis or anything like that, but if you have a decent hip. You can do it with osteoarthritis. But you're going to actually noodle around here as Kelly Starrett, likes to say. It's like I'm trying to push my hip out, out of the socket. Brad: But it shouldn't hurt. If it does hurt, you should not do it. It should just be a stretch. Bob: I do that, and I go back a little bit like this Brad, and I even push my feet out like this, to work on internal and external rotation Brad: So they could use a pillow. Bob: Yup. I use a Pete's choice pad that works really well. Brad: So obviously you need to feel very comfortable getting down to your knees and back up. Bob: Yeah. Your knees have to be good enough to tolerate that. Final thing. You are going to want to make sure you have ankle range of motion. Bob: You wouldn't want to use a pad like this cause it's squishy but if you start doing squats it's a lot easier to do if you're on a board because you can go down a lot deeper than if you take it out of there, I can't go as deep, my ankle's start to come up like this, and they're not as stable. So, you want to make sure your ankles are stretched out really well. Brad's going to show you that against the wall. Brad: So the foot in the back is what I'm stretching. So I want to push my heels towards the floor,, contact with the floor and then lean into the wall, do that with my knees straight, okay, and then with the knee bent. Bob: You get two different muscles there. This is a great one for every senior to do anyway. Brad: It is, even if you're not a senior. Bob: Right. Especially if you do a lot of walking and if you wore high heels at one point in your life like Brad did. Brad: Well, I quit a couple of years ago. Bob: Your calf muscles may have shortened up a little bit. Brad: Right, yep. Bob: So you want to make sure that stretched out, so. Brad: I think they call them pumps, don't they? Bob: I don't know... Brad: Whatever. Bob: Remember Brad, I can fix just about anything Brad: Except for... Bob: A broken heart. Brad: Yeah. We'll continue to see what happens there. Interested in learning about the products mentioned in today's video: 1) Booyah Stik: https://store.bobandbrad.com 2) Pete's Choice Foam Balance Pad: https://amzn.to/3bMg9lR Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble 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 Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull-Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Wellness: Bob and Brad Blood Pressure Monitor 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 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.

1. Squat- Keep the following in mind when lifting with the squat technique. Your back should be in the locked-in position. Use a Booyah Stik or broom handle and use it to line up your spine correctly. Recall that you should have 3 points of contact: your head, mid back, and pelvis. Using the squat method, you should think of your spine as being in a cast. All movement occurs in the hips. Movement in the hips is referred to as hip hinging (bending like a hinge). Your legs should be spread out as wide as you can and still be comfortable. With your legs wide, you will be able to reach closer to the floor. You can practice squats with a broom handle or Booyah Stik. 2. Lunge- It is easier to get close to the ground using the lunge method. Place one foot forward of the other. Dip the knee of your leg that is in the rear position. If a steady object is nearby, use it to hold on to and dip your knee to the floor. Once your knee is on the floor, grab the object with the spine in the locked in position. Raise your body up. 3. Golfer’s Lift- The golfer’s lift is generally used to pick up a light object (such as a golf ball). Place one foot in front of the other and take weight on that leg. Bend forward with your spine in the locked-in position and your rear leg raising up in alignment with your spine. If is very helpful to have something to hold on to, with one arm to balance yourself. In golf, one would use the putter for this. 4. Saw Lift- The saw lift only works if you can pick up the object with one hand AND you have a steady object nearby to brace yourself. Bend forward from the waist and keep your back in the locked-in position. Legs should be spread apart comfortably. Use one arm to lift the object and use the other arm to brace yourself using the other object. Act as though you are leaning forward and sawing with the pick-up arm. 5. Leg Straight- There are times in life when you can’t bend your knees (for example, reaching into a bin). In this case, lean forward with your back in the locked-in position. All movement should occur from the hips. 6. Elbow on knees- There are two times this technique comes into play. One is when using a shovel and the other is when lifting a light object from the floor. When using a shovel, squat down with your legs wide apart and your back in the locked-in position. Brace the elbow of your rear arm on the thigh of your leg closest to it. You can leverage the shovel with your rear arm in that position. Stand and throw the snow. Use the same technique to pick an object off the floor. Squat down with your legs wide apart and your spine in the lock-in position. Place both elbows on your thighs, thus taking some weight off your spine. Use one arm to pick up the object and return to a standing position. 7. High Lift- This technique is used when lifting an object off a raised surface such as a bed, chair, or table. Because the surface is raised, most people forget to use proper technique. People often bend forward with their spine in a slouched or bent position. The same technique as the squat, saw lift, or leg straight should be used. Your spine MUST be in the locked-in position. Check out the full Sciatica series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website. DISCLAIMER We insist that you see a physician before starting this video series. Furthermore, this video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may however serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about back-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. 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 May of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e61vRHO1J4Y&t=302s Bob: Having trouble sleeping, Brad? Brad: Well Bob, I've been working on it and getting some wonderful success. Bob: All right, well, that's what we're going to talk about today, sleep hygiene. How to train your mind to fall asleep fast and all night, so basically, stay asleep. Brad: That's right, we got seven suggestions or options and you're going to want to go through all of them, and, a bonus! Bob: And yes, you do want to go through all of them because actually, number six and seven, I’ve never heard of. And, I've read a lot on sleep. Brad: And, that's why I wanted to get this video out there. So, people are aware of it. Bob: Where'd you get this information from Brad? Brad: Oh, good point! I was reading this book, it's called, "Sleep Smarter". This is by Shawn Stevenson. As a matter of fact, I read his book on diet. Actually, not diet, but nutrition. I like his style. I like his background. He's got a really interesting background of completely failed health problems because of his diet, and, he turned himself around. And now, he's very educated, he works with this, that's what he does. He speaks publicly to companies as well as to other areas and other arenas. He's a nice guy and I like his writing. So, this is just a part of this book. When I read this part, I thought, "Man, I gotta share this" Because there are a number of things in there that we've talked about already on our program. Bob: Like I said, I've read a lot. Like, I read "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker. And, that's a very good book too. But, this one mentioned two things that he did not, which I think are very interesting. I'm going to incorporate them. Brad: The whole book is full of little tidbits and solutions about how to sleep better. And, not only that, but he has science between all of them. He has a whole few, three, or four pages in the back of references. Okay, let's get on with the program. Now, think about where you sleep. A lot of people, most people sleep in their bedroom, right? Bob: Mm-hmm. Brad: Now, keep that in mind. Now, if you go to get a massage, typically you want to get really relaxed, right? Bob: Right. Brad: So, you go into the room and the room is painted. Bob: With warm colors. Brad: Warm colors. The decor, everything is very peaceful and calm. Bob: Right. Brad: Maybe some music in the background. Bob: Exactly. Brad: The temperature is right. You lay down and you just feel wonderful. Bob: You're setting the mood. Brad: Yeah, you're setting the mood and oftentimes people feel like they could come out and fall asleep after that. So, the whole idea of that is your bedroom needs to be in the same setting. Bob: Exactly. Brad: Okay. So, these seven, he calls them rules. I don't know if rules are exactly the word, but options or suggestions are really, I think a good way to set up your room for that area. When you walk in there, your mind knows this is a place to sleep, subconsciously. And it's going to work. Bob: And yeah, you want to have the habit that your mind kicks into this sleep mode every time it goes into that room. Brad: It's just like children. When you have a child, an infant, they eventually learn that when they go to the bedroom at night, the door closes, the lights are out, they learn. They might cry a little bit, but eventually, they go to sleep. Bob: And, they've got to learn that when they cry, nobody's going to come. Brad: Right, yep. And, they'll fall asleep. Bob: They have to self-soothe. Brad: Yeah, we've got a two two-year-old granddaughter and we know she cries for about 30 seconds and she's out. Bob: Oh, she is. Brad: Very consistently. It works very well. So, as adults, we need to do the same thing. That number one thing. Bob: Cry for 30 seconds? That would be me. Brad: Whatever it takes Bob. Bob: Yeah. Brad: Your wife, we have to give her credit Bob: There are issues. Brad: The first one, the bedroom is only for two things. Number one is sleeping. Bob: This is a family show, Brad. Brad: That's exactly my point Bob. And, number two is for making families. We all know it's for that relationship building. Exactly. So, we have to get that in our mind. That's the number one rule. The next one, this can be real tough for a lot of people. No cell phones, no laptops, no TVs are going to be in the bedroom. Not only do they keep your mind active about other things that may get you ruminating and- Bob: They put out blue light. Brad: And, the blue light. It's a two-fold issue. Bob: That blue light is working to keep you awake. It's telling your body it's supposed to be awake, that there's sunlight coming out. Brad: And, it's got to do with the melatonin. Bob: Melatonin, I believe. Brad: Yeah. We don't have to get into that chemical part of it. Bob: Brad, I'm going to add one right now that has nothing to do with the room at all. And this was, I know he's mentioned it and I know it was mentioned in the other book. They said the number one thing to help you is stay consistent with your time. Brad: Yep. Bob: Like, if you go to bed at 10:00 during the week, you should really try to get fairly close to that in the weekend too. And, I know that's hard, especially when you're younger and partying. Brad: I was never that way Bob. And, you know that. Bob: Yeah. (laughs) Brad: No, I can relate. Bob: So really, if your sleep is important to you, you've got to try to keep that consistency. Brad: Right. Okay, so again, it's only for two things, sleeping and for making families. No cell phones, no laptops, TVs. Don't do any type of work. Bob: Right. Brad: Anything that's going to get your mind active, that's going to not allow you to sleep. Bob: It's funny, we were just talking about this with Linda's nephew. He was working right 'til he went to sleep and he had so much trouble sleeping. And, that was the same with me, if I'm doing work too late and don't have enough wind downtime you don't sleep well Brad: So, wind down appropriately an hour or so before you go to bed. Bob: At least an hour. Brad: Yep. Okay, the next one we're going to talk about air quality. Air temperature, we've talked about the 62 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people may vary, but you'll know when it's too warm. That's typically the biggest problem. Bob: Oh, absolutely. It's so big of an issue with us at our house. Like, it's been cool out lately and we've had the windows open. Oh my god! I sleep so well. Brad: That was the next thing, open the windows. If it's appropriate if it's not 20 below obviously or you've got a lot of traffic noise or whatever right outside that irritates you. Bob: Well, unfortunately at 4:30 in the morning I have to close the windows because the birds are starting then. And, they're just loud as heck! Brad: It's a beautiful thing, isn't it? I love the birds. But yeah, they can be a problem. The next thing is, well, for air quality, this is what we use in the wintertime. A humidifier. It's not very expensive. I'll put some water in there and let it blow out some humidity. Eliminates the dry mouth and the nose and that kind of thing. Bob: I actually got a bloody nose this year again. From dry air. Brad: Not good, I'm glad your wife didn't hit you. Bob: Maybe she did? Brad: This is another thing. If you've got allergies and stuff. Get an air purifier. Bob: You're just going to breathe better. Brad: We use one just occasionally, those times a year. And, so, there are all different kinds. We're not going to suggest what kind, but do some homework. Bob: Yeah, there's a lot of them. Brad: So, some people may not need that, may not need this. Another thing that works well for us is we use a little fan. And, you just that baby on. It gives you that white noise, but also just some air movement. Bob: We've always, we've used this for 20 years. Brad: Yeah, it's nothing new. Bob: We have, you know, when we go to a hotel, we make sure we use their fan or we'll bring an app along, you know? Brad: Oh yeah, right on your phone. That's a nice thing. But, my wife likes that air blowing right across. Bob: Yep, so does my wife. Brad: I don't. Bob: I don't either. (laughs) Brad: I just like to hear it, you know? I can blow it on the wall. Bob: Exactly, but she's got it blowing right on her. Brad: That's interesting. Bob: Yeah, that is interesting. Brad: I don't know if that's a female thing or what. But anyway, that's another story. Let's go to the next thing Bob. Bob: This is a new one to me. Brad: This is where the plant comes in. What happens is with this particular plant, a few things about it are unique. It doesn't take much to keep it alive. It doesn't need a lot of light, so you can keep it in your room. And, it doesn't need much water, so you don't have to have a green thumb or a green finger. But, the unique thing about this plant is in the evening, throughout the night is when it produces the most oxygen and it absorbs the most carbon dioxide. Bob: Fun! Brad: So, you're actually freshening your air with the plant. And, it's not the only plant that does this, by the way. Bob: This is the snake plant. Brad: Right and I don't know, I guess it looks like a snake. Bob: I remembered this from Botany Brad: Oh really? Bob: That is a snake plant. Brad: I don't know; I guess that looks like a snake to me for some reason. That’s what we have at my house. Bob: I'm going to get one now. Brad: There are some other plants. Let me see, there's the Jasmine plant. Bob: I don't know what that is. Brad: Well, I think it's a viney thing. Bob: Doesn't that smell? Like Jasmine, isn't it a smell? Brad: I did read on it, but my memory is failing me because I wanted the snake plant. The English Ivy is known for being a natural air filter. Bob: All right. Brad: So anyways. Bob: The English got it figured out. Brad: Yep, I think this is a nice segue into how this can really rejuvenate and put something new and relaxing. When you go into that bedroom, it's quiet, it's dark, you got oxygen being produced by the plant. You have a humidifier, a little background noise. Bob: You didn't talk about the darkness though Brad. Brad: Oh, that's number seven or a bonus, one of the biggest ones as well. I should have put that at the top of the list. Keep your room dark. And, not just kind of dark, but very dark. It should be black. Completely black out everything he suggests. Except for if you need a nightlight. Because, if you have to get up and go to the bathroom, you don't want to stumble. Bob: And, I was doing that. Brad: You were stumbling? Bob: Yeah, that's why we got a nightlight. Brad: Yeah, but there's a solution if you use red light. Use a red nightlight, so that what happens is the light does not affect the melatonin. And, that is going to help maintain that sleepiness and that drowsiness. Bob: Sure. I'm going to do that! I'm going to get a red light. Brad: I think he could just take the bulb and paint it red. I'm just saying, you don't have to. You can go buy one. Bob: I actually have a little string of little bulbs in the vase that my wife came up with. Brad: Oh really? Just go to the hardware store, and buy some red paint. Bob: Yeah, I could, the vase could be red. Brad: Yeah, take some red cellophane or something to wrap around. Anyways, so, get a red light. He even suggests if your clock has LEDs that are white or other than red, they should be red too. So, when you buy a clock, get a red one. Bob: Most of ours are red. I'm guessing that they knew that. Brad: Or, yeah, I don't know, maybe red ones are cheaper. I'm not really sure. One way or another, it's interesting that you, you know, he says to go to that extent. And, there are studies supporting this. All these things. Bob: Yeah, give yourself every advantage. Brad: Right. Bob: I mean; sleep is so important. Brad: So, why not make your bedroom into that sanctuary with all these little pleasantries that are just going to make you feel better about life when you wake up? Because you've slept all night. Now, Tanner just said he slept all night last night for the first time. Was it because of the, did you just get a snake plant? Bob: No, but he's going to. Brad: All right, very good, sleep well and have a good night. Bob: Peace. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd , Rumble, 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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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.

Did you know 80% of Americans suffer from poor posture? [1] These days we have more desk jobs and spend much of the day sitting hunched over at our computers than ever before. This is a health concern already, let alone adding a neurological condition where poor posture is a side effect! After my stroke, I had very little attention from therapy, and I neglected my affected side for years. It has been 12 years since my stroke and since then the effect on my posture is apparent. It is from that disuse of my affected side that inspired my idea for an affected side workout for other survivors. May is stroke awareness month and we should all know the warning signs of a stroke. I was 25 when I had a stroke and didn't even know what a stroke was. I awoke from a coma to find my left hand curled up against my chest, unable to move it. They told me I had suffered a stroke and had been in a car accident. I spent two months in the ICU followed by several months in a nursing home. I finally returned home 11 months later. Learning to walk, talk, and eat was humbling. The 12 years since my stroke has taught me so much. I went through the difficulties. I know the long-term effects from learned limb disuse, however, I was able to reverse the effects. I learned the things to focus on so I could make progress. Above all, I have learned the lifelong commitment needed to be a stroke survivor and not a stroke victim. What is a stroke anyway? Since we are in stroke awareness month, let’s start from the beginning. A stroke occurs when blood supply is blocked off to part of the brain (ischemic), or a blood vessel in the brain ruptures (hemorrhagic). The brain cells die within minutes due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients. There are several warning signs of a stroke. Some include: trouble speaking or understanding words numbness or tingling in the face, arms, or legs weakness or paralysis on one side of the body and problems seeing or walking [2] The faster someone receives medical attention usually means the less severe the side effects a person has. Every minute a stroke is untreated, two million brain cells die [3]. Time is of the essence. The acronym BE FAST is often used to remember the signs to look for: Someone has a stroke in the United States every 40 seconds. Every 4 minutes someone dies from a stroke. A stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States [4]. Side effects of a stroke Side effects tend to differ, depending on the side of the brain the stroke occurred. Some side effects include: weakness and/or paralysis on one side of the body numbness and tingling spasticity of the muscles on the affected side of the body the cognitive process can change, less aware and cognizant of people and surroundings difficulty staying focused or paying attention, the way in which we learn can change poor judgment difficulties swallowing and chewing emotional changes and depression are possible as well as difficulties remembering things A stroke occurring on the left side of the brain affects the right side of the body and vice versa; some of the effects above can be experienced regardless of the side of the brain the stroke occurred on, like memory difficulties, swallowing, paying attention/focus, cognition changes, and emotional changes. Hemiparesis and hemiplegia are probably the most thought of effects of a stroke. They are slightly different. Hemiparesis is a severe or complete loss in strength on one side of the body while hemiplegia is a slight weakness or mild loss in strength. I try not to ever use the word paralyzed because with nerve damage, never say never! With exercise therapy, resiliency, and persistence anything is possible! I have hemiplegia and over the 12 years since my stroke, I noticed a few things. It was some Bob & Brad YouTube videos that first got me to pay attention to my mechanics a bit more and taught me some basic exercises to incorporate into my daily strength sessions. Up until then my experience, or lack of experience and attention on my left arm in the nursing home and afterward in outpatient therapy left me with the impression improvements were not possible. I honestly felt given up on, so I gave up. Stroke survivor turned personal trainer Two years post-stroke I was inspired by some family members to start walking more when visiting them. Honestly, I was surprised by what I could do and how much I was able to work up my endurance. After returning home I kept it up. I was addicted. Thinking back, I remember walking to the nearby gym just to walk some more on the treadmill. The physical activity was releasing the hormones dopamine and serotonin, among others. Dopamine is sometimes called the "feel good" hormone due to it giving you a mood boost. Besides a boost in mood, there are so many benefits we get from exercise. Along with walking, about 4 years post-stroke I started strength training. I began to notice my left (affected) arm getting stronger. I also noticed I was dropping the weights less, and my grip strength steadily increased. My gait also got better. I loved the gains I was seeing. I worked on strengthening my stroke-affected side daily. The depression I was experiencing lessened. It wasn't like it disappeared, but I just had a better mood most of the time. I also began to participate in my own life. Exercise was therapeutic, it became my therapy session, both mentally and physically. Looking back, I feel like I really became my own physical therapist. I tried out different exercises to see what I could do and what helped the most. Exercise gave me focus. It began to give me information that I used to improve the exercises I did on my left side. Exercise was so important to me that I wanted to help others, especially stroke survivors and those with neurological conditions. The activity became such a pivotal moment in my recovery. I had both mental and physical benefits to my exercising. I wanted to share it with everyone. In fact, I became a certified personal trainer with a specialty in exercise therapy and corrective exercise. As I studied the body systems, I was amazed at how perfectly the body was designed to support all the different body systems through checks and balances. Specifically with the musculoskeletal system, if one part of the body is out of alignment it is compensated by the other side, creating a misalignment to make up for it. I was in awe of how perfectly structured our bodies are. Studying this got me to slow down and pay attention to my form. Good form allows us to work the muscles we are intending to work. It was this self-study that first brought me to the Bob and Brad YouTube channel. I first saw the videos they made to help stroke survivors as well as how much emphasis they had on posture. I began to realize how I was sitting every day. I was hunched over, my trunk was leaning inwards, shoulders rolling in. Anything that can be wrong was. Bob and Brad talk about posture a lot. Everyone, not just those that have had a stroke should be aware of their posture. Through my studies and their videos, I realized my posture had really suffered in the last 10+ years since my stroke. In my personal training class, I learned a posture self-check we can all do. Here are the steps: 1. Stand with your back facing the wall. 2. Good standing posture will have the back of the head, the upper back, butt, calves, and heels all in contact with the wall. After doing this self-check, how is your posture? Now you know the things to focus on in your own day to day and exercise regimen. Sitting at a computer or staring at our phones are big reasons for poor posture. A seated posture self-check I do every time I feel a rounding of my back or my shoulders rolling forward, I sit tall. I tighten the core, not so tight it's uncomfortable and you can't breathe, but tuck the butt in a little, causing us to engage the lower abdominals and we will naturally sit taller. I also push my shoulders back a little like you’re pinching a quarter with your shoulder blades and then release. As you relax, just let them fall into a natural position. Sitting tall like this can feel like hard work, and that's because it is! But the more we sit with good posture, the easier it will become. As a trainer with my specializations, I am dedicated to helping stroke survivors stay active post stroke and sharing the information I wish I knew 12 years ago. Improving posture post stroke The goal of core exercises is to strengthen the entire trunk of the body. This includes the front abdominal, lower abs, internal and external obliques, and all the muscles of the upper and lower back. The front supports the back and vice versa. If you find you have poor posture or back pain, a stronger and more supported core can absolutely help this. FOR EXAMPLE: My upper back hunches and my shoulders roll forward. To some degree we are all guilty of this, sitting at a desk all day hunched over a computer or looking down at our phones. To work on these specific areas, I would want to work the chest and upper back, as well as shoulders. If I do my seated posture check, that will naturally involve opening my chest as I sit taller and letting the shoulders rest at neutral. Sitting tall with your shoulders square and chest up, it feels good, right? This is how your body is anatomically happy! You may notice your core getting tired, especially keeping the abs engaged, but it will get easier as you get stronger. You will also notice sitting taller allows you to breathe easier because the lungs can fully expand. With all this focus on my posture, the hunching and rounding forward of my shoulder and upper back that I noticed would always begin with my affected (left) side. Years of disuse and neglect caused me to let the muscles slack in having an upright posture. Bob and Brad's YouTube channel has so many exercises to improve and correct your posture. Correcting my posture is synonymous with strengthening my core, especially the affected side. Our posture begins and ends with having a strong core, and to improve core strength and in turn, posture, I put together a short five exercise affected side workout to strengthen our core. All the exercises are ones that focus on one side of the body at a time. It is a perfect workout for someone who has not had a stroke to do; I recommend doing it 3 times through. It is also perfect for a stroke survivor to do because you can isolate strengthening on one side at a time. For the survivor, I recommend doing 2 rounds on both sides as shown in the video, and a third time by strengthening just the affected side. Because my posture stems from a weaker affected side, doing exercises that isolate the strengthening to one side of the body will help the affected si de get as strong as the unaffected. Doing posture self-checks gives us the awareness to sit tall. Exercising and improving core strength greatly helps us improve our posture. I love the emphasis on posture Bob & Brad have because whether you have had a stroke or not, good posture and core strength can reduce pain felt over time. My social channels to help stroke survivors: I have a YouTube channel, Stroke Strength Support, with videos that are stroke recovery-related. To encourage activity post-stroke, I have exercise videos. I have videos sharing what is currently working for me, I also talk about how to keep a positive mindset in recovery, and how to build the habits that will help in recovery. I am trying to be that person I wish I would have had to talk to after my stroke. I have a Facebook group: The Stroke Sweat Squad. We share our individual journey, the exercises we do, the ones that could help you, and we help you keep a positive mindset which is so important. My blog, Stroke Strength Support, is to spread the information everyone needs to know about a stroke, especially other survivors. There are options out there and I want to share all the information I wish I had 12 years ago so others have an easier recovery than mine is. I also have a separate YouTube channel focused on exercise that is low-impact and would be for anyone, stroke or no stroke at Exercise for Therapy. I love hearing from others and would love to connect with you! Feel free to send me an email with any comments or questions! Please feel free to email me at michelle@strokestrength.support

The following explains how to stand and lean forward, (for example, when you are at the sink, brushing your teeth, or doing the dishes): 1. Your back should be in a locked-in mode with an S-curve. Use the alignment broom handle or BOOYAH Stik to make sure you are doing it correctly. Your back should be stationary and all movement should be coming from your hips. 2. Lean forward while bending at the hips. Use the broomstick (or BOOYAH Stik) to practice keeping your back straight. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly (the back of your head, mid back, and pelvis). 3. Whenever possible, a hand should be placed on the counter to unweight the spine while brushing your teeth. 4. When doing dishes, it is sometimes helpful to open the lower cabinet door and place one-foot underneath sink to get closer to the dishes (and to be more upright). It is also helpful to raise the sink up by using two plastic tubs. Place the first tub upside down in sink and then the second tub upright on top of first tub. 5. If you have pain in your back while leaning forward, try tightening your abdomen at the same time. How do you tell if you are tightening your abdomen? Take a single finger from each hand and poke yourself on each side of your abdomen (belly). Tighten up your abdomen. If done correctly you should be able to feel your abdomen tighten with your fingers. 6. If you still have increased pain in your back with the locked-in position, try adjusting the arch in your low back (more or less). Re-tighten your abdomen and try bending forward again. If it still increases your back pain, try to not bend forward as far. 7. When leaning forward to make the bed, it can be helpful to place one knee on the mattress. It is also helpful to unweight your back by supporting yourself with one arm on the mattress. Check out the full Sciatica series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website. DISCLAIMER We insist that you see a physician before starting this video series. Furthermore, this video series is not designed to replace the treatment of a professional: physician, osteopath, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, or chiropractor. It may however serve as an adjunct. Do not go against the advice of your health care professional. When under the care of a professional make certain that they approve of all that you try. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. Any information given about back-related conditions, treatments, and products is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this publication. Before starting an exercise program, consult a physician. 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.