This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2022. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izf1RVU3fnk. Bob: So, Brad’s going to show us how to buy the perfect massage gun. Brad: Yeah, massage guns are very popular, and for good reason. It's because they work well. There are a lot of them out there and you want to make sure you buy the right one for you. Make sure it’s not too big, not too small and it’s going to last a long time. We’re going to show you all of that. Bob: Brad has a mad scientist version of how he’s going to test the gun. Brad: Not at all, Bob, it’s from my 10 years of working on electric motors, before I got into this. I know how to load test electric motors. I understand them. This is professionally done. What I’d like to talk about first, is we go the extra step. We promote some massage guns, but we know they work well because we like how they look, we like how they work. Bob: The company we work with is reliable and good at quality control. Brad: Right and I didn’t trust them at first so, I made this device to load test the gun which means we’re going to test it under a heavy load and leave it run for a long period of time and find out how it responds. Is it going to last or is it going to fail? Bob: Can you imagine living with this guy? Brad: Yeah, you should see my garage. Anyways, I was an electric motor mechanic, we rewound motors, and rebuilt them in the industrial world. This spring is going to be the load. Bob: This thing is strong. Brad: It’s an aggressive spring. We’re going to use that to load test one of our guns. Bob: That’s putting a lot of load on that gun. The first thing you want to know, you want to look at the Amazon ratings. That’s the greatest thing about Amazon I think they came up with, these ratings are negative and positive. If they have a lot of ratings, a lot of people bought them, and you can be certain that the ratings are correct. We have about 4.8 to 4.9 ratings on our guns because they are good guns to have. Brad: Right now, I have this spring, I’m putting a lot of pressure on it, and now that I can just leave that pressure on it for a while. Bob: Next thing we're going to talk about is amplitude. Now, this is important to a lot of people or travel or head movement. We’re talking about how much the head percusses. So, if you look at this one, you can see that it goes in and out. See the distance that it travels? Brad: The X6 Pro Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head goes 10 millimeters. Bob: Which is pretty good. Brad: Right. Other ones go six millimeters, like the Q2 Mini Massage Gun. The lighter ones, like the Handheld Massager, go about 2 or three, I haven’t measured it inside the specs, but it’s less. We have one coming out that’s going to be 16 millimeters. Bob: It’s going to be a monster. Brad: If you’re a small person or a thin person, you do not want to go that heavy. Bob: Even with the X6 Pro Massage Gun, if you were elderly and you had osteoporosis, I would stick with something like the Handheld Massager. Brad: For us or the average person, six millimeters, somewhere in that range is going to be more than adequate to get into those muscles. Bob: Right. Let’s talk about stall force, Brad. Brad: Stall force means how much pressure can you put on the gun before it stalls. Bob: I’m pushing this as hard as I can. Brad: Now, there are ratings on stall force. We have the Q2 Mini Massage Gun that has a good stall force of 13 kilograms, in other words, 29 pounds. Our bigger one, the X6 Pro Massage Gun, has 20 kilograms, 44 pounds. If you’re in those 30 pounds and you’re an average person or a thin person, you have more than enough stall force. If you’re a big bulky person, heavier, you have more soft tissue, you want to get deep into those muscles, then you want to get into that 40-44 range. I have a feeling our big one is going to be closer to 50. We’ll find out when they give us the specs. Bob: All our massage guns come with at least five different heads. We have the field goal, the bullet, that is air-filled, which is very popular because you can go over bones and it won’t bother you. Brad likes the round one because he comes in from the side instead of going right on the muscle. I showed my daughter Jamie last night how to do that. Air-filled Round Flat Field Goal Bullet Brad: Oh, good. She was grateful. Bob: Well, she wanted to do it on her foot, but it was too much. I said, go on the side. Brad: Yep, get that angle on there. Bob: How about battery life, Brad? Brad: Battery life. All of these will last a minimum of one and a half hours up to three hours. That’s loaded, that’s with you working them. Working them on your muscles. Bob: They work a long time. Brad: If they have free will, they go much longer than that. Bob: They’re lithium batteries, right? Brad: You know, I have to check into that. Bob: Some of them are. Brad: Yeah, they’re good batteries, I’m more concerned about how long they are going to work loaded. Bob: I know that Alex said at one point that we had the same battery that Tesla uses. Brad: Oh, sure. Not Nicola, but the Tesla car. Bob: Yeah. Brad: These are all brushless motors. You should get one that is a brushless DC motor. They last much longer. They’re much more efficient. I’m not even sure if they make brush ones anymore. If it doesn’t say brushless on there, do not get it. Sound level? Bob: It’s important. Brad: It is. Bob: We’ve had some that we were testing that were really loud and irritating. Brad: Yeah, it’s no fun. You can’t watch TV and do this if it’s loud. Bob: That’s what I do, I sit there and watch TV while I’m massaging myself. Brad: So, decibel wise there should be a rating on there for decibels. These are all at 55, which means 55 is good. If you’re getting up higher than that, in your 70, 80, or whatever, look for one that’s quieter. Unless you don’t care about the noise. Most people do. Bob: Appearance-wise? Brad: Appearance is what you like. It’s a personal thing. Color, appearance, all that. Bob: It’s funny the Q2 Mini Massage Gun is the small one, but I really like it because you can grip it well. It’s functional. Some people talk about the big ones are too heavy. Brad: For traveling, the mini is much easier to travel with than the big one. Bob: You can explain to your airport, it’s not a real gun. Brad: It’s a massage gun. Let them do a little massage on the plane. They’ll be grateful, or say "oh, I need to take this away from you, " and they'll be massaging their way away and you'll never see it again. There is one other thing that you really need to be aware of, there is something called the auto-shutdown time. All of them that we sell have a 10-minute timer. If you’re working with it for 10 minutes, it will automatically shut down. Bob: Sometimes I’m massaging myself and I’m watching TV and time gets away from me and suddenly it shuts down, but I hit the button and it starts right up again. Brad: Right. It lets you know that it’s been going that long. As a matter of fact, we just had a shut down on the one in the spring. The other thing is that if you overload these, or the batteries are starting to go low, then it will turn off too. It’ll turn right back on. So, don’t get worried, it’s not a problem with your massage gun. That’s the way they're built. You’ll see on the better guns, they have little holes and that’s for cooling the motor. Don’t cover that up, make sure it stays open. Again, it all depends on if you’re big muscular or a heavy person and you’re chunky, you want to get in deeper, get the bigger gun with the more travel, and the higher stall force. Bob: And Brad and I think you would concur that I’m very proud of the quality of our guns. Brad: Well, I wouldn’t have gone through all the effort to make something to load test it properly, and find out it wasn't good quality. It’s just fun for me when you know you have something you’re proud of. Bob: So again, all our guns come with at least five heads. Brad: This one passed the test. We have the auto shut off and life is good. Keep that in mind. You’re going to buy the right massage gun and of course, look at the warranty. It should have a one-year warranty. Bob: If you buy an inexpensive gun, you’re going to know right away. My nephew bought a gun and he said it was junk. Brad: Did he get a refund? Bob: No. Brad: Ours, if you’re not happy with it, it’s not working, get ahold of us (Email support@bobandbrad.com) and we will get you a new one. Bob: Brad will pay for it, right? Brad: Well, no, you’ll get a new one. That’s a good question but we’ve had almost no problems in a couple of years we’ve been selling them. It’s not an issue because we test them. Be careful and have fun with your massage gun! Bob and Brad Massage Guns ***NEW Bob and Brad now have a massage gun in Walmart stores. Find a store near you or check out Walmart.com*** 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 July of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EETcLXrdT8M Bob: So we're going to talk about five movements you should do every night. I call these movements because they involve stretching and strengthening. So it's very efficient. It's not just stretching; it's not just strengthening. Brad: I think you could qualify it as an exercise, though. Bob: Yeah, that's true, too. But I like "movement". Brad: Yeah, that's nice. Our English major would be happy with that. Bob: Most people need these combos, especially if you sit a lot, Brad. They're going to help that. They're going to help with your posture, which we're so big on. And it's going to help keep your legs stretched out and your back, it is all-encompassing. Brad: Right. And the thing with sitting like you said, so many people are sitting at work now, sitting in the car, sitting at home, watching TV. Bob: Watching TV, watching Netflix. Brad: The hip flexors, and the abdominals, all get tight as a result of that. Bob: Just because they're tight, too, doesn't mean that they're also not weak. And a lot of them are weak and tight. So, I'm going to start with the hip flexor, Brad. Brad: Okay, so this is number one? Bob: Number one, yup. So which foot should I put forward? My best foot? Haha! Okay, I'm stretching the left hip flexor. So now I'm doing the knees-over-toes guy. So I just had him on the podcast. Brad: Oh, so he's a young man that is really kind of changing the whole movement. Bob: And we have other therapists who are promoting this, too. Brad: Sure. Right, right, right. Bob: There's some research that shows it's fine. Now you would not do any of these with pain. Brad: Right, exactly. Bob: Always no pain. So you're actually stretching the knees over the toes. You're really stretching the hip flexor. And this is where you add the strengthening, Brad. Now for me, I'm old., and I'm just starting this, so I'm actually going to hang on to something like this. And this is what I do every morning. Brad: It's like lunges. Bob: Yup, it's like lunges. But I've got the knees over the toes and I'm really fully stretched out. You might even lean forward a bit. Brad: Again, this should not be painful in the joints, though. Bob: No, no. If this knee hurts with this, kaput! Stop! Brad: See I'm not totally sold on knees over toes because I get pain with my knees. I have in the past. Bob: I know. So you would not do this one. Brad: Right. Bob: You would do something else. Brad: But I am going to consider getting into it gently. I always go into things too hard. That's because I'm an ego guy. It's a thing, you know. Bob: That's absolutely true. I will concur. All right, Brad. Do you want to show the next one? You're going to do some type of heel chord stretch and strengthen. You could do these on stairs. Brad: Yeah, here we have a step. You put your foot on the step, and right about your forefoot, just so the ball of your foot is on the step, and then drop down. Get a stretch. Now hopefully you have a handrail. I'm going to use the Booyah Stik, because it's my favorite. Up and then we're going to stretch. So I really like this concept of getting the stretch and working the full range of motion strengthening. How many repetitions, Bob? Bob: We can start off with just ten, see how you do. Brad: Yup, that's what I like. Bob: The thing about that, Brad, is you're actually strengthening the plantar fascia, too. So you're strengthening the bottom of the foot. And so you're going to be less likely to develop plantar fasciitis if you haven't. If you have it already, again, no pain. I don't want pain. I don't like pain. Don't go into the pain cave. Brad: Now also, this is great for balance. As you can see, I'm challenged. So for those of us who have balance issues, or if you're over 50 you will get balance issues. It’s a good bet on that. But I like the incline board. I use these all the time. So that's an option. Bob: Well, you made that one. Brad: Well, yeah, this is one I did make. They sell them all over the place. Bob: Brad is very handy, by the way. So next one. Now, with all these, like the hip flexor stretch, you can use a pillow. Brad: Oh, yes. You do not need a Pete's Choice. Bob: I'm using a Pete's Choice. Now, these are nice. Brad: Yeah, I'd like to meet Pete. Bob: I would too. He seems like a nice guy. So the next one is, again, you could do this with a pillow. And we're doing three different main exercises, but we're stretching the pecs while we're doing this, too. So I'm down, my head's down, you might even have a pillow or a rolled towel under your forehead. But you're going to go, first the field goal. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. And we're going to do ten of them that way. Bob: Then I'm going to go to the cross. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. And we're going to do ten of them that way. Brad: So, you mentioned this but you're stretching the front, the pecs, and you're strengthening these really important postural muscles in the back. Bob: Yup. And then we're doing the reverse "Y". And I go palm down on all these, Brad. I know sometimes they go thumbs-up, and they do them in different ways. But I'm going to just keep it simple. Again, you go to bed, and you’ve got good posture when you're in bed, and that carries through the whole night. Brad: It opens things up, it really helps you breathe, too. Bob: All right, I'm going to do the cat/camel stretch now, Brad. Now, this is one where we're actually probably separating the stretch and the strengthening. So cat/camel is, and again, Brad and I don't know which one is the cat and which one is the camel. Anyway, we're getting good mobility in the back. I'm bringing my head down when I bring my back up. So now, Dr. Stuart McGill, he's a big advocate of this one. And he's the back guru. Brad: Right, right. Bob: I mean; he knows everything about backs. All right, the next one is the pointer dog, Brad. So, very simple. Go opposite arm, opposite leg. Brad: And notice he's keeping his back straight. He doesn't let it arch and sag. So you really have to tighten your abdominal muscles in the front, and then the back. I like this because it works on both sides, the anterior and posterior muscles. Bob: I have a little more trouble on one side, I don't know why. Brad: Plus, you're working balance, and some core, and some things that you really need to stay fit. Bob: Yup, very good. Again, we're going to do sets of ten with all of these. Hold for ten seconds, or count to ten. Which is not really ten seconds. All right. Brad, last one. Hamstring contract/relax. Do you want to do that on the mat? We’re going to use a belt. You do get a nice belt with the Pete’s Choice balance pad, but you can use any belt, or you can use a rolled sheet. Brad: If you have a belt that you can make a loop with that's handy dandy. You know; those stretch straps are much better but you don’t need one. So I'm going to keep the knee straight to isolate the hamstrings. The other leg can go up or down, whatever you're comfortable with. Down will give you a little more hamstring stretch. But I'm going to go up, it feels better on my back. And I'm going to go up and get to the point where you feel a stretch. Now I'm going to push my leg back down to the table, but I'm going to hold it with this hand. Bob: Yup, so he's not allowing it to move at all. Brad: Right. So now I'm doing the contract. Tighten, tighten, tighten. And I'm going to hold that for about five to ten seconds. And then I'm going to relax, completely relax. And go a little bit farther with the stretch and hold. And while you do this, it's really critical that you breathe. In your nose, out your mouth. And as you breathe out, that's when I, personally, think about going up a little farther and allowing that muscle to stretch. Bob: Again, I really like this exercise, because you're also strengthening the hamstring at the same time you're stretching it. And you're strengthening it in a lengthened position, which helps prevent injury. Specifically, eccentric contraction. Brad: Right. Exactly. Bob: It helps prevent, you know, you get those high hamstring tears or those mid hamstring tears. And this'll play a small role in helping that. Brad: Right. I was dealing with that, Bob, in the last year or two. Bob: I remember that. Brad: Yeah. And they seem to be improving because I'm running now with really no hamstring concerns. Bob: No problems. You were just in a triathlon! Brad: I'm still afraid to sprint. You know, flat out sprint, because it's going to go just like that, I'm afraid. Bob: Well, I think you have to work up to it. Brad: Yeah, I know. Bob: And you don't do that. Brad: Well, right. Exactly. It's either on or off, but you know... Do we have another one to do? No that was five. Bob: No that's five. Brad: Most excellent. All right. Be careful with those hamstrings, you know they're going to make it or break it. So be nice to them, and work on everything here. Bob: Oh, speaking of which, Brad. That’s our new saying now, "Let's help each other." We want our community out there, down in the comments below, when somebody makes a comment, help them out if you know something about it. We're all in this together. Life is tough. Brad: And that happens already. It's nice to see someone say, "Oh, do this." Or "Do that." Because we just got so many comments, Bob and I, it's just impossible for us. Bob: Right. We've got the nicest subscribers anywhere. Brad: They are wonderful, it's just a blessing. So be careful and have fun. 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.

The following are quick adjustments to try while standing: 1. Do not allow your body to settle in. Do not lock your knees. With correct posture your chin, chest, and toes should be in the same vertical line. Do not puff out your chest. 2. Unlock your knees. 3. Place one foot slightly ahead of your other foot. 4. The Butterfly Exercise: Lock your hands behind your head and attempt to raise your elbows toward the ceiling as high as possible. Open the wings of the butterfly and spread your elbows apart as far as possible. Level your eyes and tuck your chin in straight back. Put your arms back by your side and hold that position. 5. You can also stand with yours arms locked behind your back to help hold the posture in place. 6. Sometimes it helps to put one foot forward on a step or ledge. We have patients open the lower cabinet door when doing dishes and placing one foot inside the cabinet. 7. Having a walking stick to lean on can take stress off of your back and promote good posture.

When we are diagnosed with a hypermobility syndrome or with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, we are often advised to take up exercise by medical professionals. Exercise is important for various reasons with these conditions: Being hypermobile can make you more vulnerable to musculoskeletal imbalances that cause pain and instability. If we can improve muscle tone and postural tone through exercise, this can help reduce the imbalances in the body. Pain sensitization can be common – the tissues become sensitive to the slightest movement. Can we use exercise to help calm the nervous system and reduce this pain sensitization? Ligaments and joints are loose – making them susceptible to injury. o Gravity can pull them out of alignment o Tights muscles can pull them out of the correct position o Weak and inactive stabilizing muscles can lead to functional instability People with hypermobility often have poor body awareness and lack proprioception (or where their body is in space). This can make us clumsy or injury-prone. It also means we can go to end-of-range movements without being aware of it. This can potentially cause strain and tissue damage leading to pain. Sadly, many people with hypermobility report giving up on exercise because of pain, fatigue, fear of movement, and being given inappropriate exercises. This is all too common and unfortunately can lead to a downward spiral where we move less, but the less we move, the more the pain increases. And the more the pain increases, the more fearful we become of movement. It is a cycle we ideally want to break as soon as possible because movement is medicine for hypermobility. It can be a valuable cornerstone of any hypermobility management plan. But why does it go wrong? EDS patients are not like other patients who go to physical therapy. They don’t tend to ‘get better’ in a 6-week window or so. It’s time the approach changes so that people with this condition are not expected to ‘perform’ and improve to a pre-defined time frame. We have ups and downs. It is rarely a linear pattern of rehab. We have good days and bad days. Some days we can do more. Some days we need to take it very easy. Time is often limited with patients so sessions can be rushed with the emphasis being firmly placed on strengthening those hypermobile joints. But that’s a mistake in many cases. With the body out of alignment due to hypermobility, it is not sensible to dive straight in with strength and resistance work. We will be strengthening the body in incorrect alignment and potentially contributing to the pain and poor movement patterns. Where should we start? In my many years of experience working with the EDS and hypermobile community, I have developed a method called the Integral Movement Method (IMM) which takes into account the specific needs of the hypermobile body. This is outlined in my book Hypermobility Without Tears. I firmly believe that we need to be starting slow and with fundamental practices like Breathing and Relaxation. These will immediately start to help with calming the nervous system and building that important body awareness. This is the part of the method I refer to as Unwind. People with hypermobility often carry muscular tension caused by poor postural habits or repetitive actions in daily life. We can also hold anxiety and stress related to the health condition; this can cause tension which leads to muscle pain. The Unwind section of the IMM is vital to changing this. This is where we start to unwind and let go of muscular and mental nervous tension that may have built up in the body that day (or longer if we have been suffering from stress and pain for some time). It also starts to build the essential proprioception or body awareness so that we can become more conscious of our actions and movements. It can start with awareness - closing the eyes, observing the breath, and switching off the thinking brain. It is time to stop and be aware of the body. It is time to notice the body and whether we can become aware of what I refer to as ‘holding patterns’. Through the process of unwinding, we can immediately start to release the tension from the mind and body that we may not have been aware of during the day. In this process we allow the bones, tissues, and organs to soften and start creating the space that the body and mind crave. It is time to stop fighting and allowing the body to let go a little. The more we can notice the body and its weight resting on the floor, the greater the degree of proprioception. After a sense of awareness and alignment is established, we move on to Proprioception, Stability, Balance, and finally Posture. Proprioception is the kinesthetic sense that enables us to sense the relative position of the parts of our body, our posture, our balance, and movement. Lack of this awareness means that we are often not aware when we have locked our joints, for example. When joints are locked, this action places pressure on the joint and surrounding structures leading to wear and tear and a greater chance of injury. With a locked joint, the muscles no longer have to work to support the body. You are relying on the ligaments to do the job of the muscles. In turn, these muscles become deconditioned and weaker. With deconditioned tissue, pain increases. Working on proprioception can start to introduce light resistance with a soft ball or a TheraBand to help learn motor control. Motor control means we are able to activate the correct muscles and not activate muscles that should not be active. We start to build balance in the body. With an understanding of motor control, Stability will follow. Exercises can become more challenging in a side-lying position, a four-point kneeling position, and standing. It is important, however, that stability does not mean guarding or bracing. We don’t want to brace to stabilize the joints – that would be encouraging muscular tension and holding patterns again. My method promotes fluidity with control and a whole-body approach to stability. Balance is essential for everyday life. The act of walking is itself a balancing act, as we transfer body weight from one foot to another. If we are not comfortable in standing balance work, we may experience fear around walking and mobility. This can clearly impact our daily functionality. So it is an important aspect of any movement program, but it needs to be approached safely and slowly. Avoid jumping onto a wobble board straight away. Start with simple standing awareness with even weight distributed through both feet, left and right and front and back. Build from that solid base – maybe heel raises and standing on one leg whilst holding onto a support. Balance work doesn’t have to be scary. Posture cannot be ‘fixed’ or ‘static’ like a soldier on duty. Posture needs to be dynamic, changeable, and elastic. With a dynamic posture, the body becomes responsive to its environment. It changes with you, with the demands you place upon it. It reacts appropriately to the ground force and gravity. With hypermobility, we have a tendency to let gravity drag us down and we resort to ‘hanging’ into our posture as opposed to making the muscles work effectively. This is the final stage of the method – it brings together everything we have explored so far. Posture cannot be taught – otherwise, it would be fixed and static. Posture needs to be the embodiment of all the learning in the previous stages. Then it can have a lasting impact. You can read more about my method in my two books – Pilates Without Tears and Hypermobility Without Tears. My YouTube channel has a variety of classes to follow the IMM. Please visit www.jeanniedibon.com or www.thezebra.club for more movement practice.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2022. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/qu2rsvLYNvw Bob: Today, we’re going to talk about arch supports, Brad. I’m seeing a lot of commercials on tv lately. Brad: Sure. Bob: They claim, “If you come into our shop, we’ll fit you with an arch support and it will take away your back pain.” I didn’t know if that was true or not. I mean, what do the studies say? So, I did some research. We are going through this one study. It’s actually a study of studies. Brad: Oh, a meta-analysis. Bob: Yes. Brad: How many studies did they group together? Bob: I don’t remember. It’s called “Foot Orthotics for Low Back Pain: The State of Our Understanding and Recommendations for Future Research.” It was by Papuga and Cambron. Brad and I always like meta-analysis because basically, it’s a study of studies. They look through PubMed and EBSCO, Gale, Google Scholar, and clinical trials. Brad: Right, so it’s a broad search of a number of studies and just see how they compare and contrast. Bob: So, unfortunately, Brad, what they found is that none of these were high-quality studies. None of them. Brad: Wow! Bob: So, they cannot recommend using an arch support. On the positive side, they said there were some studies that were in trial right now. Brad: I have heard people say they put arch supports in and their back pain got better. So, either they are making it up or it’s just an individual thing. Bob: You know, you have the placebo effect where that comes into place. Brad: Right. Bob: I think if you’re going to try an arch support, what I would recommend is that you don’t pay for one as far as a custom made one goes. Brad: Yes, they are very expensive. Bob: We did find studies that showed that customer made ones were not really any better than ones that you get off the shelf. Brad: Right, and there will be controversy on that. Bob: I know there will be. Brad: Especially by the people who make them. Bob: Exactly. Do you want to show what an arch support does? Why it might help back pain? Brad: So, these are 2 inserts. You pull out of your shoe and this one is a flat insert. It’s not made to do any arch support. If my foot was inside a shoe with an arch support, it’s flat, there’s no support on my arch with this flat one. There’s an air gap in there. So, this is just a little cushion on your heel and your forefoot. Brad: This is not a true arch support insert though but it will give you an idea to use to demonstrate. You can see how the insert comes up and supports the arch. Now, if you have a true arch support insert, there’s going to be a cushion right in the arch and you’ll feel it. When you walk, you are going to feel that support on the arch. Bob: If you don’t have good arch support, what can happen is the foot collapses in and that could cause the knee to collapse in, which is going to affect the pelvis, which is going to affect the back. Brad: That’s the idea. Bob: It makes sense that it possibly could help and plus, I think an arch support gives you a little bit of cushioning when you walk. Brad: I think they do usually have cushion along with it. Bob: Certainly, they do recommend that a lot. If you work on a hard surface like cement, you can go ahead and put a cushion in your shoe. Brad: Right, so that it takes that impact, and all your joints can be helped that way. I have to admit, I used to put a cushioned arch support in all my running shoes. An over the counter one, but they weren’t the cheap $5 ones. They were a little bit better. Then I changed my whole running style where now I don’t use them at all. I don’t know if we want to get into that. Bob: No, we don’t. We do want to talk about Stuart McGill, who did recommend that walking, simple walking, can help your back pain. It doesn’t need an arch support for that. He wants you to walk three times a day, if you can, after every meal and for up to 15-20 minutes, but most of you couldn't do that to start. Maybe you’re going to start with one time a day. You might even start by marching in place and doing some stairs. Brad: Right. He even advocates, making sure you tighten up your abs, get your core in line so your back feels good and make sure you’re cognizant of that posture while you walk. It’s not just walking without thinking. You have to get your back in tune. Bob: Do not increase your pain. Do it in chunks where it’s not painful. The other thing is you might try walking at a higher speed and at a higher rate. Unfortunately, what they found is that it actually takes some weight off your spine when you walk a little faster. I saw this happen in a lot of patients of mine. The other thing is you want to have good posture. What you might want to do is grab your arms, grab your wrist behind you and pull back. If you’re bent over leaning forward, it’s going to pull you up and put you in a good posture and then you walk forward or, as you’re walking just check out where you’re at. Again, work up to it and you’ll find out that the back has a lot of joints, and this helps kind of lubricate it. It’s kind of like the tinman. Brad: Get some motion in there. We’ve got some natural lubrication. Synovial fluid and every facet joint, each vertebra has two of those. Bob: You get the blood flowing and you’re going to find out your back pain is going to do better if you can walk. It was one of the first things we have patients do. Make sure you are on a walking program. Brad: Right, not up and down hills though, on the flat surface. Bob: So, arch support, maybe you want to try it. Don’t spend a lot of money. It should feel good on the foot. Brad: Right, it should feel good. It should make your back feel good, obviously. Bob: Don’t let people tell you that you have to adjust to it. You know, when you put it in your shoe. It should feel good right away. Brad: Yeah, I’ve had salespeople do that in the shoe store, then I leave. Or get another one. Bob: Alright, 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.

Your back is very vulnerable in the mornings, because the discs in your back have been taking in fluid all night (imbibing). This additional fluid makes the disc more vulnerable to bulging, herniation, etc. When getting up from bed, your back should be in a locked-in position with the Scurve. Use the alignment broom handle to make sure you are doing it correctly. Your back should be stationary, and all movement should be coming from your hips. Legs should be wide apart and feet should be placed underneath you. Lean forward while bending at the hips. Use a broomstick (or BOOYAH Stik) to practice keeping your back straight. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly, which include the back of your head, mid back, and pelvis. If need be, use grab bars (if available) to push up with arms. If you don’t have grab bars, try placing your hands on the end of your thighs (by your knees) to push up. Practice going from sit to stand. When you go from sit to stand your back pain should not increase. If pain does increase, adjust your form. Put more of an arch in your low back or less. Try tightening your abdomen muscles while performing the task (poke your fingers into each side of your abdomen to make sure the muscles are tightened). Practicing Squats: A broomstick or BOOYAH Stik is helpful for alignment. First, squat with the stick in place. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly (back of head, mid back, and pelvis). Assess your knee position. Your knees should be aligned with your feet (not in or not out). Your knees should remain over your feet (half-way between the heel and toes). Do not allow your knees to move ahead of your toes. It is helpful to stretch your overhead arm as far above your head as possible to give a sensation of stretching and straightening the spine. All motion should come from your hips. Bend forward as deep as your hips allow and repeat 5 times. Make sure your glutes (butt muscles) are working and contracting. If you have pain in your back while performing this exercise, try tightening your abdomen at the same time. 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. When doing it correctly you should be able to feel it with your fingers. 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 this still increases your back pain, try to not bend forward as far. It will be easier for you to get up from a raised surface. Avoid soft couches and recliners where you sink in. It is also easier to use a raised toilet seat or a commode with handles (see image). For some people with back pain it is easier for them to straddle the toilet and use it backwards by lowering their butt onto the seat. This technique allows the person to hang on to the tank for support.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2021. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/bvezPgtmpsc. Bob: Pain here? How to fix it in three steps. We’re talking about pain in your butt. Brad: Ah, the ole’ buttocks. Bob: This used to be called piriformis syndrome because there’s a little muscle in your butt called the piriformis. It’s a little muscle, it crosses over the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve goes all the way down your leg and that muscle can cross over the nerve and cause pain all the way down your leg. A lot of people think that it’s sciatica because it acts like sciatica, but you don’t feel any back pain along with it. Brad: Right. They sometimes call it fake sciatica. Bob: Right. Now as progress would have it, over time they have come to think that there may be more than one muscle involved. Brad: I wonder who ‘they’ is. Bob: Yeah, I don’t know. But there are other muscles, the gemelli muscles, obturator internus, and your hamstrings. Brad: These are all little supportive muscles around your hip joint that are critical for supporting, but they can cause problems like this. Bob: Now they call it Deep Gluteal Syndrome. Brad: Ooh. Good choice. Bob: A simple test on how to determine whether or not you have it. You’re going to lie on your side and do a clamshell with the painful side up. Brad: So, you’re sidelined. Bob: I lift the leg and you’re going to have a friend help you or your wife. Brad: I’m going to push the leg and hold resistance. Bob: If that increases the pain or sends symptoms down your leg, it’s a possibility you have it. Brad: Right, it doesn’t mean you have it. But it is a positive sign. Bob: You could also push on the hip and find a spot that’s tender, that’s very common. I always do this next one too. I have people lie down on their back and pull their leg across their bodies. Brad: The knee to the opposite shoulder. Bob: It feels tighter on that side. Brad: So, you compare one to the other and it’s a noticeable difference. I’ve done that one with many patients. Bob: Yup. It seems like it’s consistent on that. The other thing you might have a hard time doing is sitting. You’re sitting on that muscle. In fact, the last person I saw who had this, she was an accountant, and she sat all the time, of course. The pain was worse when sitting. The first thing you’re going to want to do is to decrease the pressure on the area. When you’re sleeping, I would sleep on the other hip. Take the pressure off it. Brad: How about sleeping on your back? Bob: You can sleep on your back, although your kind of hitting it close. Brad: You’ll know. If you’re on it and it’s irritating it and you want to sleep so it’s not irritating it, you might want to put some pillows. Bob: That’s right. So, with sitting, a lot of times if you sacral sit, do you know what that is, Brad? Brad: On your sacrum. So, you’re slouching. Bob: Yeah, you’re slouching. If you sit up straighter, you can maybe keep the pressure off that area. Brad: Once again, posture, posture, posture. Bob: Then, of course, standing. Don’t put all the weight on one side. So, we have found massage to be almost the most effective treatment for this. Brad: You can combine it with the stretching. Bob: Yeah, with the stretching. We’ll do stretches too. I have found you can’t do it with your hand, it just fatigues. Brad: Well, you must get in deep because you’re going through your gluteus maximus and your hand's fatigue rapidly. Bob: Generally, what we do is we start with a wide target around the whole sore area. Then we eventually narrow into the tender spot as you can tolerate it. Now we have a bunch of massage guns that work well. This is a tiny one we have and it’s powerful. This past weekend I had a bunch of friends at our cabin, and these are big guys, some of them. They all loved this. They were all passing it around. T2 Massage Gun Q2 Mini Massage Gun Brad: I have a patient with a hip problem right now and he prefers that just because it’s easier to hold. Especially if you happen to have a hand problem, arthritis in your hands or something of that nature. If you’re a younger person and built, you will want to get the bigger one, the X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head. Bob: If you have a lot of muscle, you want to use that one. Now, you can lie down and put a pillow between your legs and make yourself comfortable and just work that area. You will find the spot. Brad: You’re going to do what’s most comfortable. I’ve done it where if you flex the hip a little bit, it kind of allows you to get into that area better and work it. So, the right leg is completely relaxed right now. I enjoy getting around that SI joint area. It’s always been a problem of mine and that’s very close. You’re going to work what feels good on the piriformis or that part we’re talking about. Like Bob said, you get right over that sore spot it might make you jump. Go around it and work your way into it. It may take a few days before you can do that. Bob: Exactly. Again, I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder, Brad, if that muscle has been torn a little bit and maybe there’s some scar tissue around there. Brad: It’s possible. Bob: It seemed like that was the case with some of my patients. Then you’re going to stretch the muscle too. One way you can tell, Brad, if it’s tight or not, is you externally rotate your legs. If one turns out more than the other. You just sit there and go like that. Now look at mine. Brad: Well, your left toe is going out and the other one not so much. Bob: Yeah, I am a little tight into external rotation, my external rotator is pulling me out a little bit. Brad: Either that or you have tibial torsion. Bob: That’s true. Brad: So, what I meant is you can’t always say that’s it, but you must look at and combine these tests. Bob: What you do to stretch it, there’s a couple of ways. So, for you therapists out there, beyond 60 degrees of flexion, the piriformis is an internal rotator. To stretch it, we’re going to put it into external rotation. So, you do a figure four stretch. You bring your right leg up, I’m stretching the one on the left. I’m going to cross my left ankle over my right knee and I’m going to press down like this. Brad: This should not create any sharp pain. It should just be a stretch, feel like the muscles are stretching the hip joint. Bob: Now, the muscle is also an abductor. I’m going to stretch this way too. I’m just going to pull it over like that. Brad: Lying on your back or seated up. Sometimes I’d pull with the other arm. You could do the pretzel stretch too. Bob: Keep good posture. Brad: There’s a lot of different little things you can figure out as you do it, you’ll know because it’ll be stretching it. What about the seated one? Does this count? Bob: Yeah, because you’re in greater than sixty-degree flexion. That’s probably the easiest one to do is just to go ahead and do it that way. Brad: When you put your shoes and socks on, give them a stretch. Bob: All right, massage and stretch and hopefully it’ll go away. Brad: I have had good luck with this. Bob: I have had too, and it’s always been the massage that has helped these people in my mind. Remember, Brad and I can fix just about anything except for a broken heart. Brad: 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 March of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rw9y_OwnDI Bob: Okay, we're going to talk about five very simple but effective ways that you can knock your knee pain down. Brad: Knock it right down to the floor. Bob: Right. So we're going to start with one of the things is the one muscle that tends to get very weak with knee pain is the quadriceps. So to strengthen, this is very simple, you can do it in your bed. You can just take your pillow. Wake up every morning, take it from your head. Fold it. Put it underneath your knee. Brad: Very good. There you go. Bob: And you're going to push down on the knee and squeeze the knee towards the bed and it's going to activate the quadriceps. Brad: Yep. Think you're squishing that pillow. Bob: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Brad: Isometric, eh? Bob: Yep. And you could do like three sets of 10. Brad: Sure. Start out with one set. It shouldn't hurt your knee. It's a reasonably conservative exercise. Bob: This is something that's not going to make the pain better right away. It's going to take a couple of weeks because the strength has to get there before it does. Brad: Right. Yep. Bob: All right. The next one, Brad, this could help right away. And I know you're going to protest about this, but you should use a cane. Brad: Yeah. Bob: I'd say just try it in your own house, to walk with. Brad: For support. Yes. I knew that. Bob: Right. Brad: So if it's your left knee that hurts, you're going to put the cane in the right hand and just walk and the cane is going to accept some of the weight so the knee does not have to. Bob: I have recommended this for 10,000 years, Brad, and I have found out that of all the things I recommend the first day, this tends to help the most. Brad: Yeah. Bob: And we just had a situation where I went to San Diego with my family, and my daughter, Jamie, was having pain with her knee. so I went and bought her a cane. And she wasn't going to use it. Brad: She wasn't grateful at first. Bob: But, oh, she loved it later. Brad: After she used it? Bob: Yep. Brad: So, you know, make sure the cane's adjusted right. When you stand tall, let your arm hang down. The handle should come up to the crease of the wrist. And they all have adjustments, unless it's a wooden cane then you have to get the saw out. Bob: Right. Brad: Anyways. Yeah, they're a wonderful tool. Again, it's oftentimes temporary. Bob: Yeah. I mean you could just cast it aside when you're done with it. Brad: There you go. Bob: Next one, you want to get the blood flowing in there, you want to get the synovial fluid working, which is kind of nature's oil lubricant. So what you want to do is, every so often when you're sitting in a chair, just bend and straighten the knee. You could do it for a couple of minutes. Brad: I can't tell you how many patients I've had that had knee pain, I would say, "If you've been sitting for a while, before you get up and walk, because that's painful do about 10 kick-outs and get that synovial fluid moving and get that joint a little bit warmed up, and it can make those first few steps much more comfortable." Bob: And then after you've done that, I want you to go ahead and grab the knee like this and actually bend it into flexion. Brad: Give it a big hug. Bob: Yep. There we go. Hug your knee. Yeah, there we go. Brad: But, yeah. Sometimes you grab down low or you grab the shin can make a difference on that squeeze. Bob: Because some of you out there are going to be lacking flexion. And some of you are going to be lacking extension, which is straightening. So if you have an ottoman or stool that you can put in front of you, the final tip is actually to work on straightening the knee. Now you can straighten the knee with the foot turned in, turned out, or straight up and down. Whichever one feels the best. And you do a little pressure on, pressure off. Pressure on, pressure off. Brad: So as I'm showing you, you don't have to have a stool and ottoman. If you can scoot to the edge of your chair, a firm chair's best, and then you can do it like this as well and try the rotation and see which works best. About 10 times. Bob: Yeah, find the one that feels the best and that's the one you keep doing. Brad: Right. Bob: In every hour or so. I mean, along with the bend and straighten and the bend. You do them all together Brad: And you'll find, once you get that thing stretched out and you get a little more range of motion, the pain drops down, mobility's easier. It's a good stretch. Bob: We wouldn't lie to you. Brad: Oh, are we done already? Bob: Yeah, we're already done five very simple and fast. Brad: Wow. That was five minutes. A minute to stretch. Bob: There you go. Enjoy the stretching. 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.

What is a locked-in spine? Your back is designed to be the strongest when it is in its natural S position. This means a slight curve in the neck, a slight curve out at the midback, and a slight curve in at the low back. Combine this S position with a tightened abdominal core and you have the locked-in spine. We believe your back is most vulnerable to injury when it is in the C position. Whenever you put your back into the C position, you are placing increased stress on many of the structures of your back. This stress can cause the discs to deform (as we previously demonstrated with the ball and vertebra example). However, it can also cause the ligaments to stretch out and lose their stability. Ligaments are tough bands that connect bone to bone. When you are in the C position you are placing a continuous stress on your ligaments. The following is a simple demonstration used by physical therapists to illustrate how that stress feels. Grab your ring finger and stretch it back. You are stretching ligaments (among other things). This discomfort increases if you bring your finger back further and further, as well as if you keep the pressure continuous. Eventually overtime the ligaments holding the bones in your finger together may stretch out and lose the ability to hold your hand bones in a stable manner. This occurs in massage therapists who overwork their fingers and hands. The result is more instability and pain. Is the locked-in spine good for you? When your back is in the S position, the back muscles are in an optimal position to contract and protect your back. Watch a weightlifter as they perform squats with hundreds of pounds of weight on their backs. Note how straight their backs are as they maintain an S curve. Weightlifters with good form will keep their backs straight, while most of their movement comes from their hips. This is often referred to as hip hinging. The S curve combined with abdominal tightening can protect your spine. How to obtain a locked in spine? First, place your spine in the S position. Use a broomstick or BOOYAH Stik to help obtain proper alignment. The stick should have 3 points of contact if done correctly, which include back of head, mid back, and pelvis. The C position only has one point of contact, which is the midback. You should think of your back as though it is in a cast “locked in” to the S curve. All movement should come from your hips. Once in the S position and before you perform a task such as lifting, tighten your abdomen. 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 you are doing it correctly you should be able to feel your abdomen tighten with your fingers. If you have increased pain in your back with the locked in position, try adjusting the arch in your low back (with more or less of an arch). Re-tighten your abdomen and try bending forward again. If it still increases your back pain, try to not bend forward as far. The locked-in spine position should be performed throughout a typical day in your life to help protect your spine. 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 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyt3atb8wXw&t=181s. Bob: Today we’re going to show you two self-tests and five signs that your headache is coming from your neck. We’re also going to show you some possible causes of why you’re getting that headache. Brad: One thing that gets overlooked sometimes. Bob: This is a specific type of headache, it’s coming from the neck. It’s called Cervicogenic. Cervico mean cervical or neck and genic means it’s the source of pain. Brad: Location and origin. Bob: It’s caused by problems with the nerves or the bones and the muscle of the neck. I’m not going to get any more specific than that. Brad: It’s upper neck. Bob: Yeah, quite often. Quite often it’s C1 and C2. All the bones of the neck are numbered from one to seven. Number one and number two are up against the skull. One of the signs that it could be coming from your neck is, it spreads from the back of your head and comes around and right up into the eye or below the eye. They call it a ram’s horn headache. Brad: Just like the football team, if you look at their helmet, that’s kind of the pattern that it makes. Bob: Good point. What did your brother-in-law call it? Brad: After a car accident, he would get these headaches that wrapped around, and he called it a full wrap. I don’t know if he made that up or his physician that he worked with or whatever, but it makes sense. It sounds right. Bob: Yeah, it sounds right. It can be one or both sides. I see more often one side, but it could occur on both. The other sign is if you have a stiff neck, decreased motion, and you’re getting headaches, that’s a possibility. These are all things you want to thing about. If you have increased head pain or headaches, when you cough or sneeze or take a deep breath, that could possibly be your neck because that’s what’s moving when you do those things. The head doesn’t always hurt if you move it. It just hurts all the time. A headache that begins or is worsened by certain neck movements or postures is a good example. For me, if I have a head forward posture for a long time, which I did when I used to wear my glasses. I didn’t have the glasses made for it. I had the bifocals. I was wearing bifocals and I had to lean forward to see the screen and I started getting headaches. So, I got glasses made just for reading a computer. Brad: Right, so you can sit with proper posture. Bob: Pain that’s felt at the top of the neck or at the base and the lower part of the skull. Especially if it goes up into the head, that’s a good sign that it’s from the cervical spine. Cervicogenic headaches can also cause symptoms like migraines. I never knew this, Brad. So, I always assumed when people said I have light sensitivity or noise sensitivity, I thought "oh, you’ve got a migraine." It’s not always the case and even blurry vision can be caused by a cervicogenic headache. You want to keep that in mind. So, we’ve got two self-tests here. The first one is, do a chin tuck and rotate one direction and then rotate in the other direction. You could set up your camera on your phone and film yourself doing this, or you could have a friend looking at you. What you want to see is if one is kind of restricted or greatly restricted, and that’s the side you’re having headaches on, it’s possible that restriction is causing the pain. Brad: Sure, just a tight muscle that is limiting that motion is associated directly with that headache. Bob: Yeah, and we’ll show you how to treat that in another video. Brad: They can self-treat it. It’s not that difficult. Bob: The second self-test you could do is start palpating or pressing along the upper neck. Right in the suboccipital area. Bob: Often, I’ll find tenderness right there, right over the greater occipital nerve where it comes out. The other possibility is sometimes you can get pain if your shoulder blades are out of whack a little bit. Let’s say they’re descended too far. Not uncommon at all, especially if you use a mouse with one arm continually and it stretches out the muscles and that stretches the levator scapulae. Brad: That’s quite a name, the levator scapulae. I used to call it the levator scapulator, but that’s not correct. It connects from the shoulder blade to the upper cervical vertebra. It is a small muscle, it’s not very thick, but it can knot up a little bit or if the scapulae are decentered or rotated, it makes that muscle tight. It can irritate it and cause that pain. Bob: It’ll send pain right up into your head even. The thing about this, you can find your shoulder blade, if you’re able to reach back there, you can stick it out, but on the inside of it and follow your hand up and you should be able to palpate along there. Brad: You could start at the top and work down too. It’s best if you can get someone else to do this. Bob: Yeah, you’re correct, Brad. You’re correct. If you find a real tender spot along that muscle, you’re going to want to watch some of our other videos and do exercises that get the shoulder blades to rise or get in the right position. Even more key is stopping it from happening in the first place. If you’re using a mouse, make sure that your elbows are up, not out. You don’t want to wear a suitcase or a bag. You want to switch back and forth so you’re not stretching one side out. I was going to mention, some ladies who are maybe more ample chested… Brad: They’re endowed. That’s what my PT teacher described it as. Bob: One thing is that if they wear a bra that goes outside on the shoulder blades, that puts stress on their shoulders and on the shoulder blade. They should get bras that go right up against the neck. Brad: It might be like a sports bra, too. It has a wider strap that doesn’t carry over to the extreme on the shoulder. Bob: All right, we’ll let you ladies figure that one out. Thanks everybody! 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 December of 2021. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPkFoElIoY0. Bob: Today we’re going to talk about what can physical therapy do for you? Imagine that two physical therapists talking about physical therapy. I first want to talk about the relationship, Brad, between the primary care physicians and physical therapy. In many cases, you’re going to have a primary care physician, or you might have a nurse practitioner, or you might have a physician’s assistant. They’re going to be looking at you and they may decide, “Hey, you have a problem that could be solved by a physical therapist.” So, they refer you to a physical therapist. Now, what else? You can request this. Brad: If you have a problem and the doctor prescribes some pain meds and you’re going to leave and think that physical therapy can help you because of something know you, or you know someone else that it helped, feel free to ask, "could I have therapy, or would it be helpful?" Then they’ll say “oh, well, yeah, we can give it a try.” Your insurance will likely cover it if you have Medicare in the United States. Bob: In some cases, and in some states, you may be able to see a physical therapist directly without referral. That’s not the case under Medicare. Brad: He’s talking about what we call direct access. You can go right to the therapist, bypass seeing the doctor. Bob: With some insurances. Brad: If you just had knee pain and you know it’s arthritis, the doctor is probably just going to prescribe some pain meds or something over the counter that the therapist may give you some exercises and it can be more efficient. Bob: And by the way, even a chiropractor can refer you to physical therapy, and they have for us before. Brad: I’ve had that same situation. Bob: Brad let’s talk about some of the common things, problems, or diagnosis that we see, and we can possibly help you with. Brad: Right, bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, any of those "itises." Bob: Plantar fasciitis, somethings inflamed and we’re going to help you get rid of it. Lymphedema. A lot of people don’t know that, but when you have that swelling in the legs, there’s therapists who are trained in how to get rid of that stuff. Brad: Specifically, and probably one of the best routes to go because you’re going to learn how to care for yourself. Bob: Naturally. Brad: Exactly, maybe using those compression garments. You need to know how to do it properly. It’s a great way that way. Neck or back pain. Whoops, I took yours. Bob: Go ahead, that’s fine. Neck and back pain. Absolutely, that’s one of the big ones that we’re seeing. Any joint pain or injury. You could have shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle. We cover them all. Brad: Typically, older people, the knees and the hips are very commonly sore, or the ankles, those weight-bearing joints. Sports injuries, there’s several people who are active in their senior years. Bob: Pickle ball. Brad: Exactly, I’ve been to several events where I see people in their sixties, even seventies, that are out running or doing these activities, and they’re going to want to see a therapist oftentimes, to get back into their activity. Bob: Yeah, also decreased strength or motion. If your strength is not where is should be, or you find out some of your limbs are tight. That often leads to pain, so we want to regain that. Brad: You may get that from after an illness and you recovered and now, you’re weak. Or you’re starting a new activity and you’ve got pain because it’s like, “oh I got sore because I was gardening for the first time in the spring, and I don’t know why my knee hurts now.” Well, you know why it hurts but you want to get it better. Headaches. Bob: Oh, especially neck headaches. Brad: Those lower ones. Bob: You feel it in the neck, and you feel it in the head. Brad: If don’t want to take pain pills, or you don’t want to take a lot of over-the-counter pain medications, oftentimes, just some stretching to specific neck muscles can help. Bob: And posture can make a difference. All right, any joint replacement, if you have a hip replacement, knee replacement, shoulder replacement, elbow, we’re there for you. Brad: Right. Not only after a surgery, but even before the surgery to get a few visits in so you’re prepared for surgery, and it makes the rehab go much easier. Vertigo. Bob: People don’t know about that. Brad: Where you get up from bed and the things are spinning. You do need to see a doctor for that because there’s a couple other things it could be. Bob: Not a couple, there’s lots of things it could be from. It could be from medication. If they decide that it’s like BPPV, that’s a real combo and that we treat and we have a lot of success with it. Brad: Typically, the doctors know therapists do this. It’s a simple treatment. That’s usually one visit, sometimes two. Bob: It’s almost a miracle. Brad: It is, I’ve had people who are incredibly grateful for that one. Osteoporosis. Bob: Right, people don’t think that you can improve your bone strength by doing exercises. Brad: The body will respond. Bob: Carpal tunnel syndrome. Your wife, right? Brad: Well, yeah, she had it for several years and was able to manage it through bracing and some exercises. Eventually got to the point where she had the surgery. Bob: And then a little therapy afterwards, right? Brad: Yeah. She didn’t listen to me though. No, she did. Bob: Never does. Brad: It went very well. She’s very happy. Bob: After stroke or a traumatic brain injury. I used to work in that area, Brad. For years. We play a large role in that. Brad: After strokes therapists are very adapt to getting you back into the grove of things. Bob: After a person has a stroke. You don’t say after stroke. Brad: Yeah, that’s all. I must work on my English again. Ankle sprains. One of the most common injuries. There are several things that we can do to help you get back on your feet. Bob: We talked about this already, weakness from surgery, from cancer, from hospitalization. That’s all part of it. Brad: Sometimes there’s specific things you do not want to do. The therapist can help you around those things and get back to your best activity level. Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, again, after a stroke. A lot of those things, we’re trained on that and work with that. Bob: Whiplash. I just talked with somebody who sees a lot of people in this area, and she gave us a lot of good advice. Brad: We had a podcast with her. Which is also on a video. Knee ligament injury and repair. Bob: Quite often from an athletic injury. You're playing that pickle ball and got a little crazy? Brad: Exactly. Bob: Same with muscle tears or cartilage tears, meniscus tears, they can happen. You can see there are a lot of things that we treat. Brad: Literally head to toe. Bob: Brad and I think we know a lot. We don’t. Thanks! Brad: Good luck with everything. 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.

Mother's Day is just around the corner. What better time to check up on your mom and make certain she is feeling loved and appreciated. Bob and Brad have a growing line of massage products to help you pamper your mother, or yourself this season. All products acquired between April 6th and May 8th will certainly be covered by a 1-year return and exchange warranty policy beginning with the date shipment is finished. Whether you're looking to spoil mom with some self-care, relieve those aches muscles, or melt away stress, we have a great selection of massage products available. BODY RESTORE For health-conscious individuals who are looking to enhance their lifelong body health, the Bob and Brad C2 Massage Gun helps to target those pesky muscle aches and pains. You can use the massager to tackle pains or stress in the back, neck, arms, hands, legs, and also feet with minimum effort. DETOX BEAUTY SPA The idea of an eye massager at home may be a new concept, yet these innovative tools are gaining appeal amongst the skincare DIYers and salons. The lifelike kneading mechanism allows you to improve blood circulation around the eyes, bringing smoother skin and also far better eye lubrication. Furthermore, some discover that the eye massager relieves ocular pain and also tension headaches. The Bob and Brad Eye Massager offers built-in heating, double-layered padding, as well as user-friendly controls. Users can play pre-programmed music or connect it to their mobile device via Bluetooth. FOOT SPA The Bob and Brad Foot Massager uses a complete menu of foot massage therapies including compression, shiatsu massage, and heating spa, with adjustable setups for each option. Air Compression utilizes airbags to carefully press the toes, heels, and all around the feet. Shiatsu Massage gives a gentle working action that targets the arch as well as the heel. The heat helps relieve feet pain and relaxes the stressed foot muscles. Enjoy time with family this Mother's Day, and help mom unwind and relax as she deserves!