♪ Bob and Brad, the two most famous ♪
♪ Physical therapists ♪
♪ On the internet ♪
- (clapping) Hi folks I'm Bob Schrupp, physical therapist.
- Brad Heineck physical therapist.
- We are the most famous physical therapists
on the internet. - In our opinion
of course, Bob. - What an attractive shirt
you got on there Brad. - Yeah, something new.
- Today we're gonna talk about back pain.
Should you wear a back brace?
We got kinda five rules to follow.
This video is not referring to braces after,
if you have scoliosis which is highly recommended,
that's highly specialized.
Or after back surgery, those are different issues
you're gonna have to wear a very rigid back brace
after surgery. - Right,
particularly a protocol with-- - Right exactly,
they're gonna tell you when to take it off and when to
leave it on, usually over, weaning it off right?
- Sure.
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- So let's talk about kinda
the five different scenarios here Brad.
Number one, I would not wear a back brace
if you just have everyday normal muscle strain,
back strain. - Mm hmm.
- Some of 'em do come with an ice pack
that you can put in there. - Yeah.
- Strap it in there.
In that case fine, you can wear it for a couple days.
But to buy one just for that, I would not.
- Right, you could use a normal one
and just stick one in there
and tighten it up and it would hold it.
- Right. - If you had one.
- Right oh yeah. - And that way
you could be a little active while you're having it on.
- Right. - There's no reason behind
using it, and the second rule is also true.
I would not use it
preventatively.
And this used to be pretty popular.
We used to see some of the different companies
that were having people, you'd see if they had a lifting job
that they'd actually be wearing braces like this.
They'd have the strap on.
And then when they did some lifting they'd tighten it.
- Right, and then the straps go over the shoulder
and when you bend they kinda tug on your shoulder.
- We'll show this in just a minute.
- Yeah we'll get into that.
- So really don't use it for preventative.
I think a lot of people may be shocked to know
that really a lot of times back pain is not a lifting issue
it's a sitting issue. - Sure.
- And sitting actually can be more harmful to you
than the lifting because you do it prolonged
over periods of time and kind of a bad posture.
- Right right.
- So don't use it for preventative.
The only exception I would say maybe
if you were lifting weights, and you get a lifting belt
that's a different story. - Right, yeah.
I mean there you're doing some - Massive weights.
- Right and those belts are
- Designed for that. - Pretty substantial
for that purpose.
- I also wouldn't wear it all the time.
I would only use it for the stressful tasks like
if you're having back pain
and it's just not run of the mill back pain
we'll talk about some of the situations.
Like if you're gonna garden
or if you're gonna vacuum or make your bed.
You used to use it for riding a lawnmower didn't you Brad?
- Right, either that or if I'm doing lawnwork
or doing some brush, cutting some brush down
moving some brush.
Then one of these like this. (Velcro unpeeling)
- Yeah why don't you show this for 'em Brad,
this is kind of a nice one. - This is nice
'cause right now it's loose, it's very comfortable
it's loose, it's not tight on me.
- [Bob] So it's really not doing anything.
- No but it's there so then if I have,
let's say I'm working around the yard
and I'm gonna move some logs or some firewood
and it's like well I better tighten it up, get some support.
- [Bob] Sure, see what it does when he does that.
- So I just have these two things
they got a nice thumbhold so you can pull it and then
can you see? - Yeah so you can see
how it's spread apart here.
Now watch how as he pulls it,
see how it squeezes together there?
Is that seeable, Liz?
Is that a word, seeable? (laughing)
What is it? - Noticeable.
- Noticeable, there we go! - There.
- [Bob] That's our English teacher.
- And these are just Velcro,
and they have Velcro around here and now it's tight
and now I would go ahead and do my lifting
and I have that snug around my back, and it feels good.
You know you can feel that nice,
but you know if you wear this this tight
for 20, 30 minutes, it starts to become
a little uncomfortable then simply just do this
and you're back to loose and everything.
- And Brad is exactly the reason,
one of the rules why you might wanna wear it.
Brad has spondylolisthesis.
And you actually get those micro-motions going on.
- Yeah. - That could be irritating
to your back. - Sure.
- And this could help prevent those micro-motions.
Now you'd also have that with osteoarthritis
or regular arthritis of your back.
- Sure. - Or maybe
degenerative disc disease. - Yep.
- In those instances you might wanna use it like this.
But rule number five is try not to use it for the long term.
- Mm hmm.
- Although the studies have shown, 'cause the theory
was always that it's gonna weaken your core.
- Right. - But the studies
really have shown that that's really not the case
especially if you don't wear it that often.
- Right. - But in your case
you did kind of wean off of it right Brad?
- Yeah I used to use it riding my lawnmower
'cause it was bouncy and then lifting and stuff.
But actually I've changed my workout,
I've started doing more standing core exercises--
- Sure. - 'Cause I can't do planks
'cause it hurts my back, I use the wall anchor
and I really changed how I work my core.
And it's really made a nice difference
over the last year with my running as well as
outdoor activities so yeah I actually have it hanging
in my garage, I don't use it near as much anymore.
- OK, well that's good 'cause you followed the advice
that I'm giving today. - There you go!
- So again, don't use it for a muscle strain.
Don't use it for preventative.
Do not wear it all the time,
use it only for the stressful events.
Try not to use it for long term, kinda wean off of it.
And it may be helpful, again for short term
for people who have spondylolisthesis,
osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease.
Also I'm gonna mention that a compression fracture,
if you have a compression fracture--
- Oh yeah.
- Where the bones actually get squished down a little bit.
- Yep. - You may need
a rigid brace for that for a while until it heals.
- Sure. - And here Brad is showing
now the one, this is the one that
kinda works out nice in that it's the same thing
you can keep it very loose and then when you need it
you can just tighten it up and the straps are there.
- There ya go so...
Like that, a little snugger. - There ya go.
- This isn't quite as tight-- - As that one.
- It doesn't lock in like that model,
but it still works nice and these are kinda nice
'cause when you bend forward you feel it move
on your shoulders and it's a reminder that oh,
and then you go like this and it doesn't move
on your shoulders. - Yeah.
The only other thing I liked about braces,
if you're having back pain, it's showing people
that you have back pain, do you know what I mean?
It's one of those things that's invisible
and people are going, why is he acting so weird
or why is he not helping out, and you go like
oh he's got back pain.
- It's like a sling. - Yeah exactly.
- You'll wear a sling for a shoulder problem,
sometimes to protect your shoulder from using it
but also from having someone to come up and go--
- Yeah how's it going there Brad?
- Slap you on the shoulder.
- Hey Brad how's it going? - It's a visual caution flag.
- Should have a little sign on it that says "back pain!"
- Yeah.
- So all right remember Brad and I
can fix just about anything except for a broken heart.
- There ya go Bob.
- I can put a back brace around it.
- I don't think these are gonna help a broken heart.
- Oh no it doesn't go high enough.
- Unless you wear it up high around your chest like that,
like a brassiere, even tighter up.
I don't think it's gonna fly. - Brad, this is a family show.
- (laughing) I know. - All right,
thanks for watching. - I'm having some fun.