- All right.
Spinal decompression,
there's a lotta different forms.
You can do hanging.
You can do inversion table.
You can have a-
- A traction unit.
- Traction unit.
But actually, I think this particular decompression
is what you should do first.
- It's very deceptive.
- It's the easiest.
And it is absolutely, what was it?
I lost my train of thought, Bob.
It's the easiest,
you can do it for no cost,
and oftentimes, it's gonna be successful,
and you don't need all that fancy stuff.
I use it myself and, Sarah Meeks, actually,
we're gonna show her method, and she's an expert.
What is she? - Right, on osteoporosis.
She's 80 years old.
- Yes. She's been around.
She's been a therapist 60 years, I think,
and she rates it right up there.
So nine more seconds we'll show you what it's about.
♪ Bob and Brad the two most famous physical therapists ♪
♪ On the internet ♪
Okay, Bob, we're gonna start either on your bed works fine,
or if you wanna go on carpeted floor with a pillow,
you wanna get comfortable,
and it's critical you're not gonna have the TV on,
no cellphone, no kids, no dogs licking you in the face,
and you're gonna lie down on the bed, or the floor,
get comfortable- - Relaxation is paramount,
right, Brad?
- Absolutely.
Now where the decompression comes
is this simple fact that you're not vertical,
you're horizontal.
The gravity is not compressing your weight
through the vertebra and the discs,
and you're gonna relax,
and the position is very specific.
You wanna be in at least this position.
So the hips-
- [Bob] A 45-degree angle.
- Right. This would be too tight.
This would be
too shallow.
We're gonna go right here.
And the hand position is also critical.
Palms up towards the ceiling, 30 degrees out.
So not out here, I got this in the way,
but right around in here,
you don't have to get a protractor out or anything.
And then head back relaxed,
a thin pillow, not a thick pillow.
And you don't even need a pillow
if you really feel comfortable without one.
And that's your starting position.
And again, we're going to breathe,
what you can do,
there's some options that we're gonna show you,
depending on what feels good.
Bob, what is the one you just talked about where you go-
- [Bob] That was a (indistinct) also.
- Okay.
So we're gonna throw in some other experts, their advice.
And we like this, where you just go up like this, slowly.
- [Bob] Keep the hands, arms, straight.
Don't allow the elbows to bend.
- Boy, and I could just feel when I reach up like that,
like I'm reaching, getting taller.
I can feel that spine, relax,
and exhale,
and then come back down and breathe in.
- [Bob] The important thing is relaxed breathing.
- Absolutely.
So if you just feel the pain release,
and everything get better in this position, just stay there
if you want to.
I know one thing I do is I'll position
little micro movements of my hips right or left,
and that can reduce the pain,
and get things lined up properly as well in that spine.
- [Bob] So at least five minutes, Brad?
- At least five minutes.
- [Bob] You can do more, right?
- Yeah. Sarah says, five to 15, five is a minimum.
You can go longer if you feel good.
If you fall asleep, you probably will go longer.
- [Bob] And you usually, well we'll show yours.
- Yes. Yes.
We'll go on.
There's other modifications that I've used,
Bob and I have both used with patients over the years.
So should we?
- [Bob] Let's go on.
- Let's go on to the?
- [Bob] Stop.
- Okay. That's gonna stop? We're good?
- Yep. - All right, Bob,
here's an option.
Now, I know you don't have a stool like this,
but everyone probably has some furniture.
- Like ottomans?
- Yep.
ottoman, a soft recliner,
something where you can put your legs up on,
and you'll be lying on the floor,
and you'll be in this 90-90 position,
which has been promoted over the years
by a lot of therapists- - You could put
a chair sideways too.
- Oh, sure. Yep.
Whatever you can get comfortable in
so that this fits up into the knees comfortably,
it's not too high, is a big thing.
Now, after you do your adjustments,
and you're comfortable and relaxed,
or even before that,
if you respond well to a cold pack, which I do-
- [Bob] It's a great time to use it.
- Yeah.
And you're gonna slide that under the uncomfortable,
the painful spot of the back.
You need a cold pack that stays soft when it's cold.
If it is hard when you pull it outta the freezer,
it will not work.
You need a good cold pack.
And boy, that is just unbelievable-
- [Bob] A great combo.
- Yeah. If it doesn't feel good, take it out.
But for me it feels unbelievably well.
Some people respond better to a-
- [Bob] To heat.
- Heat.
So take your electric hot pad.
We recommend the-
- [Bob] Thermotex.
- Thermotex far infrared
because it heats very deep into the muscles, and-
- [Bob] It's pricey.
But it feels good.
- Yeah.
So if you have a regular one use that,
if you do respond well to one,
and you wanna get a better one,
this one will definitely get deeper.
And again, I typically lie, or have patients lie like this
15 to 20 minutes,
and it's time to get up and start moving.
But when you do get up from whatever position you're at,
make sure you get up slowly.
You don't just get up.
'cause you might be feeling,
your pain might go from a eight down to a 0.
You wanna keep it there,
and take your time when you get up,
roll like this, let the stool fall down in the crack,
and get up slowly, and up.
And Bob, you know what I'm gonna recommend,
and I think you'll agree?
That's a really good time to go for a walk,
on flat ground,
to go as far as you feel comfortable,
- Without pain.
- Yep. Exactly.
Bob reminded me, I almost forgot,
but this leg wedge, it's shaped like this.
You can get 'em online.
They're not that expensive,
but they work really well.
I've found on myself,
and probably at least 90% of my back pain patients.
I put this under the legs- - They love it.
They're smiling.
- Yes. It's very comfortable.
(Brad sighs)
- [Bob] All right. That's all.
Well, you can do heat with it-
- Yep you can put- - And ice cold.
- Cold pack, or hot pack with the-
- Same thing. - Same thing.
Just a different shape.
Everything else will be the same.
Very good.
- [Bob] There you go.
- Enjoy and take care. - You've got lots of options.
- Take care of your back,
it's gonna decompress wonderfully,
life will be better-
- And it'll take care of you.
- There you go.
(bright music)