Speaker A
♪ Bob and Brad ♪ ♪ The two most famous ♪ ♪ Physical therapists ♪ ♪ on the Internet ♪
Bob and Brad discuss self-treatment for ankylosing spondylitis focusing on thoracic spine care using a Back Pod device.
Key Takeaways
- Ankylosing spondylitis causes spinal fusion and posture issues that affect breathing and movement.
- Focusing on the thoracic spine can provide the most benefit in managing symptoms.
- Using a Back Pod device helps loosen muscles and facet joints safely and effectively.
- Start treatment gently with cushions to build tolerance.
- Consult a healthcare professional before beginning self-treatment.
Summary
- Bob and Brad introduce ankylosing spondylitis as an inflammatory disease affecting the spine, causing fusion and a rounded flexed posture.
- The condition can compromise breathing, shoulder mechanics, and cause neck pain.
- They focus on self-treatment targeting the thoracic spine, the most commonly affected area.
- The treatment involves using a Back Pod device to target muscles and facet joints between the shoulder blades.
- They recommend starting with pillows and towels for cushioning to reduce initial discomfort.
- The treatment should be done on a firm surface, not a bed, for effectiveness.
- Steve August, a physical therapist from New Zealand, developed this treatment approach.
- The Back Pod is preferred over tennis balls or towels for proper fit and targeted therapy.
- They encourage consulting a doctor before starting this treatment.
- Bob and Brad mention their podcast and giveaways related to physical therapy.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
- Howdy folks, I'm Bob Schrupp, physical therapist.
Speaker A
- Brad Heineck, physical therapist.
Speaker A
- Together we're the most famous physical therapists on the internet.
Speaker A
- In our opinion, of course, Bob.
Speaker A
- Today we're gonna talk about ankylosing spondylitis, a self-treatment you can do.
Speaker A
- That's right, Bob.
Speaker A
- What a mouthful, Brad.
Speaker A
- It is, it is. Ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease.
Speaker A
We're talking about where it affects the spine, things can actually fuse together. You can get a really rounded, flexed posture.
Speaker A
- Right. And start compromising your breathing.
Speaker A
- Yep, shoulder mechanics.
Speaker A
- All the problems that come with being flexed like that.
Speaker A
- Exactly, so we're going to show you a good option from an expert in the field.
Speaker A
- Yeah, by the way Brad, I remember when we were first studying this, that the spine takes on a bamboo appearance.
Speaker A
Do you remember that? It looks like bamboo. You don't remember that, do you?
Speaker A
- I do remember, I'm trying to remember the details of it.
Speaker A
I mean, that was like a long time ago.
Speaker A
- That was like 30 years,
Speaker A
- (laughs) 40 years ago.
Speaker A
- So, are we going to talk about anything else, Bob? We don't have a giveaway?
Speaker A
- No. Well, we've always got a giveaway. You just go to Bob and Brad, go to the giveaway section and you'll find out what it is or it'll be pinned to the top of the page on Facebook.
Speaker A
- On Facebook, absolutely.
Speaker A
- And we always want to mention our podcast, we're quite proud of that.
Speaker A
We're interviewing some major people,
Speaker A
- Right. Major authorities and subjects.
Speaker A
- As a matter of fact, the person who's leading this treatment that we're doing, we have him on two podcasts, right?
Speaker A
- Right.
Speaker A
- Steve August.
Speaker A
- Yes.
Speaker A
- Right. So what we want to do, let's look at the area that we're going to focus on with ankylosing spondylitis and that is the thoracic area.
Speaker A
Although that's not the only part of the body it affects, but it is a real common area.
Speaker A
And that's the part that you get that rounded flex posture, typically a head forward, it will come forward a little bit, shoulders round out as a result.
Speaker A
And we want to have this as much as possible because as Bob mentioned, that affects your breathing, which is obviously critical, shoulder mechanics, neck problems, neck pain.
Speaker A
- Yes.
Speaker A
- So we want to maintain that, and that's what we're going to specifically focus on.
Speaker A
- Yeah, if you were to focus on one area, that's the area you want to focus on.
Speaker A
- Exactly.
Speaker A
- Because one, you can make the most difference there, I think.
Speaker A
- Mm, I agree.
Speaker A
- And two, it's going to affect the most things,
Speaker A
- Right.
Speaker A
- By going bad.
Speaker A
- Exactly. So what we're going to do is we're going to use, this is what Steve August, he's a physical therapist and an outstanding one.
Speaker A
He's-
Speaker A
- From New Zealand.
Speaker A
- He does continuing ed, or educational things for doctors.
Speaker A
- Right.
Speaker A
- Diagnoses like this, and costochondritis.
Speaker A
- Including costochondritis, yes.
Speaker A
- Yep. So this is specifically made for it.
Speaker A
Now, oftentimes we give options, like can you use a tennis ball? Can you use a rolled-up towel?
Speaker A
For this particular diagnosis, I think it's worth getting a back pod.
Speaker A
- Right. It's going to be tough to get the right fit.
Speaker A
- Right. And because we want here, not on the spine so much, but off to the side of the spine.
Speaker A
- Between the spine, and between the shoulder blades, so.
Speaker A
- Right.
Speaker A
- This is kind of made for that area.
Speaker A
- Exactly. It gets into the muscles and to the facet joints and helps loosen things up.
Speaker A
And we're going to do it at different areas, and you're going to get a feel for this as you do it, it can be pretty aggressive initially.
Speaker A
- Yeah, I think for anybody who has ankylosing spondylitis, the first time you're gonna want to have the pillows,
Speaker A
- Yep.
Speaker A
- Like he recommends. And maybe even a towel all day.
Speaker A
- Yep. We'll demonstrate that here.
Speaker A
So, you know, once you get this diagnosis, you can talk to your doctor. If this is going to be an okay treatment, I have a feeling they're gonna agree with it.
Speaker A
So, you should do this, you cannot do this on a bed. It's gonna be too soft.
Speaker A
- [Bob] Yep.
Speaker A
- And it's going to not do what it needs to do.
Speaker A
We can start with three pillows. Here we have the back pod. I'm going to start on my left side of my spine, right between the shoulder blades.
Speaker A
And then I'm going to actually take a folded towel, put it there for a little cushion, so it's not too aggressive.
Speaker A
- [Bob] You know, all these things are designed to blunt the force of it because eventually, hopefully you can tolerate lying on the device without pillows and without a towel.
Topics:ankylosing spondylitisself-treatmentBack Podthoracic spinephysical therapyspinal fusionposture correctionbreathing improvementBob and BradSteve August
