RecoverRx Performance and Recovery Blog
This blog is dedicated to all things from recovery to performance. Our industry expert Physical Therapists provide evidence based information and opinions educating our readers on how to optimize their health in order to be able to overcome injuries and live the life they were meant to live!
Diastasis Recti Exercises That Flatten Your Core Faster Than Crunches
If your belly still bulges no matter how many crunches you do, you’re not alone. Crunches can actually make things worse if you’re dealing with diastasis recti.
This common abdominal separation affects many people, especially postpartum. But here’s the good news: with the right exercises, you can rebuild your core from the inside out.
Lower Back Pain When Bending Over: What’s Really Going On?
You bend over to pick something up and suddenly feel that sharp, gripping pain in your lower back. It stops you in your tracks, leaving
Groin Muscle Strain? Why Rest Isn’t Enough
You rest, wait, and hope the pain fades. But the truth is, rest alone doesn’t heal a groin muscle strain.
That nagging ache or sharp pull needs more than time off. Without targeted movement, scar tissue builds, muscles weaken, and you end up stuck in a cycle of pain.
If you’ve been babying your groin muscle and still can’t walk or twist comfortably, you’re not alone. This injury often lingers not because it’s serious—but because it’s misunderstood.
Let’s talk about what actually helps a strained groin muscle recover:
• Active recovery that rebuilds strength and flexibility
• Gentle mobility work to restore range
• Therapy that targets the exact structures involved
You can absolutely get back to full strength. But you need a plan, not just patience.
Why Your Tennis Elbow Brace Isn’t Helping
You strap on the tennis elbow brace, hoping it will calm the ache. At first, maybe it does. But days or weeks later, the pain creeps back, sometimes worse than before.
That’s because the brace doesn’t fix what’s actually wrong. It might mask symptoms, but it won’t restore tendon health or change how your body moves under stress.
If your pain flares up during gripping, lifting, or any repetitive arm motion, you’re dealing with more than inflammation. You’ve likely developed faulty movement patterns, reduced load tolerance, or tissue irritation that a simple strap can’t address.
Instead of relying on a brace, you need:
A real diagnosis to find the source of tissue overload
Targeted manual therapy to reduce irritation and improve mobility
Strength training to rebuild tendon capacity
Motor control work to reprogram how you move under load
Tennis elbow isn’t a brace problem. It’s a movement problem. And that’s where sports physical therapy becomes the long-term solution you’ve been looking for.
Shoulder Internal Rotation: The Key to Pain-Free Movement
If reaching behind your back feels stiff or painful, you’re not the only one. That tight, stuck feeling can sneak up on you and make everyday tasks way harder than they should be. Shoulder internal rotation plays a big role in your daily movement. You rely on it to do simple things like putting on a jacket, buckling your seatbelt, or scratching your back.
When your shoulder doesn’t rotate properly, you start compensating. That can lead to discomfort in your neck, upper back, or even your opposite shoulder.
Some of the most common causes of poor shoulder internal rotation include:
Tight or shortened muscles around the back of the shoulder
Limited joint mobility
Old injuries that haven’t healed properly
Sitting for long periods with rounded shoulders
You don’t have to live with it. With the right stretches, strengthening, and hands-on care, you can restore your shoulder’s full range and move more freely again.
Stretching More May Hurt: Hypermobility vs Hyperflexibility
You stretch because your body feels tight. Maybe it’s your hamstrings, your hips, or your shoulders. The assumption is simple: tight muscles need to be lengthened.
But what if that tightness is your body’s warning system, not a call to stretch more? For many athletes, especially those with excessive flexibility, aggressive stretching can actually do more harm than good. That’s especially true if you deal with joint pain, chronic discomfort, or symptoms that don’t improve no matter how much you stretch.
Healing Pain on the Inside of Your Knee When Bending and Straightening
That sharp or nagging pain on the inside of your knee every time you bend or straighten your leg? It’s frustrating, uncomfortable, and honestly a little scary. You might be wondering what caused it, how serious it is, or whether you’re making it worse without even realizing it.
As physical therapists, we see this type of pain all the time. Whether it’s from a recent injury or something that’s been slowly building, medial knee pain can show up from several sources, and each one needs a different approach.
You don’t have to live with that discomfort or let it limit what you love doing. Let’s explore:
What might be happening inside your knee
Why the pain shows up during movement
What steps can help you heal and stay active
Lower Back Stretches That Instantly Relieve Tension (You Won’t Believe #3!)
Lower back pain can make even the simplest movements feel like a struggle. Whether you’re sitting at your desk, standing for long hours, or recovering from an injury, tension in this area builds up fast.
The good news? The right stretches bring instant relief and help prevent long-term discomfort. You just need to know which ones actually work.
Here’s a breakdown of simple yet powerful stretches that loosen tight muscles, improve flexibility, and keep your spine feeling strong. The third one might surprise you!
Double-Jointed Elbows Might Be Hurting You More Than You Think
You might think having double-jointed elbows is just a quirky trait. But if your elbows bend further than they should, it could be a sign of something more serious.
Hypermobility can feel like a cool party trick, but it often comes with pain, instability, and even injuries. Many people with overly flexible joints don’t realize they might have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) or generalized hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD).
EDS affects the connective tissues that support your joints, skin, and organs. When your body doesn’t produce strong collagen, your joints become too loose. This can lead to:
– Frequent joint pain or dislocations
– Unstable movement that causes injuries
– Chronic fatigue from overworked muscles trying to compensate
– Digestive or cardiovascular issues in more severe cases
If your elbows hyperextend, it’s worth paying attention to other symptoms. Ignoring the signs can lead to long-term joint damage and chronic pain. Understanding the connection between hypermobility and EDS can help you take control of your health before symptoms worsen.
Hip Pain from Running? Physical Therapist Tips to Fix It
Running is an excellent way to maintain physical and mental well-being, but it can sometimes lead to overuse injuries, including hip pain. This discomfort can
5 Golf Exercises to Help Relieve Back Pain
Golf is a game of precision, but the repetitive motion of the swing often takes a toll on the lower back region, leading to discomfort
Recognizing Signs Sciatica is Improving & 3 Phases of Recovery
Sciatica symptoms can be life-altering, often causing acute pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, affecting the lower back, buttocks, and legs. It’s a condition
