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!
Can Shockwave Therapy Cause Damage? Discover How It Supports Healing
When pain lingers, it’s natural to worry about whether a treatment might do more harm than good. You may wonder if Shockwave Therapy can cause damage to your body with its strong sound waves.
The truth is, this therapy is designed to help your tissues heal, not break them down. It stimulates blood flow, breaks up scar tissue, and reduces inflammation in a safe and controlled way.
Think about it like this: instead of masking pain, Shockwave Therapy helps your body restart its own repair process. That’s why people often feel relief in weeks instead of months.
What makes it safe and effective is the way it works with your body, not against it. If you’ve been stuck with pain that won’t move on, this therapy could give you a real path forward.
How Long Does It Take For A Pulled Muscle To Heal In Your Back?
When you pull a muscle in your back, the first thing you want to know is how long recovery will take. A pulled muscle can feel like a sharp, stabbing pain or a deep ache that makes even simple movements difficult. The healing time depends on the severity of the strain, your activity level, and how you care for the injury. Some strains may ease within a couple of weeks, while more severe ones can take longer. You might notice: Sudden tightness or spasm when moving Swelling or bruising around the area Limited range of motion that makes normal activities tough Understanding how long it takes for a pulled muscle to heal in your back gives you the clarity to set realistic expectations. It also helps you know when to rest, when to move, and when to seek extra support if healing feels slow.
Exercises for Lower Back Pain You’ll Wish You Tried Sooner
Exercises for lower back pain can ease discomfort by targeting muscles, joints, and posture patterns, restoring your strength, mobility, and sense of control.
Hip Pain During Pregnancy Isn’t “Just Part of It”
Hip pain during pregnancy can feel like it’s stealing the joy out of a time that’s supposed to be exciting and full of anticipation. You’re trying to stay active, sleep through the night, and enjoy your growing belly—but the aching in your hips won’t let up.
This pain isn’t something you’re supposed to just “deal with.” It’s your body asking for support. The good news? You can get relief, and it doesn’t involve just waiting until the baby arrives.
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!