Recovery Archives - Rita Chorba, PT

30Apr 2023 by ritapt

Don’t blame your bad discs – help them!

Lifting, Neck Back, Recovery, Spine, Tactical

Don’t blame your bad discs - help them! This article was originally published in The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association If you've had a healthcare provider say your back pain is because of bulging or degenerated spinal discs, you'd expect them to tell you how to fix said discs, right? Unfortunately, I bet many people in this situation have been told this is nothing that can be done. Disc replacement is a thing, but it's nowhere near perfect yet for the lower back. So most doctors offer one type of solution: pain management. They provide pain drugs, injections, and sometimes even anti-depressants. Relief, yes, but not repair. While there is no doubt that pain relief is important so that you can go about your life, it isn't…

01Feb 2023 by ritapt

What the Cup! Cupping Therapy for Sports and Tactical Injuries

Lifting, Lower Body, Neck Back, Recovery, Running, Spine, Tactical, Upper Body

What the Cup! Cupping Therapy for Sports and Tactical Injuries This article was originally published in The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association "The octopus got me again!" Cupping therapy, also known as vacuum therapy, is a negative pressure treatment applied over the skin to treat physical pain and injuries. Cupping increases blood flow, releases old blood and scar tissue deposits, and decompresses underlying structures (up to 4 inches under the surface!) A transient pattern of purple circle marks over the treated area is a signature side effect in stressed or injured tissues where old debris has been "drawn up." Recipients appear to have been attacked by a particularly vigorous sea creature. Skin response 15 minutes after a cupping treatment in a person with neck injuries, frequent dehydration…

31Jan 2023 by ritapt

Keeping Teams Up and Running – A Leader’s Guide to Effective Injury Prevention

Lifting, Recovery, Tactical

Keeping Teams Up and Running - A Leader's Guide to Effective Injury Prevention This article was originally published in The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association "It's not the years, honey. It's the mileage." - Indiana Jones Relatively young men and women in the military seem to sustain more injuries than their non-service peers. Ask a Marine which knee hurts, and they're likely to tell you "the worse one" rather than label right or left! There's no doubt that physical injuries like overuse take a toll on the body. But they also disrupt a leader's operational planning when a team member is sidelined due to a seemingly benign injury. Leaders, take note: overuse injuries can be reduced on a meaningful scale. Many are entirely preventable. All will require your awareness…

31Dec 2021 by ritapt

Hate Stretching? Stop “Shoulding” On Yourself and Start One of These Programs Today

Lifting, Lower Body, Recovery, Running, Tactical, Upper Body

Hate Stretching? Stop "Shoulding" On Yourself and Start One of These Programs Today "I should stretch more," says at least one of my clients every week. While that statement may or may not be accurate, those choice words reveal a level of personal resistance that certainly doesn't help the cause. Perhaps you "should" stretch. Stretching helps you move better in life and in your workouts. And a regular stretching routine can reduce that "old man" feeling when you get out of bed (by a lot). But suppose you're not naturally flexible, or you have nagging aches and pains. In that case, stiff muscles and joints are likely to protest your random stretching efforts. In the same way that you might only eat veggies when trying to cut weight, stretching just…

24Dec 2020 by ritapt

Want to crush your New Year’s fitness resolutions? Try a past year review instead.

Lifting, Recovery, Running, Tactical

Want to crush your New Year’s fitness resolutions? Try a past year review instead. Well, it's almost that time again for New Year's resolutions. What's yours? Get stronger? Run a marathon? Look great naked? Stats on New Year's resolutions - especially those that involve fitness - are quite abysmal. According to studies, while 60 percent of us will make New Year's resolutions, only 8 percent of us will achieve them. You've probably seen it first hand: gyms that are packed on January 2 are ghost towns by March. So, if you've got a fitness resolution - or one on repeat from years past - how can you follow through and crush it this year? Inspired by a practice by entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, try a past year review first. By identifying what worked…

09Sep 2020 by ritapt

Play the long game: working out after COVID-19 infection

Recovery

Play the long game: working out after COVID-19 infection Written by: Dr. Rita Chorba DPT, ATC, SCS, CSCS and Dr. James Landis, MD, PhD Originally published in The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association A Serious Setback University of Houston defensive lineman Sedrick Williams, a JUCO All-American and conference MVP, tested positive for COVID-19 in July of 2020. Soon after, he began suffering from heart problems and could not continue practicing. Later, he announced he was opting-out of the football season due to ongoing viral complications. Williams made his decision after learning the fate of pro basketball player Michael Ojo. While practicing with his team, Ojo had also tested positive for coronavirus in July. Ojo recovered and resumed practice, but then suffered an apparent heart attack during…

28Feb 2020 by ritapt

How to talk to your doctor (so you don’t waste your time)

Recovery

How to talk to your doctor (so you don’t waste your time) It’s a pretty typical scenario - you wait weeks (or longer) to see a doctor only to clam up during the appointment and walk out with more questions than answers! It doesn’t make it easier when you’ve only got a few minutes to state your case. Many healthcare systems schedule doctors with a new patient every 15 minutes - or less. Unfortunately, with such busy schedules, doctors may be too quick to interrupt their patients. One study found that physicians may interrupt their patients after only 11 seconds of talking, and many didn’t give their patients a chance to explain the reason for their visit. 1 Not only have our clients experienced this but so have we! Over…

06Sep 2019 by ritapt

How You Can Increase Your Testosterone Levels Beyond Hunting Season

Recovery

How You Can Increase Your Testosterone Levels Beyond Hunting Season I had a blast teaming up with my mentor, Dr. James Landis, on this article about everyone’s favorite hormone, published in the most recent volume of The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association. Authors: Dr. Rita Chorba PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS and Dr. Jamie Landis MD, PhD Halfway through his 17th NFL season, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis suffered a torn triceps muscle during a game against the Dallas Cowboys. Sidelined for the rest of the season after surgery to repair the damaged tendon, Lewis roared back in the playoffs, leading the league for tackles that season, and helping the Ravens claim victory over the Cowboys in Superbowl XLVII. How did Lewis pull off such an amazing…

22Apr 2019 by ritapt No Comments

How To Choose Compression Socks or Sleeves for Shin Splints

Ankle-Foot, Recovery, Running, Tactical

How To Choose Compression Socks or Sleeves for Shin Splints Many runners find compression socks or calf sleeves helpful to relieve shin splints pain. Both types of compression can work, but which one should you try first? Here are our recommendations: Try compression socks first if: You have swelling below the ankle bonesYou have tendon pain around the ankle bonesYou have other foot issues such as plantar fasciitis or achilles tendinitis Try calf sleeves first if: You have large calf muscles that making sizing difficultYou get sweaty feet or deal with a lot of blistersYou have bunions (big toe deformity) For more in-depth explanation, including how to select the right size socks or sleeves, watch the video: https://youtu.be/24QU4Oz7Hhw Compression socks vs Compression sleeves —-Related Articles—- Why your shins hurt during…