running Archives - Rita Chorba, PT

08Jul 2023 by ritapt

Web Workshop: How To Choose Running Shoes

Running

Web Workshop: How To Choose Running Shoes Thanks so much for having me, guys. This talk today is a small part of something that came out of our frustration that there are so many different running shoes, so many different brands, so many different sponsors for all of that. How do we make sense of it? And so we kind of talked about let's get back to the basics. My name is Rita Chorba, I'm a physical therapist and athletic trainer, and I've been in the field for about 15 years. I started out working with runners at the University of Arizona, and they taught me a lot about really high-level, elite-level running. And then for the last several years, I've been working as a civilian for the military. So…

31Jan 2023 by ritapt

Do you need a wider shoe? Here’s a quick way to check.

Running

Do you need a wider shoe? Here’s a quick way to check. This article was originally published in The Raider Patch: Magazine of the U.S. Marine Raider Association Are your shoes or boots too tight? Even if you've worn the same size for years, you may start to notice discomfort. This is because your foot size and shape can change throughout your lifetime - sometimes up to a full size bigger! If your footwear is too tight, blood flow to the muscles will be restricted, and your foot will be unable to spread naturally to absorb shock. In addition, a constricted foot can cause over-pronation, where the foot collapses inward too much over the edge of the shoe's platform. Here's a quick way to check the width of your shoe compared…

20Jun 2021 by ritapt

Can you rebuild knee cartilage?

Lifting, Lower Body, Running, Tactical

Can you rebuild knee cartilage? I worked with a Marine coming off a long deployment with poor gym access. An avid lifter with all things barbell, he mentioned that he had started to develop dull, achy pain behind both kneecaps upon return to regular gym workouts. He also reported that his knee joints felt “swollen” the day after a heavy lifting session. “I had X-rays, and they said I had some arthritis, that my knees had lost some cartilage. Can we do anything about that? I miss lifting like I used to,” he said. What does cartilage do? Knee cartilage is a network of tightly packed cells and water molecules that form a thick, dense cushion over the ends of bones. Strong cartilage is firm, smooth, and slick, like the…

17May 2021 by ritapt

Are my shoes (or boots) causing blisters?

Ankle-Foot, Running, Tactical

Question: Are my shoes (or boots) causing blisters? A common cause of blisters is shoes or boots that are too tight or too loose. One of our clients is a "seasonal" runner who routinely starts training for his annual running/physical fitness test about two months out. This year, he began noticing blisters on his pinky toes. Though he ramped up his miles abruptly (going from 0 to 15 miles per week…in 2 weeks), he denied experiencing foot blisters since way back in boot camp. He had, however, bought a new pair of shoes for his upcoming physical fitness test. Answer: Check the shoe’s liner 1. Remove the liner insert from the shoe and stand on it. The size and shape of the liner should match your foot all the way around.…

08Nov 2020 by ritapt

How to treat your own back pain (and when you shouldn’t)

Spine

How to treat your own back pain (and when you shouldn’t) "Here's what you should do about low back pain…" Tell someone you've thrown your back out again, and this is the typical advice you'll get. Friends and family mean well, but without knowing the cause of your pain, there's not much that anyone can tell you confidently that will apply to your situation. Unfortunately, finding someone who knows how to help you often takes effort. You should do it, but we know life gets in the way. If the pain isn't that bad or doesn't show up very often, you might put it off. But this would be a mistake because the next time back pain shows up, you might not have the time or energy needed to give…

06Jul 2020 by ritapt

How to manage a pulled hamstring caused by sprinting and limit downtime from running: A first aid guide

Lower Body, Running

How to manage a pulled hamstring caused by sprinting and limit downtime from running: A first aid guide "Pop" You hear the sound followed by intense pain shooting along the back of your thigh that stops you dead in your tracks. You may have pulled or "strained" a hamstring muscle (there are 3). This injury occurs when the muscle fibers overstretch so quickly that they cannot contract to protect themselves in time. Hamstring strains often happen during a quick sprint effort, such as picking up the pace during a running workout or stopping short to avoid crashing into a slow pedestrian. Even a quick burst effort to chase after your dog on a breakaway from the leash can land you in some severe hamstring hurt. While most hamstring strains will…

28May 2020 by ritapt No Comments

Why your shins hurt during formation runs and what you can do to keep going: A first aid guide

Lower Body, Running

Why your shins hurt during formation runs and what you can do to keep going: A first aid guide "Pain is weakness leaving the body" - said no one with shin splints, ever! Ever suffered from shin pain with running? It might be shin splints. While not usually caused by weakness, the pain of shin splints can bring even the best runners to their knees. Shin splints are the common name for medial tibial stress syndrome. In this condition, the shin muscles and bone are overloaded by running and other impact sports. Most shin splints are caused by "too much, too soon." A rapid increase in running distance or volume without a proper conditioning base is usually to blame. However, when you have to run in a group, shin splints…

Tag: running