 Dry needling is a technique utilized by physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and other healthcare professionals to decrease pain and improve movement patterns. Read on to learn more about dry needling.
2. Is it acupuncture? Although dry needling may sound a lot like acupuncture, the only real similarity is the tool (needle) used. During acupuncture, needles are applied along specific acupoints and meridians in the body to balance forces that produce the body’s Qi. During dry needling, needles are applied to specific tissues causing neural or muscular dysfunction and are based on the clinician’s assessment and the client’s movement dysfunctions. Training for acupuncture and dry needling is separate, although some healthcare providers may practice both acupuncture and dry needling. 3. What should I expect during dry needling? If a clinician decides that dry needling may be a good technique to assist in your healing process, they will bring it up and discuss any possible risks involved. The exact techniques used will differ depending on your provider and their assessment, but can involve anywhere from one to ten or more needles, and may involve different techniques such as pistoning or use of electrical stimulation. Dry needling is sometimes painless since the needles are so small, but sometimes can feel like a deep, cramping sensation. You may also experience twitches in the muscle if it’s irritated. 4. What should I do after? After a dry needling session, you may experience some soreness, as if you just did a really tough workout, which may last 1-2 days. The best thing to do to help with soreness is to keep your body moving! You may also use ice or heat if it feels good. A small percentage of people may notice a bruise after dry needling, but oftentimes, you won’t even be able to see where the needle was. Dry needling is a great technique that can help with a variety of conditions and movement dysfunctions. If you are interested in learning more, or are currently dealing with a nagging pain or injury, click HERE to schedule a 1:1 visit with a Doctor of Physical Therapy to get you back to living and moving pain-free! Thanks for reading! Dr. Chrissy PT
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 Have you recently experienced an injury such as an ankle sprain, shoulder injury, or low back strain? Oftentimes, athletes will head to urgent care after a musculoskeletal injury to get care, only to be told “rest, ice, elevate, and take ibuprofen - it’ll get better in a few weeks” and are shown the door. While instructions like “R.I.C.E.” (rest, ice, compression, elevation) can be helpful short-term, they don’t get you back to functional activities or competitive sports.
Here are steps you can take following an injury to get you back to activity:
If you have recently suffered an injury, have yet to return to the level you performed at before an injury, or would like to level-up your performance and optimize your movement, click HERE to schedule a 1:1 visit with a Doctor of Physical Therapy to get back to your favorite activities! Thanks for reading! Dr. Chrissy, PT, DPT  Are you an avid runner who has achy knees after going for a run? Unfortunately, this seems to be a common complaint we hear from athletes and throughout the running community. Are you ready to get rid of your knee pain for good? Follow these steps for relief! 1. Level up your cross-training! How often are you doing other forms of exercise, such as swimming, resistance training, or yoga? One of the best ways to combat aching or overuse injuries is to move in other ways. Our bodies and muscles are made to move in all directions, and with running we move repetitively and in the same pattern. Running is also a high-impact exercise, which can be harder on our joints. Mix up your exercise by incorporating other activities such as cycling, swimming, resistance training, or yoga at least twice per week. 2. Add in single-leg strengthening If you think about it, running is just a series of single-leg hops! In general, we recommend that ALL athletes include at least one single-sided exercise per workout, and runners need even more as they spend so much time on one leg. During your next leg workout, try adding in some lunges, pistol squats, or single-leg bridges! 3. Make sure you are getting adequate rest This goes for both “rest days” and sleeping! Most adults should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night, but some people do require more to feel fully rested! As for rest days - you should be taking at least one day per week off of running. Try incorporating other types of exercise and active recovery such as yoga and mobility work during your rest day! Try implementing these tips during your training, and send these tips to your running buddies! If you continue to have knee pain while running, click HERE to schedule a 1:1 visit with YOUR Doctor of Physical Therapy to get you back to CRUSHING your runs! Thanks for reading! :) Dr. Chrissy, PT, DPT |
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