4 Common Questions About Dry Needling:
When I bring up the technique of Performance Dry Needling with my clients in the Pickerington area I get a few common reactions. They either cringe, immediately start to sweat or nervously ask what I'm talking about. All these reactions will depend on your fear level with needles or if you have ever had dry needling techniques performed on you in the past. I’m going to give my most simple summary of the technique and how it works. I also want to make one bold statement. The technique of Performance Dry Needling is hands down the most effective treatment option we have at Athletes’ Potential! Hopefully after reading this article you will have a better understanding of why we like it so much and what you can expect.
Is Dry Needling The Same As Acupuncture?
Absolutely not! I am not an acupuncturist. I am a physical therapist with advanced training in the technique of dry needling and developed my own variation of the technique called Performance Dry Needling. Acupuncture is a very old and well-respected practice that targets meridian lines in the body. The intent of acupuncture is to restore balance in the body by targeting specific points that match up with the meridian lines. This treatment could be for musculoskeletal pain or even internal sickness such as gut irritation. I have had many clients get great results with chronic pain issues when going in for acupuncture treatment. One of the only similarities that dry needling has with acupuncture is the actual needles that are used in the technique.
Dry needling is much more of an anatomical approach, meaning we focus on treating specific muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves. There are also specific areas in the muscles that tighten up called trigger points. This can happen for a number of reasons, but we know that treating these areas with dry needling is very effective. I don’t know much about chi and meridian lines. I do know a lot about the anatomy of the human body and that is what guides the choice for where to perform dry needling.
How Did Performance Dry Needling Come About?
I began using performance dry needling when working with college and professional athletes training during the off-season. The off-season is the time for athletes to rebuild and repair their bodies to withstand the grueling demands of the competitive season. There’s no time to be wasted during the off-season. Performance dry needling allowed them to recover faster so they could train harder day in and day out. I wanted to see if I could use the dry needling techniques that I had been using successfully with my clients that were injured and transition those techniques to a competitive group. The athletes put in huge volumes of training and push their bodies to the limit. With high volumes of training comes increased risk for injury. Performance Dry Needling was the solution to help with increased recovery and to help these athletes maintain better movement during their training sessions. By targeting specific muscles, tendons and ligaments with needles, we were able to dramatically increase recovery. Recover faster, train harder and win more often!
Does Dry Needling Hurt?
Simply put yes, it's uncomfortable but so does laying on a lacrosse ball for a few minutes! Everyone tolerates this technique differently depending on their fear of needles, pain tolerance and severity of injury. The technique is made as painless as possible, but soreness can linger for 1-2 days after the treatment. You can also expect significant changes in mobility, decrease in pain, and increase in performance after the treatment.
Where Does Dry Needling Work The Best?
In my experience dry needling has the greatest effect on the spine. This is the one area I treat the most no matter if your pain is in your actual spine or your knee. Our body often refers pain to our arms and legs from issues starting at the spine. Think of Performance Dry Needling to the spine as a reset to the muscles that are treated. If you have a problem with your computer what tends to fix it? Restarting it! We can help get muscles functioning better around the spine which has a significant effect on your overall performance.
Whether you’ve been dealing with a nagging injury or ache that you just can’t seem to kick. Or if you’re looking to be able to recover better and faster so you can train harder. Click the button below to schedule your free consult to see if dry needling is an option for you.