Maybe you have heard from your friends or fellow competitors that they have tried dry needling and they have been very pleased with their results. So you wonder if you could benefit from dry needling? The answer is…it depends on your injury! So let’s dive deeper into understanding what dry needling is? Who can benefit from it? And the next steps you can take NOW to get started.
So what is dry needling?
We often get asked if it is the same as acupuncture? The answer is NO. They are similar in the fact that a thin solid needle is inserted into the skin, but where it differs is the location. In physical therapy we aim to insert the needle into “trigger points” or better said at the knots within the muscle bellies in order to reduce muscle tension, reduce pain, improve blood flow, create neurological effects, restore muscle function, and reduce inflammation. Whereas, acupuncturists aim at restoring the balance of energy flow through meridians.
Click here to check out dry needling in action!
Dry needling and its role in the recovery cycle:
- Muscle tension: dry needling helps break up tight muscles to restore the muscles range of motion
- Pain relief: dry needling helps in releasing endorphins which are the body’s natural pain killers
- Improves blood flow: dry needling helps in increasing circulation which helps deliver rich oxygen and nutrients to the injured area to speed up recovery
- Neurological effects: dry needling helps in resetting the nervous system to allow for improved motor control, and decrease pain sensitivity
- Restore muscle function: dry needling helps restore muscle tone which aids in improving the muscles capacity to activate
- Reduces inflammation: dry needling helps improve blood circulation thus reducing the amount of time the inflammation lingers in an area
Dry needling can be used to help recovery from an injury, improve mobility, or even as a maintenance treatment to keep you training so you can recover quickly. You may have used massage, cold plunges, or normatech recovery boots to help you recover from a race or hard training. Dry needling is an even more direct way to recovery because it results in actual physiological changes in your body: such as improved pH levels, improved oxygenation of your muscles, and improved muscle recruitment! Honestly…it’s truly a magical treatment.
The doctors at Body Moksha Physical Therapy get dry needling treatment all the time to recover from their lifting workouts…and so do many of the endurance athletes that we see.
Click here to what long distance swimmer and tri coach Ali Headley has to say about Dry Needling!
Who can benefit from dry needling?
Dry needling is a technique that certified physical therapists can utilize in order to treat muscle tension and spasms, myofascial pain syndrome, chronic pain conditions, headaches, sports injuries, headaches, and post surgical procedures. Therefore, we can utilize the needles to treat any pain that is noted along the neck, shoulder, forearm, back, hips, and lower legs. So if you find yourself suffering with any of these injuries or conditions YOU SHOULD give dry needling a try.
If you’re curious about what dry needling is and if it’s right for you, call or text at 973-310-2678 today! We open 5 slots per week for free trials and these get filled up FAST…so grab one now before they’re all gone!
Learn more about Dry Needling at Body Moksha Physical Therapy here!