Dry Needling: Unlocking Performance and Recovery
Introduction:
Dry Needling is the use of a thin needle inserted into a muscle (or tendon) to stimulate the muscle, causing it to contract/twitch, and bring blood flow to the area. Dry Needling has been growing in popularity over the last few decades for the treatment in musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Dry Needling benefits include: releasing of muscle tightness, improved mobility, pain relief, reducing inflammation, promoting healing, and speeding up recovery time.
What is dry needling?
Dry Needling is the use of a fine filament (aka thin) needle into the muscle. Often times the needle is used to create a twitch response from a trigger point to release and reset the muscle fibers. This reset allows the entire muscle to work properly again. At SportsFit Physical Therapy electrical stimulation (estim) is used after the needle is inserted to create many contractions of the muscle to help promote blood flow and fatigue the muscle.
Dry Needling is very different than acupuncture, despite the needles being similar. Dry Needling is done by a physical therapist, athletic trainer, chiropractor or MD, using Eastern Medicine to release trigger points and improve muscle tightness and dysfunction. Acupuncture uses Western Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and targets Qi, or the energy flow, in your body.
Why Athletes use dry needling:
Athletes of all kinds (professional, amateur, and weekend-warriors) are turning to Dry Needling for injury management and recovery. It is common for athletes to sustain overuse injuries, as well as sprains and strains, and research shows that Dry Needling is a very effective tool in rehabbing these injuries. By bringing blood flow to the area and lengthening the muscles, it allows the body to heal itself faster. It also helps aid in pain relief.
Dry Needling is a great recovery tool for muscle soreness as well. Have a big race or competition coming up? Try Dry Needling the next day to recovery faster!
Conditions treated with dry needling
Dry Needling is great for so many conditions, most commonly:
Muscle strains
Muscle tightness
Tendinopathies - patellar, achilles, rotator cuff, quad, hamstring, lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis
Chronic pain
Rotator cuff impingement, strains, tears
Plantar fasciitis
Tennis elbow
Golfers elbow
Back pain
Neck pain
benefits of dry needling for athletic performance
Most athletes like to push their bodies to the limit. Regular dry needling sessions can help them perform at their best and recovery faster. Dry needling can improve your range of motion, helping you get more flexible and hit positions you had trouble with before (think squat depth for CrossFit and Weightlifting, or a better back handspring for gymnasts). It can also enhance neuromuscular activation and improve movement patterns - think moving more efficiently by recruiting all the right muscles. Dry Needling can also accelerate recovery between training sessions which allows athletes to get back to training feeling better.
What to expect during a dry needling session
When you come in for a dry needling session with me, I will assess the area or areas to be treated, discuss a plan with you, then begin the treatment. I will place between one and four needles to the affected area, sometimes you will feel a twitch from the muscle as the needle is inserted. It will not be painful like getting a shot, more of a deep ache in the muscle being treated. Once the needle is inserted I will use electrical stimulation (estim) to the needle and you will feel the muscle contracting and relaxing. The needle and estim will be in the muscle anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes depending on the injury and the desired outcome.
Dry Needling for injuries is usually performed 1-2 times per week to start and then reduced in frequency as the tissue heals. When getting Dry Needled for recovery, it is best to get it done as soon after the event as possible. I also have patients set up on wellness or maintenance schedule anywhere from once a week to once a month to work on problem areas, stay recovered, and feel their best.
Post-needling you may feel a little sore, like you did a workout. I always describe this as similar to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) but it is immediate instead of delayed. This soreness can last for a few hours up to a day, depending on the person and the body part treated. It is best to keep the body moving post-needling to reduce soreness and to re-train the muscles to perform optimally. I give all my patients “homework” exercises to do after each session. If needed, you can use heat or Tylenol for the soreness, although this is not usually necessary.
is dry needling safe?
Dry Needling is very safe. Only licensed professionals such as Physical Therapist, Athletic Trainers, Chiropractors, MD’s who are trained and certified in dry needling can perform this procedure on patients. Some contraindications and precautions for dry needling are: being on blood thinners, having a pace maker, having a high risk for infection, pregnancy, and impaired wound healing (diabetic).
Conclusion:
Dry Needling is a safe and effective way for people to rehab from injuries and for athletes to train harder, recovery faster, and stay pain free! If you are interested in seeing how dry needling can help you, click the button below to schedule an appointment today: