I know I know, it sounds like some form of medieval torture or something you’d only find in a horror movie. Newington CT’s top Personal Trainer explains that there is nothing to be scared of here! Dry needling is a form of therapeutic release for myofascial trigger points. In laymen’s terms it is a quick, effective, and virtually painless way to release those painful muscular knots! Dr. Janet Travell was a leading doctor and medical research, who specialized in myofascial research. She was the first person to coin the term dry needling do describe the procedure use to release trigger points using needles that are dry (meaning nothing is injected). Although she coined this term in her book Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: Trigger Point Manual about 20 or 30 years ago, what she described has been used for generations in various cultures.
Dry needling has roots in traditional medicine, such as acupuncture but has recently been accepted by many western medical practitioners as a viable method of releasing trigger points. The majority of current dry needling have no ties to traditional medicine and it is being used by many medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine, doctors of chiropractic, and doctors of physical therapy!
Newington CT Personal Trainer continues…
As the top personal trainer in Newington CT, I am self admittedly, by no means an expert in this topic. What I DO have experience with; as do many of my clients; and anyone who has spent an extensive time working, is trigger points. Trigger points, commonly referred to as knots, are a frequently and naturally occurrence of muscle fibers that have bundled and tightened up causing lots of discomfort and pain. This pain can be extensive and can also cause referred pain. Referred pain, is pain that is in one part of the body but caused by an issue somewhere else in the kinetic chain. Prior to Dr. Travell’s research many doctors misdiagnosed this pain has other, more serious, ailments. Often the simple solution to this agonizing pain is to get the muscle bundle to relax and “release”.
Up until the popularity of dry needling, the typical way to release these trigger points was either manual therapy (massage) or self-myofascial release (foam rolling). As a top personal trainer in Newington CT, I am well versed in foam rolling. This can and often will release trigger points BUT it will generally take multiple sessions and lots of discomfort; and anyone who has ever had a deep tissue massage, knows how uncomfortable it can be! The benefit of dry needling is that the procedure is often quite painless and can often complete release and alleviate a trigger point in ONE session. Usually, the only discomfort a client will feels is a mild soreness afterwards (as if they had worked out). With dry needling, no more painful long foam rolling sessions!
Now, as a Personal Trainer, it is not in my scope of practice to be able to perform this revolutionary technique. That is why I have a great connection with a very well trusted physical therapy office. By referring my clients to a physical therapist, we can often get these ailments cured in one session letting us workout harder and keep getting results. As well as being able to relieve trigger points with dry needling Physical Therapist can diagnose if the pain is indeed a trigger point or something more. This is why I always ensure to keep these working relationships strong!
Now time for your best Personal Trainer in Newington to talk about muscle confusion!!!
