Active people of all types can benefit from the expertise of a physical therapist. Athletes, weekend warriors, and people who work in physically demanding jobs all need strength, mobility, coordination, and endurance. Physical therapists are experts in human movement that help active people stay that way. Physical therapists can help with performance. They can break down the requirements of a specific physical task and then design a training program that will help people meet those demands. A program designed by a physical therapist will improve strength, flexibility, coordination, agility and speed. It will focus on improving areas where a person is weak while also further improving areas of strength. While looking at an athlete or active person’s strength, mobility, balance, and coordination to improve performance, they’ll also be looking to identify issues that could lead to injury. The plan created by a PT will include exercises or activities to specifically address these areas. A PT can also assess an existing training plan and help to identify areas that may that may lead to sprains, strains, or overtraining. No matter how much training and injury prevention someone does, injuries sometimes happen. Physical therapists have the knowledge and skills to help people recover from injuries faster. In cases of severe injuries, physical therapists help people recover from surgery. But in some cases, a physical therapist can help people with injuries avoid surgery in the first place. Physical Therapy is more than just a way to get back on your feet after an injury - it also helps people stay at the top of their game. Whether it’s an athlete, a dancer, or someone who wants to stay in shape, physical therapy can help reach performance goals. With the right exercises and treatments, physical therapists help people improve strength, flexibility, and endurance so they perform at their best while lowering injury risk.
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What is Functional Dry Needling?
We use an acupuncture needle, which does not contain any medication, to insert into the painful muscle in order to provide pain relief. All of our needles are sterile, one-time-use needles made from surgical grade metal. How does it work? It works on a few levels. It kick-starts the healing process to increase blood flow to the area and reset “trigger points” or hypersensitive areas in the muscle. It helps to retrain the pain center in the brain that controls the painful body part. What does it feel like? It varies patient to patient, but typically the patient does not feel the needle break the skin. Once inside the muscle, it feels like a cramping sensation. After the needle has been placed we use electrical stimulation to help reset the muscle and pain sensation, which feels like a comfortable tapping sensation. It feels like a workout soreness for usually 24 hours then pain relief is felt around 48 hours. How long does it take before I feel pain relief? Usually it takes 2-3 sessions before the patient feels significantly better. Sometimes it is sooner than 3 sessions, but on average 2-3. The pain relief can also be immediate, but usually felt around 48 hours following the session. What are the side effects/risks? Since there is no medication within the needles, there are very few risks and side effects. It is a great low risk option to tackle acute and chronic pain. Muscle soreness is the most common afterwards. Needles placed in the extremities are the lowest risk, as it is not near the lung field. Needles near/over the lung field are increased risk of a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) if the needle penetrates the field. Our clinicians are highly trained and experienced and have never had any adverse effects with their patients. What if I am on any blood thinners? The needles don’t usually cause any bleeding. Sometimes you may experience bruising at the site, but very rarely. What if I am pregnant or had recent surgery? We do not perform Functional Dry Needling if you are pregnant or have a current active infection. If you have had surgery within 6 weeks we stay away from the surgical site. If it’s been 12 weeks we can needle at the surgical site if we have clearance from your doctor. Can I try Functional Dry Needling even if I am not being treated as a patient? Yes! If you want to come in for a trial without being seen as an established patient we offer 20-30 minute sessions starting at $60 per session. Functional Dry Needling is always more effective in conjunction with Physical Therapy (manual therapy and exercise). If you are interested or have more questions, please call to speak with Dr. Jill, Dr. Bobbi or Dr. Heidi. We are happy to help and get you feeling better! |
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