 |
| Hurts so good |
Strength training, core training. Yes, you’ve heard it, read it and maybe are
doing it. Good for you. I do it too, but sometimes it’s not enough
for the amount of stress we put on our bodies.
What I want to talk about is something a little more unconventional, and
something I have used extensively here in Hong Kong that can really help unwind
a tight body. Dry needle therapy. No, not acupuncture, although acupuncture may
help with other issues.
According to Liam Fitzpatrick, an Australian sports therapist who specializes in
trigger point, muscle and fascia release using various modalities, including dry
needling, “Dry needling
is very useful when a specific trigger point needs to be released. It can be
more effective than hands on soft tissue work (massage and stretching) because
the introduction of a foreign body into the muscle or other soft tissue
stimulates a fight response and the body sends all the 'good stuff/fresh blood'
to that specific area to flush out the muscular contraction or adhesion. With
massage or stretching, the target is very broad and the response not quite so
strong.” Sound like what you need? Read on…
Using Needles to
Unlock Muscles
My first experience with dry needling was in South
Africa. Four days before Comrades last
year, I found myself on a sports physiotherapist table in Durban hoping for a
solid rub down before the race. The
physio thoroughly worked through my legs, hips and back, but got to my calves
and said “wow, this calf is kind of locked up.
Do you mind if I pop a needle in there?”
Knowing that Comrades was an uphill course that year, and knowing that
my calf was my weak spot, and judging from her thoroughness and expertise in
physiotherapy (she was the lead physio for all physio stations along the
Comrades course), I thought, what the heck, I trust her, let’s see how it goes.
Basically she took an acupuncture type
needle that was longer and broader in diameter than a typical acupuncture
needle, and inserted it into my calf.
Deep. Into the belly of my soleus. I felt a deep ache as if my calf was on the
verge of a strong contraction. Then she cheerfully
said “I’ll be back in 15 minutes. Give a
shout if you need anything.” So for 15
minutes I sweated, ready to let out a cry at any moment, thinking my calf was
going to go into a horrible contraction.
Relax relax relax I told myself.
The contraction never came.
Slowly the muscle released. I
was very sore that night and the next day, but I had a range a motion I haven’t
had in a long time. And I had zero
tightness or issues running the 54 miles of pavement with an uphill slant that
was Comrades 2011.
 |
| Right where it's tight |
Dry Vs Wet, Acupuncture
Vs Sport Therapy
“Dry needling” means that the therapist is not using any
fluid for injections. The needle is dry. If the needle was a vehicle for transporting
anything into the body (i.e. flu shot), it would be a “wet” needle.
How does dry needling differ from acupuncture? Acupuncture works on a meridian system where
needles are inserted into the body along meridians that tie to energy pathways
in the body as well as organs (i.e. Kidney, Liver, Spleen). The goal of acupuncture is to move your qi
(pronounced “chi”), and to stimulate different organs that may be in a depleted
state. I have used acupuncture for
helping with sleep, digestion, as well as to help recover energetically.
Dry needling for sports therapy differs significantly in two
ways: 1) The needle is placed where the
“pain” or tightness is; and 2) Needles are typically longer/larger and are inserted
deeper than acupuncture needles. Often
dry needles for sports injuries will be inserted at an angle until the
therapist hits some resistance which may signal an adhesion or a locked up
muscle. The needle is then just slightly
drawn back and possibly reinserted deeper.
 |
| Package of Needles |
There is an art to dry needling. If you want to try it, make sure you find
someone who is trained and well practiced in dry needling for sports therapy. When I was living in Bend, Oregon I couldn’t
find anyone who practiced dry needling, so I asked an acupuncturist to try the dry
needling technique. Unfortunately, I
never experienced the degree of muscle release that I was looking for. Once I moved to Hong Kong, I sought out a
therapist who used dry needles, thinking HK was a place where I could find this
East meets West type therapy. Here in
Hong Kong, I see Liam Fitzpatrick at Myoactive Therapy. Liam has been using dry needling along with
other modalities on athletes here in Hong Kong for the past 6+years. He has been instrumental in getting me back
on my feet after a hip and hamstring injury left over from tripping on a run
shortly after Western States last year.
It’s only been in the last six weeks of consistent dry needling of my
hamstring, hip and back that I have been able to get back to running without
any pain.
Running without pain is all we ask for, right? Then
we can add in the mileage and the quality that enables us to do what we love -
- run on the edge.
