Who is Orthopedic Acupuncture good for?
- Professional & Amateur Athletes
- Crossfitters, Yogis, Orange Theory Enthusiasts, Runners, Swimmers, Bikers, Golfers, Tennis Players, more…
What is Orthopedic Acupuncture?
Orthopedic Acupuncture (Also called “Dry Needling” or “Medical Acupuncture” or “Motor Point Acupuncture”) focuses directly on improving the function of the body’s muscles and joints. The goal here is to improve a muscle’s performance, to get the muscle or muscles firing properly once again. Orthopedic acupuncture techniques are based on modern scientific research.
“Motor Muscle Inhibition occurs when the nerve that sends the impulse to contract a muscle becomes unable to function at its optimal capacity due to chemical or physical trauma (La Pera, 2001). This results in perceived weakness of that muscle which changes the biomechanics of the entire region.” –Dr. Anthony Lombardi
Many things can cause a muscle to be “weak”; new & old injuries, arthritis, bad posture, and over-training are just a few. When the muscle becomes inhibited, the joint or joints that it moves also can become affected, and over time, these can cause further pain, injury and inhibit mobility & sport performance.
What is Orthopedic Acupuncture good for?
- Sports injuries & Sports performance
- Chronic pain
- Surgical rehabilitation: Post-knee, shoulder, hip, neck and back surgeries.
Overstretched/Weak Muscles & Short/tight/Weak Muscles
Take the gluteus (buttocks) muscles for example. This muscle group is extremely strong but they fatigue easily. In the sitting position, the glutes are in a stretched position. Over time, sitting too much can cause over-stretching and muscle weakness which prevents the muscle(s) from performing optimally. No matter how many squats you do and no matter how big the muscle gets it will still, by this definition, be “weak”. A muscle can be as strong as possible, but if it doesn’t fire at the right time, it’s useless!
The glute muscles are responsible for raising your thigh to the side, rotating your leg and also thrusting your hips forward. If this muscle group is inhibited then OTHER muscles will compensate for the lack of firing/strength. Hip flexor muscles usually become shortened, tight & weak. Low back muscles and leg muscles can also compensate and cause pain. Abdominals, mid-back and other muscle groups all can be affected…
The good news is that for most people, this type of muscular weakness can be treated within a few treatments. Orthopedic acupuncture has been shown to “neuromodulate” the muscles treated, restoring the muscle to its regular length & elasticity while establishing the normal & regular function.
Orthopedic acupuncture also focuses on trigger points:
“Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyper-irritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders.”
Orthopedic acupuncture and dry needling techniques relax these tight bands and quickly and reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals. This relieves pain and restores function.
Once acupuncture techniques are performed, soft tissue is usually treated afterwards. “Gua Sha” (also sometimes referred to as “Graston Technique”) is used to break up myofascial adhesions. Fascia is connective tissue beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. Normally, sheets of fascia slide smoothly over one another. Injury, over-training, inflammation and other causes can cause adhesions to form, which prevent normal gliding and elasticity. Soft tissue techniques can help to break up the adhesions and improve mobility. Patients usually experience immediate improvement in stiffness, pain and movement following.