Dry Needling

Dry Needling

What is it

Dry needling is a hands-on technique where a physiotherapist uses an extremely fine needle to treat painful, tight areas of muscle. It uses the same type of needle as acupuncture, but the approach is different. Rather than following traditional acupuncture principles, we use it to target “trigger points”. These are sensitive, knotted spots deep in a muscle that can cause the surrounding muscles to spasm and stay tight.

What is it for

Dry needling is used when muscular pain and tension are limiting how well you can move. Easing the pain and potentially increasing blood flow to the area may help speed up healing. With less pain, you can move more freely, and that’s the ideal time to get stuck into your rehabilitation exercises if you need them.

It can also help with general muscle soreness from heavy training loads, which is especially useful for athletes in season.

How does it work / what to expect

We tap the needle gently into position, which you may feel as a tiny prick. We then move it in and out of the muscle beneath the skin, aiming to trigger a brief “twitch” response in the tight muscle.

• We generally use one needle at a time and remove it as soon as we get a response from the trigger point.

• Treatment is usually over within a few minutes. We don’t normally leave a lot of needles in for a long period.

• Because the needles are so fine, you usually won’t feel much unless we find a trigger point. If we do, you might feel a pinching sensation.

Can I exercise afterwards? Most people can return to light exercise and normal activity straight away. We recommend avoiding heavy or high-intensity workouts for a day or two.

What might I feel afterwards? It’s common to feel an ache for about 24 hours, similar to how you’d feel the day after a hard workout.

Conditions it can help

Dry needling may be useful for:

• Muscle tightness and tension

• Trigger points and muscle spasm

• Muscle pain that’s limiting your movement

• General soreness from high training loads, particularly for athletes in season

It’s often used alongside massage and exercise rehabilitation as part of a broader treatment plan.

When it is not indicated

Dry needling is normally very safe, but it may not be suitable if you have:

• A bleeding disorder or vascular disease

• Anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) medication

• Pregnancy

• Diabetes

• A very acute injury, or swelling (oedema) in the area

• An infection, or a weakened immune system

There’s also a low but present risk of pneumothorax (punctured lung) when needling around the ribcage, neck and shoulder. Our physios are trained to avoid this as part of their certifications.