By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT Myofascial pain can mean a lot of things, but in essence it is the painful condition that results from alterations in the muscle and fascial system of the body. Any area of the body can be affected, and it can manifest as muscle pain, referred pain, stiffness, and...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT As a new mom myself (I have an 18-month-old son), this topic/diagnosis has been on my mind recently. New parents place so many biomechanical demands on their bodies while we are assuming many different and awkward positions. These are often unaccustomed and repetitive or sustained positions, i.e. a...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT One of the most remarkable and distinct characteristics of trigger points is referred pain. Elimination of trigger points being one of the intents of dry needling. When looking at the referred pain patterns of easily accessible muscles you will find that many of them can refer and mimic...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT A less common source of knee pain and discomfort after knee surgery can be addressed with dry needling by a Physical Therapist. In this case, a patient who is post knee arthroscopy and progressing well can still having medial (inner) knee discomfort towards the end of their plan-of-care....
Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons patients seek care from their primary care physician and Physical Therapist. The most common shoulder diagnosis among these patients is impingement. This diagnosis occurs when soft tissue structures in the shoulder, such as the rotator cuff, are compressed between the bones of the shoulder. Although a...
Headaches are one of the most common reasons patients seek care by a Physical Therapist. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy practices we have found optimal outcomes and fewer visits for treating many headaches types including cervicogenic headaches. These headaches are driven from the neck (cervical spine) and cause pain referral to...
Waking up with a stiff neck or struggling through the day with persistent neck pain can be incredibly frustrating, not to mention disruptive to your daily schedule. If you can’t even turn your head without wincing in pain, even simple tasks like driving to the grocery store become monumental hurdles. Naturally, the best way to...
Dry needling treatments performed by Physical Therapists have gained in popularity among both clinicians and patients with low back pain. The treatment is designed to reduce pain and restore muscle function. Inserting small, monofilament needs into trigger points within painful muscle groups can lead to immediate changes in pain and movement. While the mechanism of...
Dry needling is an intervention commonly utilized by our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinicians to treat muscle pain and tightness secondary to trigger points or taut bands of muscular tissue. Authors continue to research what causes trigger points and why they cause symptoms. Current evidence describes abnormal circulation as the taut muscle...
Dry needling is a common treatment intervention provided by Physical Therapists in our Boulder and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics. When combined with other interventions, including manual therapy and exercise, dry needling can be an effective method to treat sources of myofascial or muscular pain. Dry needling can be performed with or without electrical stimulation. Previous...