If you train hard and push your body, pain and discomfort are a natural part of the process.
But sometimes, your body sends signals that are worth listening to.
- Your hip has been achey every time squats show up in your programming for the past few months.
- Your shoulder has been making you wince every time you jump up on a pull-up bar or put a barbell over your head.
- Your calf has been tight since your last long training run and it's starting to affect your stride.
If those sound familiar, dry needling might be the missing piece in your recovery. At Pack PT, we use it as a targeted tool to reduce pain fast so you can get back to training sooner.
BOOK YOUR FREE PHONE CONSULTWhat is dry needling?
Dry needling is a form of soft tissue treatment where a thin filiform needle is inserted into a trigger point — a tender, hypersensitive spot in your muscle tissue. The needle is manipulated manually or connected to an electrical stimulation device to produce a "twitch response," a brief contraction in the muscle that helps reduce tension, improve range of motion, and decrease pain. It's called "dry" needling because no medication is injected.
Dr. Matt is certified in trigger point dry needling through Myopain Seminars, where he completed their advanced program to earn his Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist (CMTPT) credential — one of the most rigorous dry needling certifications available.
At Pack PT, dry needling is our first-line intervention for musculoskeletal pain that's limiting your movement. We won't promise it's a miracle cure, but it's a highly effective tool — safer than a cortisone shot, and most patients notice results right there in the office. We perform a thorough movement assessment beforehand to identify the specific muscles that will give you the most benefit, not just the spot that hurts.
What happens after the needle comes out matters just as much as the needling itself. Dry needling creates a window where your body can move and load with less pain and irritation — and we take immediate advantage of it. The targeted exercise work we do right after is what turns short-term pain relief into lasting change.
Who is Dry Needling For?
- CrossFit and strength athletes dealing with chronic muscle tightness or tendon pain — rotator cuff tendinopathy, shoulder impingement, low back pain, patellar tendinopathy, upper trap tightness
- Runners and endurance athletes managing pain during training or race prep — runner's knee, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, calf strains, IT band syndrome
- Active adults who overdid it and need to get back on track fast — tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, hamstring strains, hip flexor pain
- Post-surgical patients looking to optimize recovery and rebuild strength — ACL rehab, rotator cuff repair, Achilles tendon repair
- Anyone dealing with recurring pain that keeps coming back no matter what they try — low back pain, neck pain, cervicogenic headaches, glute pain, sciatica
Frequently Asked Questions
Dry needling is NOT acupuncture! We use the same needles and oftentimes target similar areas, but the application and methodology is quite different. Acupunture typically utilizes an Eastern Medicine approach and the needles are typically applied over large areas of the body and placed superficially in the skin. Dr. Matt was trained to perform trigger point dry needling utilizing a thorough movement based exam and determine the specific muscles to treat that will provide maximum relief. We always follow up the needling with strength and mobilit work to lock in the gains!
Dry needling produces a sensation similar to a strong cramp or charlie horse. It can be uncomfortable at times and afterwards you might feel sore, just like post-workout soreness. That soreness is normal and typically goes away after 24-48 hours. The best thing you can do for the soreness is to move!
The true answer is it depends. Typically, patients notice very good results after just one treatment. However, the number of sessions varies based on how long you have been in pain - chronic pain often takes more sessions to work through while newer injuries respond faster. Our approach is to provide the minimum effective dose - as much as you need to feel relief without overdoing it.
Dry needling is a very safe intervention when performed by a qualified professional like Dr. Matt. The risk of serious adverse events from a Myopain Trained specialist is 0.04%, and Dr. Matt takes great caution in ensuring every patient has a safe experience with him, whether they have been needled 100 times or never at all.
Yes! In fact, we're going to MAKE you exercise after you have been needled! Movement helps reinforce the pain relief, strengthen the tissues, and own the new range of motion created through dry needling.
We only use dry needling on patients it's appropriate for and who are on board with it — consent is non-negotiable. Not everyone is comfortable with needles and that's completely fine. We'll always find an alternative approach if it's not for you.
Ready to try dry needling to relieve your pain?
Pack Performance PT offers dry needling in Rocky Hill, CT for active adults and fitness athletes throughout Glastonbury, Newington, Wethersfield, Cromwell, and Central Connecticut. If you've been dealing with stubborn pain that isn't responding to massage, stretching, or adjustments, dry needling might be exactly what you need.
