Dry Needling

(Western Medical Acipuncture)

Dry Needling (or western medical acupuncture as it also referred as), is a therapeutic modality involving the insertion of fine needles.

It is an adaptation of Chinese acupuncture using current knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, and the principles of evidence based medicine.

While Dry Needling has evolved from Chinese acupuncture, its practitioners no longer adhere to concepts such as Yin/Yang and circulation of qi, and regard acupuncture as part of conventional medicine rather than a complete alternative medical system.

Mark will use dry needling where he feels it is appropriate either as an adjunct to the osteopathic treatment or as a treatment in its own right as applicable. Patients will be given a full consultation and briefing about the proposed treatment and will answer any questions before any treatment using dry needling is undertaken with your consent.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves which are directed to affected tissues. The aim of ultrasound in physical therapy is to stimulate blood circulation and cell activity.

It is thought to help reduce pain and swelling and speed up healing. Therapeutically it can be used in all stages of treatment and in chronic (long duration) injuries it is purported to help soften scar tissue in the affected areas.

Corrective Exercise Therapy 

Exercise therapy covers a whole range of potential advice from encouraging gentle daily activity to a more structured exercise programme.

Often simple exercises/movement strategies may be advised to help offset some of the repetitive demands of daily living such as spending many hours sat at a desk working on our computers.

Muscle imbalance can be a cause of pain for an individual or the underlying reason an injury has occurred. Muscles work in pairs and if the balance is off an injury may occur. For example a hamstring strain my have resulted because the opposing hip flexor muscle are tight and forced the hamstrings to work too hard.

Another example might be tight chest muscles pulling the shoulders forward resulting in upper back pain because the upper back muscles are stretched. Please see attached blog articles for a deeper dive into these topics.

Kinesiologoy Taping

Kinesiology tape is a thin, stretchy, elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive that is almost identical to human skin in both thickness and elasticity.

Kinesiology tape is used for treating athletic injuries and a variety of physical disorders and is applied along muscles, ligaments, and tendons (soft tissue) to provide a lightweight, external support that helps you remain active while recovering from injuries.

The tape creates neuromuscular feedback (called proprioception) that inhibits (relaxes) or facilitates stronger firing of muscles and tendons. This feedback creates support elements without the bulk and restriction commonly associated with wraps and heavy bracing.

Typically professional athletes use kinesiology taping to improve their sporting performance, prevent injury and allow them to return to sport quicker. The tape, however, is not exclusively for the use of professional athletes and your therapist will decide if this is the most appropriate treatment method.