Dry Needling, Acupuncture and Lower Limb Mobilisation Adelaide
Acupuncture and dry needling may be used as an adjunct therapy for your foot and leg pain including; Knee Pain, runners knee, Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome, Achilles tendinitis, ankle sprains, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, hamstring strain, shin splints and lower back pain.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a health technique that stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. It involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific sites (acupuncture points) along the body's meridians to clear energy blockages and encourage the normal flow of Qi (energy) through the patient. Acupuncture is a complementary health approach that first originated in ancient China more than 2,500 years ago and has been evolving ever since.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is based on Western medicine principles and is an effective and efficient technique for the treatment of muscular pain and myofascial dysfunction. It involves the insertion of fine, sterile acupuncture needles to target specific myofascial trigger points. Myofascial trigger points are areas in the muscles that have become stressed or injured and form contracted knots in the muscles. Dry needling stimulates a sensory response from within the muscle fibres causing a release of the construction and allowing normal muscle function.
What will I feel?
The sensation you will feel when being needled is generally fairly minimal. In some cases, you will feel almost nothing, while in others the needle will be rotated slightly until you feel a heavy or distended feeling indicating the arrival of Qi (energy). The needle is usually left inserted for 5-10 minutes.
When should I feel improvement?
While many people will feel some change in their condition immediately or within the first 2-4 treatments, others with more serious or recalcitrant conditions will need months of treatment before a significant change occurs.
Foot and Leg Mobilisation
Mobilisation and manipulation are a physical (manual) therapy commonly used by Physiotherapist, Osteopaths, Podiatrists and Chiropractors for decades. Foot Mobilisation is a gentle precise pressure used to move (mobilise) bones, reduce joint restrictions and improve bone alignment. It works by improving the mobility and congruency of joints in the feet. This allows muscles to work more efficiently around those joints and therefore establishes better movement pathways and can relieve pain.
The practitioners at the SA Running Injury Clinic are trained to gently mobilise joints to allow them to function more appropriately and therefore re-establish good muscle function. The can form a vital part of your overall treatment which ultimately leads to effective pain relief and better performance.