Dry needling is a powerful technique used by physical therapists to treat muscle tension, reduce pain, and restore mobility. It involves the insertion of thin, sterile needles into myofascial trigger points—tight bands within a muscle that contribute to discomfort and movement restrictions.
Unlike acupuncture, which is based on traditional Chinese medicine, dry needling is rooted in Western anatomical and neurological principles. The goal is to release tension, improve blood flow, and reset neuromuscular patterns that may be interfering with recovery.
At Performance Unlimited in Centennial, CO, dry needling is one of the many advanced tools we use to help patients recover faster. Whether you’re dealing with chronic tightness or recovering from an acute injury, dry needling can provide targeted relief that supports your broader physical therapy goals.
Dry needling isn’t a standalone solution—it’s a strategic tool that enhances physical therapy outcomes. At Performance Unlimited, we integrate dry needling into rehab programs to accelerate healing, reduce muscle guarding, and prepare tissues for more effective manual therapy and exercise.
When muscles are overly tight or riddled with trigger points, it can be difficult to stretch or activate them properly. Dry needling helps break that cycle by relaxing the tissue from within. This makes follow-up work—whether it’s strengthening, mobilization, or retraining—more productive and better tolerated by the body.
Used appropriately, dry needling can shorten recovery timelines, ease pain more quickly, and help patients make faster progress toward their movement and performance goals.
Trigger points—those tight, tender spots in your muscles—can limit motion, refer pain to other areas, and interfere with muscle activation. Left untreated, they often become persistent sources of discomfort that slow your recovery. Dry needling targets these points directly, offering fast and lasting relief.
When a needle is inserted into a trigger point, it causes a local twitch response—essentially, a brief muscle contraction followed by relaxation. This response helps disrupt the pain cycle, restore normal muscle tone, and increase blood flow to the area. As a result, healing accelerates and movement becomes more efficient.
At Performance Unlimited, we combine trigger point release with movement retraining to make sure these gains stick. Once the muscle relaxes, we help reintroduce functional strength and mobility, ensuring your recovery stays on track.
If you’ve never experienced dry needling before, it’s natural to have questions. At Performance Unlimited, our therapists ensure every session is comfortable, safe, and tailored to your needs.
A typical session begins with a quick assessment of your movement and pain points. Once we identify the muscles contributing to your discomfort, we use thin, sterile needles to target specific trigger points. The insertion is brief, and most clients feel only a mild pinch or twitch response.
After needling, you may notice immediate relief, increased range of motion, or a deep sense of muscle release. Mild soreness for a day or two is common—similar to post-workout fatigue—but this resolves quickly and signals the muscle is healing.
Our goal is to make each dry needling session an integrated part of your recovery—so you leave feeling better and more capable of progressing in your rehab plan.
Dry needling can be especially helpful if you’ve hit a plateau in recovery, are dealing with chronic muscle tightness, or have stubborn pain that doesn’t respond to stretching or exercise alone. It’s often the missing link that unlocks deeper mobility and function.
At Performance Unlimited, we recommend dry needling for clients with:
Because dry needling is integrated into your broader physical therapy plan, it works best when combined with movement-focused care. If you're curious whether it's right for you, our team will assess your needs and build a personalized recovery strategy.
Contact us today to schedule your dry needling evaluation and start recovering faster.