Movement Specialists of Michigan
"Exercise is Medicine"
MSM, LLC
Specialty Services
We provide evidence-based, customized care!
Dry Needling
What is dry needling? According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), dry needling involves using thin needles to penetrate the skin and stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular, and connective tissue to initiate a healing response in painful musculoskeletal conditions. It is a skilled intervention performed by specially trained physical therapists as part of a larger treatment plan.
What is a trigger point? Trigger points are hard, irritable “knots” within a muscle that can cause referred pain. They can be tender to the touch and touching a trigger point may cause pain in other parts of the body. Dry needling can release the tight muscle bands of the trigger point and lead to decreased pain and improved function.
The Journal of Orthopedic Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) is a highly reputable physical therapy journal that has published research determining that dry needling can be effective in providing pain relief. These studies noted that a “twitch” often occurs when a needle is inserted into a trigger point and this “twitch” can indicate a positive outcome of the treatment.
A thorough evaluation needs to be performed in order to determine if dry needling is an appropriate adjunct to your treatment program.
Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT)
What is BFRT? It is brief and intermittent occlusion or restriction of arterial and venous blood flow that is performed by applying a tourniquet to the upper or lower extremity. It is a tool used to improve muscle strength, size, and functional aerobic capacity in shorter amounts of time with less stress on the body than typical training. It “tricks” the brain and body into thinking one is performing high intensity exercise. It is performed with low intensity endurance exercises or low load resistance training while wearing cuffs with a percent occlusion.
Why should we use it? It is a well-researched fact that it takes high intensity training (HIT) to get strength and hypertrophy gains in a muscle (ASCM recommends >70% 1 RM). Research shows that low intensity exercises alone do not create strength gains in the muscles, but if one adds BFRT to a low intensity exercise then strength gains can occur.
Studies have showed that BFRT groups can see 30-50% increase in muscle fiber area within the first 4-8 weeks during and post training. HIT groups, on average, see 15-20% increase in muscle fiber area following a 12-16 week training period. In summary, in a shorter amount of time with less stressful exercises, we can see greater strength gains with BFRT than tradition HIT programs.
Kadi et al, 2004, Olsen et al., 2006, Aagaard et al. 2001
Loenneke, J.P., Wilson, J.M., Martin, P. J., Zourdos, M. C., & Bemben, M. G. (2012). Low intensity blood flow restriction training: a meta-analysis. Eur J Appl Physio, 112 (5), 1849-1859.
Performance Enhancement Evaluations
Have you watched countless videos to learn how to increase your velocity without success? Are you not suffering from an injury, but want to improve your performance? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, then you need a performance enhancement evaluation.
What does this entail? Dr. Sam, PT, DPT performs a thorough evaluation to assess how you move from head to toe. She also dives deeper by performing specific joint evaluations to find the cause of each movement impairment she sees. Then, she takes all this information and designs a program specific to your needs. This program will optimize your movement and enhance your performance. You cannot get the most out of your body and perform at your best with underlying mobility limitations or strength deficits.
Book an evaluation with Dr. Sam, PT, DPT today to start improving your performance!