Dry Needling
Dry Needling Seacoast NH
Dry Needling is a treatment procedure that involves the use of a filament needle into the muscle or area of the body which produces pain. There is no injectable solution or medication involved, and the needle which is used is very thin. We utilize this technique for a combination of reasons including trigger point release and stimulating your body’s own anti-inflammatory and pain relieving mechanisms.
The vast majority of patients do not feel the needle penetrate the skin, but once it has and is advanced into the muscle, the feeling of discomfort can vary drastically from patient to patient. Typically a healthy muscle feels very little discomfort with insertion of the needle. However, if the area is sensitive or has active trigger points within it, the subject may feel a sensation much like a muscle cramp or a sensation that is referred to as a ‘twitch response’. This quick twitch of a muscle has a biochemical characteristic to it which likely affects the reaction of the muscle, symptoms, and response of the tissue.
Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even pain and injury prevention, with very few side effects. We have found great success with dry needling when used as an adjunct in the treatment of our patients. When combined with appropriate stretching and strengthening activity our patients notice improved mobility and function of the involved structures.
We typically see positive results in 2-4 treatment sessions, but this can vary depending on the patient, the tissue affected, and how chronic the issue might be. If you have any questions regarding this method of treatment, or whether it could benefit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ProCare.
Cupping
Cupping Seacoast NH
Cupping therapy is a treatment in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. We utilize cupping for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, and as a type of deep-tissue massage. Most forms of soft tissue mobilization are compressive, where your therapist will push on your skin and thus the structures beneath to promote blood flow and soft tissue mobility. Cupping has a distractive mechanism which visually increases the blood flow to the targeted area, and may have an effect that allows for greater separation of underlying restriction of muscle and fascia.
Though cupping therapy might be trendy now, it’s not new. It is an ancient form of alternative medicine that dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. At ProCare we utilize a more modern version of cupping with a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. We are then able to move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect, or leave the cups static and allow movement of the affected body part to promote tissue separation.
You might get 2-4 cups in your first session. Or you might just try one to see how it goes. Commonly there is a bruise left behind where the cupping was done, however this is not a negative effect. Your skin should return back to normal in 7-10 days. If you have any questions regarding this method of treatment, or whether it could benefit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ProCare.
Graston Technique
Graston Technique® Seacoast NH
Graston Technique® is an evidence-based form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to detect and effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions, as well as maintain optimal range of motion.
Through the use of stainless steel instruments clinicians are able to effectively address scar tissue and fascial restrictions in their patients. Graston Technique is clinically proven to achieve faster and better outcomes for acute and chronic conditions such as Achilles Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel, Adhesive Capsulitis, IT Band Syndrome, Lumbar Strain and Plantar Fasciitis.
Graston Technique allows a clinician to get as deep into the tissue as necessary to invoke change, yet be sensitive to patient pain and tolerance. As the instruments are moved over the affected area and come in contact with the adhesions, they help break up scar tissue and fascial restrictions. In time, this process can reduce or eliminate the adhered fibers, restoring range of motion and eliminating the associated pain. It will help transform your soft tissue injury into healthy functioning tissue.
(adapted from grastontechnique.com)
Should you have any questions about Graston Technique and whether or not you might benefit from the treatment, feel free to contact us at ProCare.
Kinesio Taping® Method
Kinesio Taping® Method Seacoast NH
The Kinesio Taping® Method is a definitive rehabilitative taping technique that is designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion as well as providing extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy administered within the clinical setting. Latex-free and wearable for days at a time, Kinesio® Tex Tape is safe for populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric, and successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions. The Kinesio® Taping Method is a therapeutic taping technique not only offering your patient the support they are looking for, but also rehabilitating the affected condition as well. By targeting different receptors within the somatosensory system, Kinesio® Tex Tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin. This lifting affect forms convolutions in the skin thus increasing interstitial space and allowing for a decrease in inflammation of the affected areas.
Based upon years of clinical use, Kinesio® Tex Tape is specifically applied to the patient based upon their needs after evaluation. The findings of the clinical evaluation or assessment dictate the specifics of the Kinesio® Tex Tape application and other possible treatments or modalities. Kinesio® Tex Tape can be applied in hundreds of ways and has the ability to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce pain and inflammation, optimize performance, prevent injury and promote good circulation and healing, and assist in returning the body to homeostasis.
If you have any questions regarding this method of treatment, or whether it could benefit you, please don’t hesitate to contact us at ProCare.
“I’d like to say thanks to the friendly and professional staff at ProCare Physical Therapy. I turned to them after a recent knee surgery and I was back up and running, literally, just a couple of months later. My surgery was an unexpected interruption to my active lifestyle, and getting back to normal quickly and painlessly was a goal that ProCare understood and helped me meet with a very precise program of strengthening exercises and stretching. I returned to jogging on roads and hiking on trails just two months after surgery. I would be happy to recommend ProCare, not just for athletes but anyone looking for an amazing group of therapists and a thorough recovery plan.”