A precise, effective way to release stubborn muscle tension, calm pain, and speed up healing, so you can get back to moving freely.
Dry Needling
What is it?
Dry needling involves placing a thin filiform needle into a muscle to target trigger points: sensitive areas of tight, banded muscle fibers. The needle prompts a quick twitch response in the muscle, which releases tension, eases pain, and kickstarts the body's natural healing process.
Those trigger points form after injury, from compensating for another injury, or from overuse, and they can quietly limit your range of motion, sap your strength, and cause pain. During your assessment, your therapist feels for these points by hand, because the evidence shows the biggest improvements come from releasing the trigger points driving your symptoms.
What dry needling helps
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Tendinopathy & muscle strains
Calming pain and stimulating healing in overworked tendons and strained muscles.
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Tight, restricted muscles
Releasing the banded, knotted tissue that limits how you move.
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Joint pain & restricted motion
Easing the muscular tension around a joint that's holding back your range.
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Scar tissue
Helping break up restrictive tissue that lingers after injury.
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Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Easing the deep soreness that follows hard training.
Why we use it
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Releases deep tension
The needle accesses tight bands of muscle directly, releasing knots that are hard to reach with manual therapy alone.
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Calms pain
By releasing trigger points, dry needling reduces both the local pain and the referred pain that trigger points can cause elsewhere.
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Speeds up healing
The micro-response from the needle increases blood flow to the area and stimulates the body's natural repair process.
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Restores movement
As tension releases, range of motion and strength often improve, helping you move the way you're meant to.
What to expect
Does it hurt?
Generally, no. Most people don't even feel the needle enter the skin, or feel just a small poke. The main sensation is the muscle twitch or contraction, which people usually describe as a brief ache or cramp. It varies by muscle and by person.
Is it the same as acupuncture?
Similar tools, different approach. Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and works with meridians and energy. Dry needling is a Western, anatomy-based technique focused on identifying and releasing muscular trigger points. For musculoskeletal problems, dry needling is typically the better fit.
Do I need to take it easy afterward?
The opposite. We encourage you to keep moving and stick to the exercise program your therapist gives you, since movement improves the results and helps with any soreness. If you do feel sore, a little heat helps.
Why Atomic?
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Part of a bigger plan
We never needle in isolation. Dry needling is one piece of a complete plan that includes hands-on therapy and targeted exercise, so you get lasting results, not just temporary relief.
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Skilled, assessment-led care
Your therapist finds the exact trigger points driving your symptoms through hands-on assessment, so treatment is precise rather than guesswork.
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Built around active people
We treat a lot of runners, climbers, and active adults, so we understand the demands you're needling to get back to, and we keep you moving throughout.
Curious whether dry needling could help you? Let's talk it through.
