Take a look at our March newsletter!
DRY NEEDLING FAQ WITH DR. PATT On Pins and Needles Two Convenient Franklin Locations to Serve You 620 Old West Central St. | 340 East Central St., Suite D You’ve likely heard the term “dry needling” around our office. It was potentially recommended by one of our therapists, a friend, or a coworker, or maybe you’ve seen it advertised to alleviate muscle pain and soreness. To help you understand what it is and if it’s right for you, this FAQ will answer all of your dry needling questions!
MARCH 2023
What is dry needling? Dry needling is a procedure performed by our trained physical therapists in the office. It’s a technique that uses a very thin needle, similar to an acupuncture needle, which is placed into a trigger point in a muscle. Dry needling helps muscles relax, decreasing pain and improving overall mobility and range of motion. Dry needling is extremely effective in managing and treating movement impairments and neuromusculoskeletal pain.
experience some slight soreness, but it will not prevent you from resuming your normal day‑to‑day activities. Is dry needling painful? While the thought of a needle poking through your skin and into your muscle doesn’t sound pleasant, the needle actually isn’t at all the painful part! The goal of dry needling is to achieve a “twitch response” from the muscle. It’s this twitch that can be momentarily uncomfortable but will be relieving afterward. After dry needling, when will I feel relief? Sometimes, many patients experience immediate relief, and other times, the relief will come on the next day. Usually, it takes about one treatment a week for 3–5 weeks to achieve full relief and return of mobility. What areas of my body benefit from dry needling? Dry needling can be used for a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues, such as shoulder, elbow, neck, knee, heel, hip, and back pain.
Who can benefit from dry needling?
What is the difference between acupuncture and dry needling? Traditionally, acupuncture is based on Eastern medicine and focuses on opening up your healing energy, or chi, to relieve pain and help that energy flow throughout your body. Alternatively, dry needling follows the beliefs of Western medicine and targets tightness in a muscle by focusing on trigger points. The needles are exactly the same, but the mechanism is different!
Dry needling is for everyone, as it really benefits all types of patients. It works well for athletic injuries, stiffness from aging, and even tightness in the upper back and neck that results from poor posture or those who sit behind a desk for the majority of the day. Anyone who experiences pain or loss of motion can benefit from dry needling. Can I get dry needling on my lunch break? Yes — the procedure can take anywhere from 5–20 minutes, and there are no restrictions following the procedure. You can return to work, work out, or go out to eat afterward. You may
For more information or to schedule a consultation, give us a call today at 508-794-3639.
–Dr. Gregory Patt
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www.proptinc.com | 508-794-3639
Living It Up Making the Retirement Bucket List of Your Dreams
Some retire with all sorts of plans in mind, ready to do everything they never had the chance to do. Others worry about how they’ll fill the days without a daily job. If you’re not making the most of your golden years, it may be time to create a retirement bucket list. Start by thinking about what you value most. When are you happiest? What have you always wanted to try? What would you do if you could do anything in the world? Not every idea on this list will be realistic; you probably won’t win a gold medal at the Olympics or walk on the moon. But you might be able to run a marathon or visit a NASA space center. These questions will help you understand your priorities and how you’d like the rest of your life to look. It also helps to start small. Creating a 50-line list can leave you too overwhelmed to accomplish anything. And while it’s okay to include the trip to Rome you’ve always dreamed of, remember that many ideas are less expensive and closer to home. For example, maybe you’ve always wanted to take a cooking class or a Zumba lesson. Perhaps there’s a historical building in your town you’ve never taken the time to visit. Or you might aspire to something as simple as getting up early and watching the sunrise. Whatever you include, you should be excited about every item on your list. Simply going through the motions won’t help you find fulfillment. It might be cool to say you’ve visited all 50 states — but do you want to spend that much
time traveling? You should consider whether an idea is interesting and whether you are willing to commit to accomplishing it.
It’s also okay if your priorities change. You don’t have to cross an item off your list just because you wrote it down two years ago. Your retirement bucket list should be about fun and fulfillment, not an obligation. Give yourself permission to abandon the ideas that start to seem like chores. Creating a retirement bucket list is an opportunity to find meaning in your 60s and beyond. None of us wants to reach the end of our lives with regrets. So, take the time now to focus on what you value most.
KNEE PAIN BE GONE! Nipping Your Nagging Knee Pain in the Bud
Whether you endured a sports injury, tore a ligament, overused your knee, were in a car accident, suffer from arthritis, or simply have weak joints, knee pain is one of the most common reasons many people seek out the assistance of physical therapists. After all, inactivity can often make the pain or an injury worse. Physical therapy for knee pain incorporates stretching, strengthening exercises, and different movements to help build up the tendons, ligaments, and muscles within the knee joint, increase flexibility, and reduce tenderness and pain. While physical therapy aims to cure the problem before surgery is required, physical therapy is also a great way to help your knee recover after surgery, even if you underwent a complete knee replacement. Knee pain, like any other type of constant pain, can be mild or severe and may feel like a pinching, throbbing, or aching sensation. When you are in a lot of pain, walking, running, sitting, or jumping
can be challenging. Even standing may cause sharp discomfort!
Here at Professional Physical Therapy, we aim to prescribe the best treatment to eliminate pain and return your knee to normal functions so you can resume your favorite activities. Whether you come to us with an ACL tear, patellar instability, plica syndrome, hamstring injury, collateral ligament injury, arthritis, or a meniscal tear, we will find the best solution. Here, we focus on manual therapy to mobilize your joints and muscles, exercises to expand your range of motion, and muscle- strengthening movements. By strengthening the muscles in and around your knee, it can be easier to walk, squat, skip, bend, kneel, and even sit. Our therapists here at Professional Physical Therapy are movement experts and prepared to improve your quality of life, one step at a time. To nip your knee pain in the bud and get relief, give us a call today!
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Relieving Pain Since 1992
Patient of the Month: Amy Phoenix Franklin Food Pantry Amy has been to Professional Physical Therapy several times over the years and has always responded well to physical therapy. She always tackles her treatment with a stellar attitude, even during the challenging moments of rehab. We also have been lucky to work with other generations of Amy’s family, all of whom have been just as great to work with! Amy is now nearing the end of her rehab, and we wish her all the best and are pleased that she is doing so much better.
“I grew up in Franklin, and it would never have occurred to me that people here would need food assistance. One day, I delivered a donation to the Franklin Food Pantry, and reality struck me. I was also moved by how nice the food pantry was set up and how inviting it seemed. I chose the Franklin Food Pantry so that they can continue to provide this service to families in need.” –Amy
Workshops
SALE ALERT! Take Advantage of Our Dry Needling Packages! Are you suffering from muscle tension, a sports injury, or chronic pain?
Celebrate the new year with us and join us for Free Workshops! Prioritize your health and get 2023 started right!
To sign up for any workshop, call us at 508-794-3639, or scan the QR codes below!
Dry needling can deliver lasting relief and an increased range of motion! Dry needling is a technique in which our trained therapists insert a tiny filament needle into trigger points within your muscles to elicit a trigger response to treat chronic and acute pain. Within just a few visits lasting no more than 20 minutes each, you’ll feel less muscle tension and pain with an increased range of motion! The best part is that our dry needling packages are now on sale!
Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff Workshop Tuesday, March 7 6:30–7:30 p.m. ProPT East 340 East Central St., Suite D Knee Pain Workshop Saturday, March 25 8–9 a.m. ProPT West 620 Old West Central St.
50% Off Our Dry Needling Packages!* • 3 Sessions $190 Sale Price: $95 • 5 Sessions $320 Sale Price: $160 • 10 Sessions $600 Sale Price: $300
*Patients must consult with a PT before purchasing a package.
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www.proptinc.com | 508-794-3639
620 Old West Central St. Franklin, MA 02038 www.proptinc.com 508-794-3639
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Dry Needling FAQ
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Creating a Retirement Bucket List Get Rid of Knee Pain
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Patient of the Month: Amy Dry Needling Sale
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A Viral Workout That Actually Works!
Workout fads come and go, but the benefit of aerobic exercise has never gone away. Right now, a popular exercise trend called the 12-3-30 Workout is circulating the internet. The thing is, this fad actually works, and fitness professionals are giving this exercise the green light. The Power of 12-3-30 A Workout Trend That’s Here to Stay
Benefits of the 12-3-30 Exercise One reason this workout is gaining so much traction on the internet is because of the benefits. The first benefit users love is that this exercise gives you almost all of the same aerobic perks as running without the high impact on joints (thanks to that 12% incline!). The second benefit the 12-3-30 Workout offers is endurance. Walking uphill instead of on a flat terrain causes us to activate more muscles, while 30 minutes of exercise forces us to remain at a high-intensity level for longer. This ultimately forces our bodies to acclimate to rigorous movement, which improves our health. Like any other workout, the 12-3-30 is also great for weight loss, regulating blood sugar, and improving cardiovascular health. But it’s also important to remember that no one exercise should be your only source of movement. Consider adding the 12-3-30 exercise to your weekly rotation, or use it to follow your weight training or other strength exercises for the best results.
So, what is it, and why is it so good for you?
12-3-30 Explained The 12-3-30 Workout is pretty simple once you understand what the numbers stand for! Each number in the name correlates to a part of the exercise performed on a treadmill. Twelve percent is the incline you set the treadmill to, 3 mph is the speed at which you walk, and 30 minutes is the amount of time you walk. That’s it! These three numbers create the ideal circumstances in which your body has the resistance to utilize its muscles while also moving fast enough to increase heart rate and reap aerobic benefits. And 30 minutes a day, five days a week, is the ideal exercise to ensure your heart, body, and mind stay healthy.
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Relieving Pain Since 1992
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