I’ve been engaged in student physical therapist clinical education since 2013 and interested in providing strong, evidence-based clinical education experiences since I took on the role of Clinical Instructor. I trained in dry needling and began implementing it into my practice around the same time; I was immediately hooked on utilizing this intervention as part of a comprehensive evidence-based approach to optimize outcomes in outpatient orthopedics. I am energized by learning and sharing underlying mechanisms (the why) and educating colleagues in these techniques in a safe, evidence-based framework (the how).
There is nothing more rewarding than teaching students in the clinic, who have certified in dry needling, and observing them generate excellent outcomes years earlier than I was able to in my practice!
After a significant MVA in 1998 my prior history of neck injuries/concussions had finally met their match. Physical therapy, trigger point injections and ESI’s weren’t working. I was given the dreaded answer to fix me: a double level cervical spine fusion. The Fox said, “OH HELL NO!” It was at this time in my career as a physical therapist who was well versed in spine that I found myself intrigued with IMS/Intramuscular Stimulation. This was a technique only taught in Canada and one that was able to be utilized by not just an MD but by physiotherapists! While working closely with physiatrists at the time, I was offered the rare opportunity to go and learn this technique and bring it back to the USA.
My initial response was, although I would love to be able to utilize a new tool, I wasn’t sure that a needle was the tool I was looking for. I decided while lacking right rotation past 20 degrees in my neck and having difficulty from driving to just looking around as well as my soccer career being terminated that I must see if this treatment worked on me. I was elated that this was a success and that I would to be able to offer this to my patients!
My journey started in 2000 when I went to Vancouver and trained under Dr. Chan Gunn, MD at the Institute for the Treatment of Pain. I was fortunate that I was the subject in class and got treated by Dr. Gunn. While I initially felt like I had been hit by another moving van within 24 hours, I had full cervical rotation and felt like a miracle had just happened! With tears of joy and new meaning to my life, I could not wait to try this on my very own patients. Having utilized what we also refer to as dry needling for more than 2 decades, I have performed/witnessed many other “miracles” and have saved so many patients from un-needed surgeries and other procedures. While it is not for everyone it has been an invaluable tool in my box. So what does the Fox say? “If in doubt, needle it!
What excites me about dry needling is the supreme effectiveness of the intervention. Before I became certified in dry needling, so many of my patients would get mostly better, but not all the way better. I would pass the patient off to a needler, who would get them back to one hundred percent. It frustrated me and made me want to get my certification. Since then, it has helped my patients get significantly better outcomes. I want to pass my knowledge to as many practitioners as possible, so they can in turn help as many patients as possible.
