Dry needling inserts an extremely fine needle into trigger points in your muscles, the tight knots contributing to chronic pain and inflammation, to encourage faster soft tissue healing. It’s become a common part of treatment plans for tendonitis, working to relieve discomfort, reduce inflammation, and speed up tissue repair.
What is a tendon, and what goes wrong with tendonitis?
Tendons are strong, fibrous cords that connect muscle to bone, found throughout the body: neck, shoulder, arm, leg, and foot. They’re built from bundled collagen fibers, which gives them both strength and flexibility. Tendonitis develops when a tendon becomes irritated or inflamed, usually from overuse, and is typically diagnosed through a physical exam that checks for tenderness, swelling, redness, and nearby muscle weakness.
How trigger points factor in
Trigger points are pressure-sensitive knots that often develop in the neck, shoulders, arms, legs, or low back when muscles become tight and irritated from overuse, trauma, or repeated small strains. They restrict blood flow and let acidic waste build up in the tissue, contributing to pain and stiffness that can compound whatever’s going on in the tendon itself.
How dry needling is done
A fine needle releases muscle tension and stimulates controlled micro-tears in the tissue, prompting your body to bring nutrient-rich blood to the area and speed up its own repair process. Physical therapists commonly use this to target the myofascial trigger points behind decreased flexibility and impaired muscle function. Loose clothing that gives your therapist easy access to the area is a good idea for your session.
Why it’s often paired with other treatment
Dry needling works well alongside joint mobilization and stretching, and can help you progress toward healing faster than either approach alone. It reduces inflammation, helps dissipate inflammatory byproducts, and stimulates your body’s own pain-relieving chemicals, all of which can speed recovery from sports injuries or surgery in addition to tendonitis itself. Inserting a needle into a trigger point relaxes the muscle and boosts circulation, carrying away acidic waste while delivering oxygen and nutrients the tissue needs to repair. You may notice a twitch during treatment, a sign the therapy is doing its job.