Archive for the Trigger Point Dry Needling Category

Interview with Sue Falsone, PT, ATC, SCS, COMT, CSCS

Interview with Sue Falsone, PT, ATC, SCS, COMT, CSCS

I couldn’t be more thrilled than I am right now to share my interview with Sue Falsone. As many of you know, Sue broke barriers by becoming the first female Head Athletic Trainer in Major American Professional Sports at the start of the 2012 season, as Head Athletic Trainer of the LA Dodgers. What is a lesser known fact is that she was also the first female team Physical Therapist in MLB history, having been hired as the Dodgers team PT in 2007. Sue recently left her position with the Dodgers to begin S&F (Structure and Function), a consulting and education business for healthcare clinicians, as well as a consulting company for the athlete. Thanks to Sue for taking the time to talk with me! Q: Tell us about your growing up years; where did you live? What sports did you play? A: I grew up in Buffalo, NY. My main sport growing up was synchronized swimming.  I loved the water and was at the public pool the day it opened in summer until the day it closed in fall.  I spent my entire elementary life in the water, therefore, did not develop a single bit of eye hand coordination or really, any type of coordination at all for that matter.  I went to Kenmore West High School and was a terrible athlete!  I ran track my freshman year, and was really slow.  I tried field events, and broke my nose during high jump when I let my knees drop on my face.  I played jv and varsity soccer, and got Most Improved Player, if that gives you any idea of where I started. Q: What initially got you interested in physical therapy as a career? A: I had always loved the sciences and anatomy.  I knew I wanted to […]

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Congrats, Meghan!

Congrats to Prana Physical Therapy patient, Meghan, who recently completed  an Ironman Triathlon! Meghan is the ideal patient: she works hard both in physical therapy and in her training. She trains smart and rarely is injured. I had the pleasure of working with her as she trained for this race, and it is very gratifying to see her cross the finish line! Here’s her testimonial: Ann!!  Thank you for all of your help.  I finished my Ironman on Saturday.  I couldn’t have done it without your help.  Thank you so much for getting me there.  It was the most unbelievable day.  I have attached a finish line pic. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, Ironman or somewhere in between, we would love to help you reach your goals! Please let us know how we can assist you!  

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The Value of the Cost of Treatment

The Value of the Cost of Treatment

The Value of the Cost of Treatment This article http://wapo.st/187qp1A was shared on Twitter early this morning by physical therapist Justin Feldman (@JNFeldman), with the comment “A good argument for #cashPT.” As I clicked the link and saw the title, my heart sank. It said: For a stiff neck, nearly $6,000 in physical therapy seemed too much. The article was an op-ed from author, Chris Core, a commentator for WTOP radio. In it, he described his experience with physical therapy for his neck. Suffice it to say, he did not have a good experience. I have a number of thoughts after reading his perception of the experience, so indulge me while I share them. In my Pain Sciences course work with Myopain Seminars, we were told that “the pain is where the patient says it is, when they say it is, and it is as bad as they say it is, because it is THEIR pain.” (Once we come at it from that perspective, we can begin to shift their experience and emotions around the pain as we partner with them in treatment). So, working from that paradigm, I would like to say that Mr. Core’s experience with physical therapy was as bad as he says it was (because it was HIS experience). None of us know what happened in his evaluation and one subsequent treatment; but, he states that he was asked a bunch of silly questions and then given a massage and some exercises, and sent home. We need to appreciate his take on what he experienced. As a physical therapist, I ask the same “silly” questions of every new patient. I ask a lot of questions. Tons of questions that may seem irrelevant to the patient: “How is your sleep?” “Is the pain sharp or more of […]

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IF YOU HAD ANY DOUBT…

IF YOU HAD ANY DOUBT...

Since I posted my last article explaining the importance of supporting physical therapists in Maryland around the challenge to their state practice act, there has been a lot of discussion in social media regarding the dry needling issue. Detractors of dry needling seized this opportunity to launch yet another attack on the technique, with the same old arguments. My response on Twitter in particular has been to get across the message that whether or not you accept the evidence behind the use of dry needling, this is about an issue bigger than arguing the research behind one particular technique. THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING COLLEAGUES IN OUR OWN PROFESSION AS THEY FIGHT AGAINST THE ABILITY OF OUTSIDE INTERESTS TO DICTATE OUR STATE PRACTICE ACT! Did that come across loud and clear? Make no mistake, the Maryland Acupuncture Society has sent out an alert nationwide to other state chapters encouraging acupuncturists to send letters to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. They are encouraging their members to write letters to influence the decision being made. Don’t believe me? You can see it right here: http://bit.ly/QyTJox 200 dollar loans direct payday loan lenders texas The problem is that they are asking for letters of support based on faulty information and confusion of the issue, as seen from direct excerpts of their letter to the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners: “As licensed acupuncturists are already extensively and competently trained and duly licensed to employ the use of this procedure in their daily treatment of patients, MAS holds that there is little to no public need established to justify allowing physical therapists to conduct this invasive procedure with such minimal requirements for competent education, training, and regulatory monitoring as these regulations would allow. For these reason, we strongly suggest that these regulations […]

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Immediate Action Needed!

Immediate Action Needed!

Immediate action needed! The Board of Acupuncture in the State of Maryland is demanding unreasonable regulations and educational requirements for physical therapists utilizing trigger point dry needling as part of their practice. Dry needling has been included in the physical therapy practice act in Maryland since 1984. The Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners has been patiently working with the Board of Acupuncture to resolve this issue; however, their work is in jeopardy of being undone if feedback from the public is not received by September 28. This is important because we can bet that it will happen in other states if this Board of Acupuncture initiative is successful in Maryland. Let your voice be heard – demand that physical therapists retain the right to use dry needling in their scope of practice! Information via Kineticore’s website about background and what to do: http://bit.ly/OPbCPw  Information from the State of Maryland about what to do, with email addresses, fax numbers and phone numbers to let your voice be heard: http://1.usa.gov/So7TYQ Template of letter to email, fax, or snail mail: HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO Please help in showing support for the Board of Physical Therapy and the right of qualified PTs to perform this technique. We need individuals (both PTs, patients, and even other providers) to submit written comments via email or hard copy letter to the Secretary of Health.   Step 1.  Draft your comment letter.  Please see the below template and suggested talking points.  It is vital that comment letters stress the advantages to public health of physical therapists performing dry needling. In addition comment letters need to emphasize that the proposed training and safeguards by the Board of Physical Therapy are more than adequate to ensure safe practice.   Step 2.  Submit your comment letter.  Send […]

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