Dry Needling for Specific Conditions
- Sara Becker, PT, DPT
- Apr 14
- 5 min read
Dry needling has gained popularity as a precise, powerful technique for targeting pain, reducing muscle tension, and restoring function. Whether you're an athlete with a nagging injury or someone dealing with chronic discomfort, dry needling can help accelerate healing when traditional methods fall short. At Releaseology, we take it a step further—using dry needling with a root-cause lens, helping you feel better faster.
Let’s break down how dry needling can support you, based on the specific conditions and body regions you’re dealing with.
Disclaimer: The content on this site and my posts are for educational and informational purposes only and not meant as medical advice. It is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. There is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in an article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Please consult a clinician that is familiar with your care, if you have specific questions for your own care.
Dry Needling for Pain Relief
Dry needling is based on the theory that trigger points (areas of muscle tension) can cause pain and other problems in the body. The insertion of the needle into the muscle works to break up the restrictions found in the muscle and relieve them. The act of insertion of the dry needle into the body, also signals healing factors into the affected area and promotes balance in the body. The overall aim of dry needling is to relieve pain and improve function, but many patients see not only improvements in muscle tension, pain and range of motion but also improved circulation and reduction in inflammation. Read more about it on my blog about dry needling. Dry needling is included in any of my Releaseology sessions, but can also be booked as a stand alone modality.
If you're not close to Tempe, find a dry needling practitioner near you here
Dry Needling for the Ankle
Whether you're recovering from an ankle sprain or dealing with chronic instability, dry needling an ankle sprain and around the peroneals, calves, and anterior tibialis can reduce pain, restore range of motion, and re-activate weakened muscles. It's especially helpful for stuck, tight and scar tissue that might be limiting mobility post-injury or surgery.
I have more exercises and resources to help with ankle pain. Check out my guides on relief for
Whether it's dry needling on knee for post-surgical stiffness or managing dry needling knee osteoarthritis, this technique can target the quads, hamstrings, and surrounding structures to reduce inflammation and support pain-free movement.
Dry needling quad muscles also speeds up recovery and improves tracking of the kneecap, especially in conditions like patellofemoral pain.
I have more exercises and resources to help with knee pain. Check out my guides on relief for
Dry Needling for the Hip & IT Band
Tight hip flexors can lead to lower back pain, pelvic dysfunction, and limited mobility. Dry needling hip flexor muscles like the psoas, rectus femoris and more can dramatically improve flexibility and posture.
For runners and those with lateral knee pain, IT band tension and its associated muscles (like the glutes and hip rotators) can offer breakthrough relief where stretching alone doesn’t cut it. Dry needling IT band tension is one of the quickest techniques for knee pain relief in runners.
I have more exercises and resources to help with hip pain. Check out my guides on relief for
Dry needling for tennis elbow targets the overused extensors of the forearm, improving blood flow and reducing chronic tension. This is often combined with movement re-education to restore proper loading patterns, offering relief that sticks.
I have more exercises and resources to help with elbow pain. Check out my guides on relief for
Dry Needling the Shoulder
Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff issues, and impingement respond well to dry needling on shoulder to release compensatory patterns and improve range. Dry needling shoulder muscles like the infraspinatus, subscapularis, and deltoid can significantly speed up healing.
I have more exercises and resources to help with shoulder pain. Check out my guides on relief for
Dry Needling for Neck Pain & TMJ
For those suffering from neck pain, headaches, or tech-neck, dry needling in neck and upper traps can feel like hitting the reset button. If you’re dealing with TMJ or jaw tension, dry needling jaw muscles like the masseter and t
The Releaseology Difference
With over a decade of experience with dry needling, I do not practice a technique on my patients that I cannot tolerate myself. Many schools of thought with dry needling actively look for a trigger point, often pistoning the needle to find that spot. As, I could not stand this technique on myself, I developed my own way and rely on the feeling of the tissue to find the exact spot that needs the needling. I've worked in large clinics with many needlers and was always the one that my coworkers wanted to needle themselves and their patients because I was "gentler" and just more efficient in my technique.
Although, I do have dry needling as a stand alone modality. Needling does not work alone. It's super powerful and super quick on it's own, but to truly get to the root cause of the problem, other techniques should be applied.
At Releaseology, I don’t just needle where it hurts. I identify the why behind your pain. Whether it’s dry needling on neck for tech posture, dry needling on knee after an old injury, or dry needling for scar tissue that's holding you back, my sessions are rooted in precision, assessment, and whole-body understanding. You’ll always leave with more awareness, more relief, and a tailored plan to keep you moving forward.
Book your dry needling session today and experience the Releaseology difference. Whether it’s your hip flexor, IT band, neck, jaw, or knee—I’ve got you covered. Let’s get to the root of the issue and finally release what’s been holding you back. These are my three services that include an assessment and evaluation of your pain. If you have specific questions for your care, you can always e-mail me at sara@releaseology.com or text 480.712.0699 or book a virtual consult
Medical Disclaimer
The content on this site and my posts are for educational and informational purposes only and not meant as medical advice. It is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. There is absolutely no assurance that any statement contained or cited in an article touching on medical matters is true, correct, precise, or up-to-date. Please consult a clinician that is familiar with your care, if you have specific questions for your own care.
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More from Releaseology
Don't forget to check out other resources on my site! You can book a session with me here, find a list of conditions I treat here, find more about me here, learn how to regulate your own vagus nerve and nervous system here and read more on my blog here. Lastly, follow me on my social channels: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok!
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