AN INTRO TO ACUPUNCTURE TRIGGER POINT / DRY NEEDLING

COURSE outline & DESCRIPTION

An evaluation and treatment technique that incorporates Acupuncture and Structural Unwinding through Acupuncture Trigger Point / Dry Needling and neuro-developmental corrective actions to improve pain, proper biomechanics, range of motion deficits and correction of structural imbalances.

GOALS / OBJECTIVES

• Participant will understand the importance of fascia and its relation to trigger points

• Participant will be able to identify muscle fiber directions and elicit twitch responses through palpation

• Participant will be able to discern referral pain patterns in relation to a patients clinical presentation and to treat the proper fascial chain related to the patients complaints

• Participant will learn and become proficient in the technique of using an Acupuncture needle to release myofascial restrictions through Trigger Point Acupuncture / Dry Needling

COURSE OUTLINE DAY ONE:

9:00-9:30am:  Welcome. Course Introductions and Overview of Curriculum

9:30 - 10:00am:  Introduction to Trigger Points, Trigger Point Referral Patterns and the Power of the twitch response as a Palpatory Diagnostic Tool and Needling Technique

10:00 - 10:30am:  Concepts of Fascial Anatomy, Fascial Chains and How they are an Important Conduit for Moving Qi, Blood, Fluids and Electrical Impulses to change the landscape of Pain

10:30 - 11:00am:  Using the Fascial Fabric as a Diagnostic Tool(Observation, Range of Motion, Functional vs Dysfunctional Movement Patterns, Postural Positions and Palpation)

11:00am - 11:30am: Lab Experience: Structural Assessment of Asymmetries (Observation of Fellow Students Posture/Gait/ROM)

12 - 1 LUNCH

1:00 - 1:45pm: Instructor Demonstration on a Live Patient: Functional Movement Assessment of the Neck and Upper Back along with Trigger Point Needling of Muscles Related to Dysfunction and Pain

1:45 - 2:15pm: Instruction on Using Palpation to Elicit a Twitch Response (diagnostic tool) and Needling to Elicit a Twitch Response (treatment). The 3 different hand positions/grip positions for palpation and the needle technique involved in TrP needling ("the pinch", "the trap", "the pluck”)

2:15pm - 3:15pm: 7 of the Most Common Upper Quadrant Muscles...their functional and dsyfunctional patterns. How to palpate them through proper fascial direction and how to elicit their respective twitch responses.

3:15 - 4:30pm: Lab Experience: Practice Palpation of Twitch Responses and Trigger Point Needling Technique of the 7 Most Common UQ Muscles

4:30 - 5:00pm: Wrap Up of Day and Q & A  

COURSE OUTLINE DAY TWO:

9:00AM - 9:30am: Review of Previous Day Muscles: Fiber Direction, Palpation to Create Twitch Response, Referral Pain Patterns

9:30 - 10:15am: Instructor Demonstration on a Live Patient: Functional Movement Assessment of the Lower Back and Legs along with TrP needling of Muscles Related to Dysfunction and Pain

10:15 - 11:15am: 7 of the Most Common Lower Quadrant Muscles...their functional and dysfunctional patterns. How to palpate them through proper fascial direction and how to elicit their respective twitch responses.

11:15am-12:00pm: Lab Experience: Practice Palpation to elicit Twitch Responsesof the 7 Most Common LQ Muscles

12:00 - 1:00pm LUNCH

1:00-2:00: Lab Experience Dry Needling Technique for 7 LQ

2:00-3:00: Lecture: Putting Together Referral Pain Patterns (Agonist/Antagonist, Front/Back Tx)

3:00-4:00: Lab Experience: Structural Assessment w/ Subsequent Tx Plan

4:00-5:00: Wrap Up / Review / Q&A / Exposure to Corrective Actions and Advanced Needling for Future Course