Aubrey’s Story: How Dry Needling Has Helped Her Get Back to a More Active Life
Aubrey, now 13, fractured her elbow during a skateboarding accident when she was 10. After being in a
cast, she had surgery in May 2020 to help reconstruct the bone and clean out scar tissue that was forming at a rapid pace. Following her first surgery, she completed hospital-based therapy for six months, but was not having much success improving her mobility. After transferring to a different hospital, she was referred to our Pediatric Partners program in North Dakota.
What initially interested Aubrey’s family with Pediatric Partners was aquatic therapy, which was an excellent way for Aubrey to restart her therapy routine after not having treatment for a few months. Unfortunately, due to scar tissue growth, she had to have a third surgery. Our team worked together to make sure Aubrey’s recovery was smooth as possible. She was put on a machine to help move her arm day and night, which she would continue to use at home until she could wean off gradually. Due to her
restrictive muscle use, tendons, and scar tissue, Meghan Johnson, Physical Therapist, also recommended trying dry needling in an attempt to help relax her muscles.
Functional dry needling is a treatment method used by physical therapists inserting a small needle (similar to those used for acupuncture) into the muscle to improve blood flow, decrease pain, and restore muscle function. Dry needling is an option for various neuromuscular conditions and injuries, and treatment is individualized based on the individual’s pain, strength, and mobility concerns. Our Pediatric Partners team in North Dakota has skilled and knowledgeable pediatric physical therapists who have received training and certification from the Evidence in Motion Functional Dry Needling Course.
“Aubrey is afraid of needles, so we were unsure of how it was going to go initially, but the team was helpful throughout the process of walking Aubrey through what they were going to do and when,” said Aubrey’s mother, Jerilyn. “Dry needling has been relaxing for Aubrey. She can now do push-ups, which she hasn’t been able to do in the last three years.”
Aubrey currently sees her therapist twice a week. Her schedule each week includes one session of dry needling, followed by physical therapy in the clinic, and physical therapy at home. “Along with the measurable physical therapy-related gains we have seen, the most rewarding has been Aubrey’s reports of increased happiness and function within her daily routine, such as getting ready, completing daily tasks, others not knowing she had an injury. She has also found a new love for golf that she can participate in with increased function and decreased pain,” said Meghan.
Do you have a child who may benefit from dry needling? Our trained providers can talk with you to understand if your loved one may benefit from our dry needling therapy services.
Call us today at 800-743-6802.