Dry Needling: What It Is and When It Works
It’s my first week in clinic here in London, and none of the clients that I saw had heard of or tried Dry Needling!
So we thought this would be a great opportunity to give you a brief introduction into what dry needling is, and how it might help you! Ryan is excited to bring his dry needling expertise to help people struggling with spinal conditions and sports injuries here in London!
As a physiotherapist now based in London, Ryan has used dry needling for over a decade to help clients with spinal and sports injuries move better, recover faster, and relieve deep-seated muscular pain.
Let’s break it down.
What Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a targeted manual therapy technique that involves inserting very fine, sterile needles into tight muscles or trigger points. The primary aim is to:
Release muscular tension
Reduce referred pain and nerve sensitivity
Aid to restore normal movement and muscle activation
It’s called “dry” because no medication is injected — unlike a corticosteroid or anaesthetic injection.
Although it uses similar needles to acupuncture, the two practices are based on very different principles. Dry needling is rooted in Western anatomy and neurophysiology, and it’s used by physiotherapists as part of a broader injury rehab or pain management plan.
Evidence-based insight:
Research suggests that dry needling works by stimulating the neuromuscular system and altering dysfunctional tissue activity. It can help reduce both local and referred pain, desensitise the nervous system, and promote healing in stubborn injuries (Langevin et al., 2011; Gattie et al., 2017).
Variety of acupuncture needles that differ in length, thickness, and insertion mechanism.
How exactly does Dry Needling work?
The simplest way that I describe how dry needling works is that the needle, when inserted into the appropriate area, helps to ‘reduce pain signals’ that are being sent to the brain.
The brain then effectively receives fewer ‘pain signals’, which means you feel ‘less pain’.
We call this neuro-modulation, and it can be an extremely powerful mechanism to help people who are in pain, particularly pain from muscles and nerves.
When Is Dry Needling Effective?
In my clinical experience, dry needling is especially effective for the relief of muscular tension and pain in various parts of the body, especially so if the area is very sensitive to touch, and can’t tolerate therapies like sports massage or trigger point release that are too forceful.
Some of the most common areas that I use dry needling for in London include:
🔹 Neck and Shoulder Tension
Common in office workers, athletes, and new parents, dry needling can reduce tone and tightness in muscles like the levator scapulae, upper traps, and suboccipitals that traditional massage can’t fully release.
🔹 Low Back Pain
For those with disc issues, nerve sensitivity, or chronic tightness around the lumbar spine, needling can help desensitise irritated tissues and allow better activation of deep stabilisers like the multifidus.
Dry needling for the lower back.
🔹 Running or Gym-Related Injuries
Tight glutes, calves, hamstrings, or hip flexors? Needling is often the missing link in getting lasting relief — especially when combined with proper strength rehab.
🔹 Postural or Nerve-Related Pain
When nerve sensitivity or referred pain is present, dry needling can help downregulate overactive patterns and restore normal movement — making it a great option for sciatica-like symptoms or persistent thoracic tension. I find needling the glutes to help with sciatica and lower back pain incredibly helpful!
Needling the gluteals for lower back pain and sciatica
How I Use Dry Needling at My London Clinics
At my practice locations in Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge, I use dry needling as part of a full, personalised treatment plan — never in isolation.
This means:
A clear understanding of why your pain is happening
Combining needling with hands-on therapy and strength-based rehab
Teaching you what to do between sessions to maximise results
Because of my experience, I also train other physiotherapists in how to refine their dry needling technique — especially for more sensitive or complex areas like the spine and shoulder blade region.
Is Dry Needling Painful?
You may feel a twitch, deep ache, or short burst of discomfort — but most clients describe it as “satisfying” and feel looser immediately after.
Depending on your level of sensitivity/pain, you may feel a bit sore for 24hours - this is completely normal and will subside. A warm shower can help! We try our best not to leave you with any bruises, but sometimes we can’t avoid a small capillary (apologies in advance!).
I always explain what to expect and adapt the technique to your tolerance. Your comfort is key.
Is It Right for You?
Dry needling isn’t a magic fix — but in the right hands, it can be a powerful tool to accelerate recovery, calm the nervous system, and break the cycle of pain and tightness.
If you’re dealing with:
Ongoing muscle tightness or stiffness
Persistent neck or low back pain
Sports injuries that keep coming back
— it might be worth trying.
Book a Session in London
I currently offer physiotherapy and dry needling in:
Canary Wharf: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
Tower Bridge: Wednesdays, Fridays
To book or find out if dry needling is suitable for your condition, click here to contact me and we can discuss if it’s something worth trying for yourself.
Looking forward to helping you move better, feel better, and train stronger.
🔍 References
Langevin, H. M., et al. (2011). Mechanical signaling through connective tissue: a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and dry needling. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 15(2), 83–90. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21622657
Gattie, E., Cleland, J. A., & Snodgrass, S. J. (2017). The effectiveness of dry needling for musculoskeletal conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 47(3), 133–149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28118970
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan Tan is a London-based Spinal and Sports Physiotherapist with over a decade of clinical experience. He holds a Certificate of Spinal Manual Therapy (COSMT), advanced training in Osteopathic Spinal Manipulation (OMT), and is an accredited Advanced Dry Needling Practitioner.
He is also the founder of Physiologic, a private sports and spinal physiotherapy clinic established in Hong Kong, known for delivering high-quality, long-term injury solutions. Over the past 7 years, Ryan has also trained physiotherapists across Asia to refine their dry needling technique and build confidence in treating complex musculoskeletal conditions.
Now consulting through Ultra Sports at Third Space gyms in Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge, Ryan combines expert manual therapy, dry needling, and gym-based rehabilitation to help clients recover from persistent pain and injury — and stay that way.
If you're looking for a physiotherapist who blends technical skill with a truly individualised approach, Ryan offers trusted, results-driven care in the heart of London.
