Pain with one specific movement
It appears at a repeatable point, such as after mile two of a run, during the catch phase of rowing or under heavier loads.
Pain from sport is a symptom, and its source varies by athlete and activity. It may hit after mile two of a run, at the bottom of a squat, or only under heavier barbell loads. Often it feels stiff at the start, eases mid session, and comes back later that day or the next morning.
Most of the time, training has climbed faster than a tissue could adapt. Common sources are a sensitive tendon or muscles that guard and stay tight. A stiff joint can push extra motion elsewhere, or a nerve can react to stretch or pressure. Imaging often shows wear that is common even in athletes without pain, so it may not explain your symptoms.
I use dry needling, a form of acupuncture, to ease guarding in the muscles that reproduce your pain on exam. In a cyclist, a tight piriformis can press on the sciatic nerve, and in an overhead athlete the scalenes can crowd the brachial plexus. Needling those muscles gives the nerve room. A nerve that is irritable in its own right, such as the ulnar nerve at the elbow in throwers or climbers, gets electroacupuncture. Fine needles sit near it while a gentle current helps change how it is signaling.
Athletes have usually tried rest, pain relievers, stretching, imaging and sometimes physical therapy or chiropractic care. Rest calms symptoms, but the pain often returns once the same training resumes. Medication can dull pain without changing how a tendon handles load. General advice to stretch or strengthen your core can miss the specific movement and amount of training that sets it off. Needling may also be new to you, because New York does not let physical therapists or chiropractors perform dry needling.
I ask about your training, including recent changes in volume, intensity, terrain, footwear or technique, and how symptoms behave during and after sessions. Then the exam:
I work with sports medicine physicians, orthopedists, physical therapists and coaches. If something I see belongs back with one of them, I’ll flag it and pass along what I found.
This page is for persistent or recurring pain that has lasted through training cycles. A new injury with significant swelling, bruising, inability to bear weight or sudden loss of strength needs urgent sports medicine evaluation. So do escalating night pain, unexplained whole body symptoms, and numbness or weakness that keeps getting worse. Once serious injury is ruled out, I can work alongside your doctor.
No. It helps reduce pain and tightness so you can load the involved tissue. Lasting change usually comes from progressive, sport specific strengthening.
It is usually a combination when both muscle and nerve are involved. Releasing a tight muscle takes pressure off a nerve running past it. If that nerve stays sensitive, electroacupuncture is used alongside the needling.
It varies with how long the pain has been there and how reactive it is. Many people start with one or two sessions a week, then taper as flares become less frequent. I set checkpoints around training tolerance, not just pain scores.
Not always. The goal is usually to keep you training within a tolerable range while removing what repeatedly spikes symptoms. That might mean changing volume, intensity, terrain, range of motion or exercise choice for a while.
Not necessarily. Disc bulges, tendon changes and joint wear are common in active people who have no pain. I take imaging into account but focus on what reproduces your symptoms with movement and pressure now.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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