What is IMS?

Intra Muscular Stimulation (IMS), also known as dry needling, involves the insertion of fine needles into tight bands of muscle tissue, targeting areas of soreness to relieve pain and restore normal muscle function. Generally speaking, think of this as hitting the “reset” button when a muscle or area is acting up.

Potential benefits of IMS

IMS can help alleviate pain by releasing tension in muscles that are not working optimally. Sometimes those muscles can be a contributing factor for referring pain to other areas of the body, or causing you to move in a way that might be exacerbating the problem.

Improved movement through “resetting” muscles which are stiffened up and tight can help improve flexibility, strength, and the overall movement pattern.

Conditions it can be used for

Low back pain, neck pain, chronic tightness in the shoulders, tennis elbow, hamstring injuries, as well as other types of muscles strains are all possible conditions which IMS can be effective for. Other common cases where IMS can be helpful for also include motor vehicle accidents and possible work-related soft tissue injuries.

If determined appropriate upon assessment, IMS can be administered safely and effectively. It will never be used as a sole treatment option, because once we hit the “reset” button, we want to make sure you’re re-training and re-learning how to efficiently use that muscle or movement pattern afterwards.

So what now?

If you’re interested in possibly trying out IMS, please consult with one of our physiotherapists. They will be able to assess and determine if IMS can be helpful for you in managing your injury or pain. Whether we use IMS or not, we’d love to help!