Motion Acupuncture

Most pain happens when you move, not when you’re lying still on a treatment table. Dr. Shangyou Zhong at Sunyo Acupuncture Center in San Juan Capistrano and Santa Monica, California, uses motion acupuncture to target pain patterns that occur during specific movements. This specialized technique places needles while you perform the actual motions that cause your pain, allowing treatment of movement-specific problems that are harder to address with traditional stationary needle placement. Call the office or request an appointment online today. 

What is motion acupuncture?

Motion acupuncture places needles in specific points while you actively move the affected body part through various ranges of motion. Instead of lying still during treatment, you perform controlled movements — lifting your arm if you have shoulder pain or bending forward if you have back problems.

Your practitioner guides you through the exact movements that typically cause your pain. As you move, they can identify through the needles where tension, restriction, or inflammation occurs during that specific motion. This real-time feedback helps target problem areas that only activate when you’re using that body part.

Why use motion instead of traditional acupuncture?

Many pain conditions only show up during movement. You might feel fine sitting still, but get sharp pain when turning your head or reaching overhead. Traditional acupuncture treats general areas, but motion acupuncture addresses the specific movement patterns causing your problems.

The technique helps locate trigger points and tight spots that primarily activate during motion. Your practitioner can adjust needle placement or depth based on their assessment of your movements, providing more targeted treatment.

What conditions benefit from motion acupuncture?

Motion acupuncture works well for movement-related problems like:

• Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff issues
• Neck pain that worsens with turning or looking up
• Lower back pain triggered by bending or twisting
• Hip pain during walking or climbing stairs
• Knee problems that hurt during specific movements
• Sports injuries affecting particular motions

This approach helps especially when your pain comes and goes depending on what you’re doing, or when specific movements worsen your symptoms.

How does motion acupuncture work?

Motion acupuncture involves three main steps that separate it from traditional acupuncture treatment.

Finding the problem areas 

Your practitioner finds the exact problem spots by examining muscle groups, connective tissue, and traditional meridian pathways. They use specific techniques, such as pressing along points, applying sliding pressure, and gentle probing, to locate areas where tissues are stuck or inflamed.

Needle placement 

Your practitioner may use different insertion angles — some needles go straight in, while others are inserted at angles, and sometimes multiple needles target the same problem area. The needling technique depends on what they found during the examination.

Controlled movement 

You perform controlled movements while the needles stay in place. This might involve bending and straightening the affected joint, stretching specific muscles, or doing resistance exercises against gentle pressure. 

Call Sunyo Acupuncture Center or request an appointment online today to schedule your motion acupuncture consultation and target movement-specific pain patterns.