#PTonICE Podcast Episode 1969 - Dry needling: expand your clinical targets with e-stim
Aug 20, 2025
Paul Killoren, the Dry Needling Division Leader at ICE, shares his expertise on transforming pain management through advanced dry needling techniques. He discusses leveraging dry needling to positively impact the nervous system, promoting recovery and enhancing performance. The conversation reveals innovative strategies like integrating electrical stimulation for acute pain relief, and the evolving applications of dry needling in treating conditions like arthritis. Paul emphasizes effective patient communication and engagement, showcasing the progressive curriculum at ICE.
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CrossFit Mishaps and A Chipped Tooth
- Paul recounts a brutal CrossFit Open workout where he finished with one second to spare and puked afterward.
- He also describes chipping a front tooth during an early partner WOD that likely caused a concussion.
Dry Needling 2.0: Nervous System First
- Dry needling's modern rationale emphasizes nervous system modulation over purely local tissue change.
- Adding e-stim shifts the tool from local twitch-focused to versatile neurovascular and functional modulation.
Start With The Goal, Then Explain
- Always tie the needling plan to the evaluation and the patient's goal before starting.
- Tell the patient the session goal, explain the technique briefly, then ask for consent to proceed.