Ep - 206: Dry Needling: Clinical Decision-Making Over Technique with Dr. Edo Zylstra

Are you using dry needling in your practice but not sure when or why to use it? In this episode, we break down the clinical decision-making, mechanisms, and real-world applications of dry needling with one of the leading experts in the field. 👉🏻 Dr. Edo Zylstra, PT, DPT, is the co-founder of Tactical Physiotherapy and founder of KinetaCare Physiotherapy, with more than 26 years of experience in orthopedic rehabilitation and dry needling. An Orthopedic Certified Specialist, he focuses on identifying the root causes of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction rather than just managing symptoms. We dive deep into the radiculopathic model of orthopedics, discussing why many chronic peripheral issues (like that stubborn shoulder or elbow pain) might actually be driven by a silent segmental problem in the spine. Dr. Zylstra also breaks down the precise mechanisms of the twitch response and explains why dry needling should never be used as a standalone treatment if we want to avoid creating patient dependency He has trained clinicians across corporate healthcare systems, private practices, and military and special operations settings, with educational influence reaching providers who work with elite athletes. He is also the founder of KinetaCore, a Functional Dry Needling® education company later acquired by Evidence In Motion. With Dr. Tyler Waterway, he co-developed the Radiculopathic Model of Orthopedics, the foundation of Tactical Physiotherapy. 🔍 What You'll Learn: The difference between dry needling, trigger point needling, IMS, and acupuncture The science behind the twitch response and why it matters How dry needling impacts pain, blood flow, and the nervous system When to treat segmentally (spine) vs. peripherally How to integrate dry needling with exercise and manual therapy Who is (and isn't) a good candidate for dry needling Why dry needling alone is never enough and what to pair it with Dry needling for headaches, shoulder pain, neck pain, and chronic conditions 🚨Try Hanna Health free for 30 days - a customizable HEP platform where you can use your own videos, edit quickly, and track patient access. Start your trial here: https://bit.ly/4pSkYjP 📚*In this episode, you'll learn:* • When to use dry needling and when not to: identifying good candidates, understanding spinal vs. peripheral targeting, and the neurophysiological mechanisms • How dry needling integrates into your treatment plan: using it strategically alongside other techniques rather than as a standalone intervention • What happens after the needles come out: the critical session follow-up that determines whether DN creates lasting change or just temporary relief • The evidence and mechanisms: understanding the proposed mechanisms and how they inform clinical decision-making 🔎*Edo's Resource of Information:* • Waterway T, et al. Treatment Guidelines and Decision Tree for Dry Needling Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Consensus Statement. IJSPT. 2026;21(5):556-567. doi:10.26603/001c.161025 📲 Edo's contact information: • Tactical Physio Website • Kineta Care Website 👉   / kinetacarephysio   👉   / kcarephysio   👉   / tactical-physio   👉   / kinetacarephysio   • [email protected] • [email protected] 📩 Don't miss out on podcast updates!📬: https://www.ptprotalk.com/ 👉 Share Your Feedback: https://forms.gle/YspLGAzHph2fVord8 Help Us Build Better Solutions for Your Practice! 🚀 Take 60 seconds to answer 3 quick questions and help us build new paths to make your practice run smoother. 👉https://forms.gle/LmAh4H1vRKjKqCtW8 🎙Listen on all platforms: https://bit.ly/45rzffO 🍁 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝐏𝐓 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 🍁 In this channel, you will find Physical Therapy-related content, like interviews with experts who share their views and experiences, providing relevant information to help Physical Therapists improve their practice and patient care! 📩 Don't miss out on podcast updates!📬: https://www.ptprotalk.com/ 🌐𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐞 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬   / ptprotalk     / ptprotalkpodcast     / pt-pro-talk     / marihannaparks   Spotify: http://bit.ly/3HFJcNQ ✅𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 📧 📩Email: [email protected] Support 💁‍♂️ PT Pro Talk Podcast is only possible with the support of forward-looking and innovative companies like: Hanna Health: https://hannahealthhub.com/hep and SaRaHealth: https://bit.ly/saraytb #DryNeedling #PhysicalTherapy #PTProTalk #FunctionalDryNeedling #TriggerPointTherapy #ManualTherapy #PainScience #PTEducation #ClinicalDecisionMaking #SportsPhysicalTherapy