Are you experiencing pain or discomforts that are preventing you from living life how you fully desire?
Meg Frens, or Magic Meg, as we like to call her :), is our rehabilitation partner and houses her business, Aire, ATC, LLC, inside Valeo. With her wisdom and collaboration, we’re able to more completely serve our members who have injuries or mobility limitations by integrating healing techniques into their workout plan, ensuring certain exercises are avoided and certain ones are added and performed correctly. The results are members who do their recommend rehab homework (it’s tough; we know!), and are able to remain physically active, with less pain and with better form and function.
The cool news is, you don’t have to be a member of Valeo to experience Magic Meg! Both members and non-members of Valeo are welcome to come into the gym for an appointment with her.
If you’d like to reach out to Meg to get next steps for making an appointment, CLICK HERE.
To give you a taste of her services, Meg explains one of her many treatment techniques, DRY NEEDLING. This technique is providing our members and other patients of Aire incredible results. Here’s what a few had to say!
“I was experiencing increasing amounts of Sciatica pain during everyday activities, with the pain levels at times at a 7 or 8 on the pain scale. I have been dealing with this pain for 4-6 months. I went for general physical therapy for about 2 ½ months and felt very little relief. Meg has done 2 treatments of focused dry needling and stretching. Since the 2nd treatment, I have experienced much relief with only occasional moments of low level pain. I have started walking aerobically again and have increased the length without any increased in pain or discomfort. The treatments were done very professionally and with very little discomfort.” – Jane
“The recovery of my acute shoulder sprain has been truly remarkable. Meg has made a huge difference in a very short time and I’m back in the gym working hard with only a few restrictions – weeks ahead of what my primary care physician predicted. It is great that Meg works directly with Mike to inform and adapt my program at Valeo as needed. I love how she explains everything she’s doing and gives alternative options for how to approach something. For instance, I was hesitant about dry needling, but it has proven really effective, as has cupping, taping and other techniques Meg uses.” – Jason
Once an athlete under Meg’s care, Tim Keeler experiences Meg’s advanced healing techniques now years later with Aire, ATC, LLC at Valeo. His ankle felt immeasurably better after one treatment!
What is Dry Needling?
The Dry Needling (DN) technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle in order to promote healing to the area and/or decrease or remove pain entirely. Its popularity has grown since the mid-2000’s among healthcare professionals. It is different than acupuncture, however the areas that are used for dry needling overlap ah shi points of acupuncture as they are integrated and close to each other. It’s important to mention they are not the same treatment.
How does Dry Needling work?
Trigger point areas, areas of acute and chronic pain, fascial restriction and segmental points of innervation from a nerve root may be used as target tissue for DN treatment. Essentially, a small lesion is created with the needle, causing internal and autogenic healing to occur in the tissue where the lesion has been created. Those tissues, whether areas of a nerve root or segmentally down the path of a nerve or even directly within the fascia, joint, ligament or muscle areas, can be stimulated with the DN technique, to stimulate and promote healing. This is where healing needs a boost, has maybe stalled or where the pain sensation persists even after it doesn’t need to be active.
If a decrease in pain occurs in an area, generally spasm also decreases and then an increase in motion can occur, where and when necessary, safely, to then increase function and healing of the tissue. Swelling decreases when motion ensues, using the body’s internal lymphatic pump to move the swelling away naturally and allowing the substances required for healing to replace and replenish the damaged tissue. Chronic pain might be altered by having the new sensation of the DN technique which changes how we perceive the pain and possibly decreasing it or removing it.
What can I expect?
As far as the DN treatment itself, each person responds differently and I make every effort to inform and educate each client on what I’m doing, where and why. I feel that giving them this information not only during a DN treatment, but during any treatment, empowers them with knowledge they can use to understand their bodies better and work to assist with the healing process as well as do their “homework” (home exercise/mobility work) better! I feel part of my role in this environment is an educator and the classroom is the treatment room, gym or in the case of the “flipped classroom,” their own home. We use our time together to answer questions, work together on areas that need attention and focus towards the hands-on work. I rely on my clients to do their work while at home or at the gym to facilitate our next meeting, which only helps to enhance our process and progress.
More research needs to be done on the exact nature and effects of needling, and with all treatments and modalities, the risks understood. Just like using electrical stimulation or the traditional ice and heat, our bodies will respond in various ways and being informed and using the evidence at hand to be effective and efficient in treatment is important and can be the difference for someone. Getting to the cause of an injury, not just treating the symptom is key to making long term and beneficial improvements.
For more information:
I am happy to discuss this treatment, along with others which include manual therapies of muscle energy, myofasical release, joint mobilizations, PNF, Graston Technique®, cupping, as well as, generalized rehabilitation techniques and corrective exercise to benefit the physically active person who wants to remain as such, with less pain and with better form and function.
Reference:
Cagnie, B, Dewitte, V, Barbe, T, Timmermans, F, Delrue, N, and Meeus, M. Physiologic Effects of Dry Needling. Curr Pain Headache Rep 17, 2013. Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11916-013-0348-5
Workshop with Meg Frens of Aire, ATC, LLC
Have you ever been curious about Foam Rolling techniques? Or maybe you own a foam roller or another mobility tool and just aren’t sure how to effectively use it?
Join us for an evening with Meg Frens of Aire, ATC, LLC where she’ll walk you through mobility and functional stretching techniques so you can move and feel better. Our coaches will even demonstrate how we incorporate these techniques into our member’s workouts so you can see the moves in action and perform them confidently yourself, at home or in the gym.
Bring a water bottle; light snacks will be provided.
This event is Free and will include prizes and general awesomeness.
RSVP by clicking the pic below.
Hope College employees: Stay tuned for a special Lunch and Learn “Mobility and Functional Stretching Techniques” workshop designed just for you on Tuesday, October 31st. More details to come!
Valeo / Charity. 
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What a morning on Saturday! Twenty-three strong individuals filled our space ready to Sweat for Safe Houses.
The energy and cheering and camaraderie was contagious. You guys crushed it! 
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Thank you to everyone who made this such a special event and donated to support the building of Carole’s Hope Home, a safe house for trafficked women and children. Together we raised over $1,285!!! 
You. Are. Amazing! 
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#valeotraining #fitnessforsportandeverydaylife #downtownholland #hollandmi #metcon
#gymlife #fitfam #charity #community #corevalues #liftlocal @ Valeo / Training
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We’ve had a few people ask us what this deliciousness is inside the crockpot at our charity event. Here’s the scoop – so easy, the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and a fantastic post-workout dish.
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Al Fresco brand Maple Apple Chicken Sausage: literally just chicken and spices. Can find these at Meijer, D&W, or even Aldi has a similar nitrate-free option. 
Slice sausage into pieces and sauté on stove until browned and a bit caramelized.
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Sweet Potatoes: peel and dice into cubes. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and cinnamon. Roast at 400 on a parchment paper-lined pan for about 30+ min or until soft and browned.
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Place in crockpot to keep warm and enjoy!!
#valeonutrition #fitnessforsportandeverydylife #downtownholland #hollandmi
#realfood #gymfood #fitfam #whatsfordinner
