Functional Dry Needling with Dr. Kyo Hwang, PT, DPT

If you’ve been dealing with chronic tightness, an old sports injury, or muscle spasms that just won’t quit, you likely have “trigger points.” These are tight bands of rigid muscle tissue that can cause localized pain, limit mobility, and even send deep, aching pain to other areas of your body. Because these knots sit deep within the muscle tissue, surface-level massage and stretching often can’t fully release them. That’s where Functional Dry Needling comes in.

Dr. Kyo Hwang, PT, DPT, utilizes Functional Dry Needling (FDN) as a powerful, specialized tool within your overall rehabilitation plan. As a former competitive Taekwondo athlete with a 6th Degree Black Belt, Dr. Kyo understands chronic pain firsthand. He spent years dealing with significant back injuries and undergoing extensive physical therapy himself. Because of his personal journey, he treats every patient with deep empathy—and he knows how crucial it is to use the most effective tools available to get you back to the activities you love.

Dry needling is a highly specialized, evidence-based treatment. Dr. Kyo uses a sterile, ultra-thin microfilament needle to gently penetrate the skin and target dysfunctional muscle tissue directly. It is called “dry” needling because no medication is injected—the therapeutic effect comes from the physical stimulation of the tissue. When the needle reaches a trigger point, it often creates a localized “twitch response.” This is the muscle’s way of resetting. This precise stimulation helps to:

 •  Release severe muscle tension and spasms
 •  Increase local blood flow to bring oxygen to injured tissue
 •  Interrupt persistent pain signals sent to the brain
 •  Restore normal, pain-free movement

Dry needling requires advanced anatomical knowledge and specialized training. When you book a session at Prime Physical Therapy, you are in experienced hands:

• Advanced Certification: Dr. Kyo is certified in Functional Dry Needling (FDN) by Evidence In Motion (EIM) and Kinetacore.

• Extensive Experience: Before opening Prime Physical Therapy, Dr. Kyo spent 14 years working as a lead physical therapist in a hospital setting, treating acute, subacute, and chronic pain patients in collaboration with referring physicians.

• Comprehensive Care: Dr. Kyo doesn’t just treat the symptom. He pairs Functional Dry Needling with advanced manual therapy techniques—which he has trained in through the International Spine and Pain Institute (ISPI)—and tailored exercises to ensure the pain stays gone for good.

With his extensive background in orthopedics, sports medicine, and manual therapy, Dr. Kyo frequently uses Functional Dry Needling to accelerate recovery for:

• Spinal Issues: Chronic neck pain, lower back pain, and sciatica
• Head & Jaw: Tension headaches and migraines
• Upper Extremities: Shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, and golfer’s elbow
• Lower Extremities: Hip pain, IT band syndrome, runner’s knee, and patellar tendonitis
• Foot & Ankle: Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis
• Sports Injuries: Muscle strains and performance recovery

We know that needles can make some patients nervous, but your comfort is Dr. Kyo’s top priority.

 • The Assessment: Dr. Kyo will evaluate your movement and pain patterns to ensure dry needling is the right intervention for you.

 • The Treatment: You may feel a slight prick as the incredibly fine needle enters the skin. As Dr. Kyo locates the trigger point, you will likely feel a brief, deep ache or a muscle twitch. This sensation only lasts a few seconds and is a great sign that the muscle is releasing!

 • The Recovery: Afterward, it is normal to experience a dull ache or muscle soreness similar to the feeling after an intense workout. This typically resolves within 24 to 48 hours. Dr. Kyo will provide you with specific movements to maximize the benefits of your session.

You don’t have to live with restricted movement and chronic muscle tension. Let Dr. Kyo use his advanced training and personal understanding of rehabilitation to help you heal.

Learn more about our dry needling sessions