Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture

09/05/2025

💡 Why Thoracolumbar Stability Matters 💡

💢 Instability in the deep pelvic and lumbar muscles doesn’t just stay in your lower back. It can travel up through fascial lines, leading to upper back discomfort, shoulder weakness, neck pain, and even headaches.

🌱 At Lycoming Acupuncture, we get to the root of these issues by:

⚡ Using electroacupuncture to activate and stabilize weak core and spinal muscles.

🤲 Applying soft tissue therapy to release tension and improve mobility.

💪 Restoring balance in the “pelvic belt” and deep spinal stabilizers to support long-term function.

When you strengthen the foundation, the whole body moves and feels better. Book your appointment today at lycoacu.com and start restoring stability where it matters most.

08/27/2025

🌱 Whether you're recovering from an injury or just looking for real relief, finding someone who takes the time to listen, assess, and treat with care can make all the difference.

💪 At Lycoming Acupuncture, we combine deep clinical expertise with compassionate, patient-focused care so you leave feeling better than when you walked in.

✨ Start your healing journey with us today - your body will thank you.

08/22/2025

🏃‍♂️ From recovery to peak performance, the results speak for themselves.

💢 After a quad strain sidelined his game, Matthew Flaherty, an MLB Catcher for the Williamsport Crosscutters Baseball team, turned to us.

⚾️ Not only did he bounce back but he noticed greater mobility, enhanced performance, and a stronger body overall.

🙌 Whether you're healing from injury or looking to elevate your athletic performance, we’re here to help you move better, feel stronger, and play harder.

📍 Book your session today and experience the difference.

08/15/2025

💥 Do you still rely on spinal injections for chronic back pain?

💡 You’re not alone—but you might be wasting time and money. New evidence shows these outdated treatments often don’t work for long-term relief.

🌿 If you’re ready to stop masking symptoms and start fixing the root cause we can help.

👉 Visit our website at www.lycoacu.com to book your initial consultation and start your journey toward real, lasting relief.

08/08/2025

🤔 Ever heard of a trigger point but not quite sure what it means?

💢 Trigger points are tight bands in your muscles that disrupt nerve signals—leading to pain, stiffness, and poor movement patterns. If left untreated, they can impact everything from lifting your arm to getting in and out of your car and may even contribute to chronic pain in your neck, shoulders, back, and hips.

🌱 At Lycoming Acupuncture, we get to the root of the issue by evaluating deep muscle structures and resolving trigger points with precision care.

08/01/2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I was treated for a shoulder injury and Moses evaluated my issue and treated me with acupuncture and provided me with exercises to stretch and strengthen my shoulder. I am now pain free and have returned to my regular strength training routine." - David T.

David came to us with a shoulder injury and is now back to strength training thanks to a personalized combo of acupuncture and corrective exercises. Pain-free and stronger than ever. 💪

🌟 Ready to return to what you love doing without pain holding you back? Book your session with Moses today at lycoacu.com

07/25/2025

🙌 Professional athletes trust Lycoming Acupuncture to stay game-ready.

⚾️ Matthew Graveline—MLB Draft Catcher & Relief Batter for the Williamsport Crosscutters Baseball team—came in with medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow.

💪 After just two sessions, he experienced noticeable pain relief and saw improved mobility in his throwing arm.

🌿 If you’re dealing with joint pain or mobility issues, we're here to help. Book your session today and get back to performing at your best.

07/19/2025

💢 Still feeling that stubborn knot no matter how much you stretch or massage?

🎯 Dry needling goes deeper—targeting the root of your muscle tension, releasing trigger points, and restoring natural movement.

🌱 Whether you're an athlete, desk worker, or living with chronic pain, this powerful technique may be the relief you've been looking for.

✨ Ready to feel the difference? Book your dry needling consultation today and take the first step toward lasting relief.

07/18/2025

🚨 Did you know your back pain might be linked to how your muscles work together?

💡 New research shows that people with chronic low back pain often lose the natural connection between muscles in their back and opposite-side glute.

💢 These muscles usually team up to help you move, walk, and stay stable—but when that connection breaks down, it can lead to ongoing pain, weakness, and poor movement.

🌿 At Lycoming Acupuncture, we help restore those muscle connections using hands-on treatments, movement therapy, and targeted exercises so you can get back to doing what you love—without pain holding you back.

📢 Just published

Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain Have Reduced Myofascial Force Transmission Between Latissimus Dorsi and Contralateral Gluteus Maximus Muscles

🔃 The human body's myofascial system consists of connective tissues that enable mechanical force transmission not only within but also between muscles across joints and anatomical regions. Anatomical studies and cadaveric dissections have indicated potential myofascial continuity between the latissimus dorsi (LD) and contralateral gluteus maximus (GM) muscles via the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), forming part of the so-called posterior oblique sling system [11,12].

📘 Previous research suggested this interconnected system may facilitate force transmission across the trunk and pelvis and contribute to load transfer during gait and dynamic movement [1,7]. However, whether these transmission pathways are functionally relevant in vivo—particularly in pathological populations—remained unclear. Chronic low back pain (CLBP), which affects approximately 23% of the global population at some point in life [2], has been associated with impaired neuromuscular control and myofascial alterations [3,4,8]. Therefore, a brand-new study by Procópio and colleagues investigated whether myofascial force transmission between the LD and contralateral GM differs between individuals with CLBP and healthy controls (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40616971/).

🧪 Methods

A total of 40 participants were included: 20 with clinically diagnosed chronic low back pain (CLBP group) and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Using ultrasound-based shear wave elastography (SWE), the researchers assessed passive tissue stiffness in the contralateral GM muscle during an isometric contraction of the LD muscle.

Each subject lay prone while performing submaximal shoulder extension (activating the LD), and SWE was used to detect changes in the stiffness of the contralateral GM muscle, representing a proxy for myofascial force transmission (s. figure in comments). The primary outcome was the percent change in stiffness of the contralateral GM during LD contraction, compared between groups.

📊 Results

▶️ In healthy controls, contraction of the LD muscle led to a significant increase in stiffness of the contralateral GM (mean increase: 12.7%, p < 0.001), indicating effective force transmission through the thoracolumbar fascial chain.

▶️ In contrast, CLBP patients showed no significant change in contralateral GM stiffness (mean increase: 1.5%, p = 0.421).

▶️ The between-group comparison revealed a statistically significant reduction in stiffness increase in the CLBP group compared to controls (p < 0.001).

💬 Discussion

The results support the functional existence of a myofascial connection between the LD and contralateral GM via the TLF in healthy individuals, consistent with prior anatomical and modeling studies [5,11]. The observed impairment in the CLBP group aligns with research showing altered neuromuscular coordination, reduced fascial mobility, and increased connective tissue stiffness in individuals with chronic back pain [3,4,8].

These findings suggest that CLBP may disrupt long-range myofascial force chains, which could have implications for trunk and pelvic force transfer and locomotion efficiency. Such dysfunction may contribute to persistent motor control deficits and compensatory strategies commonly reported in CLBP populations [7,9,10].

Importantly, this study provides the first in vivo functional evidence—using shear wave elastography—of altered intermuscular force transmission in a chronic pain population. It strengthens the notion that the thoracolumbar fascia acts not just as a passive structure but as an active participant in force modulation and transmission across regions.

However, we do not know whether this reduced myofascial force transmission is a cause, a consequence or an epiphenomenon of CLBP. Furthermore, there is no data to show which intervention is best suited to rehabilitate this reduced force transmission.

✅ Conclusion

This study demonstrates that chronic low back pain is associated with reduced myofascial force transmission between the latissimus dorsi and contralateral gluteus maximus muscles. Thus, potential factors such as greater weakness [12], and decreased GM cross-sectional area [13] commonly observed in this population, reduced fascial gliding (3), the presence of fibrosis and adhesions in the thoracolumbar fascia, and alterations in neuromuscular control (3,4,11) may all contribute to impaired MFT in the pathway investigated.

📘 Illustration: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30616942/

📚 Key References (as cited in the study)

1. Barker, P. J., et al. (2007). Clinical Biomechanics, 22, 939–945.

2. Balagué, F., et al. (2012). Lancet, 379(9814), 482–491.

3. Langevin, H. M., et al. (2011). Spine, 36(13), E868–E876.

4. Langevin, H. M., & Sherman, K. J. (2007). Medical Hypotheses, 68(1), 74–80.

5. Vleeming, A., et al. (1995). Spine, 20(7), 753–760.

6. Willard, F. H., et al. (2012). Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 16(1), 66–73.

7. Wilke, J., et al. (2017). Journal of Anatomy, 231(6), 947–956.

8. Hodges, P. W., & Moseley, G. L. (2003). Manual Therapy, 8(4), 200–206.

9. Van Dieën, J. H., et al. (2003). Clinical Biomechanics, 18(7), 637–655.

10. Carvalhais, V. O. C., et al. (2013). Journal of Biomechanics 46 (5): 1003–7.

11. Huijing, P. A. (2009). European Journal of Applied Physiology, 108(3), 389–404.

12. Nadler, S.F., et al. (2000). Clin. J. Sport Med. 10, 89–97.

13. Amabile, A.H., et al. (2017). PLoS One 12 (7).

07/11/2025

🎥 Behind the scenes with Moses at a recent seminar!

Moses shared hands-on instruction with a student, demonstrating precise dry needling techniques for deep neck muscles — a powerful approach to improving mobility, reducing pain, and restoring function.

Teaching the next generation of practitioners one needle at a time. 💪

07/05/2025

💡 Looking for targeted recovery and care that actually makes sense?

🏃‍♂️ Sam’s recent experience is a reminder of how clear communication and expert treatment can make all the difference, especially for athletes looking to recover smarter and perform better.

⚡ Ready to take your recovery to the next level?
📍 Book your visit today at lycoacu.com

02/14/2025

As an athlete, your journey to peak performance requires equal parts mental and physical strength.

🏋️‍♂️ We know your body faces extreme demands, which is why we're dedicated to helping you understand its limitations through comprehensive sports therapy.

🎯 Targeting the Core: With techniques like cupping, soft tissue mobilization, and acupuncture, we target muscle groups so they can withstand the rigors of your sport.

🔍 Finding Hidden Challenges: We uncover and treat problem areas to accelerate your recovery and rejuvenation.

🚀 Prepare for Victory: Regular sports therapy sessions prime your body for the physical challenges ahead.

🏅 Pursue Excellence: Our goal is to help you not only achieve but exceed your athletic ambitions. Specialized treatments like dry needling and corrective exercises are designed to optimize your performance and keep you in the game.

🌱 Don't let pain or injury dictate your sports story. We can help you craft a personalized treatment plan that aligns with your sports ambitions and lifestyle.