Elite athletes' experiences of musculoskeletal pain management using neuroanatomical dry needling: A qualitative study in Swedish track and field.

Elite athletes often manage pain differently than the general population, driven by the pressure to keep training and competing. This qualitative study looked at how eight elite Swedish track and field athletes described their experience of using neuroanatomical dry needling, a treatment guided by mapping nerve pathways, for musculoskeletal pain at a specialised clinic. Through in-depth interviews, the athletes described approaching pain treatment from a performance-first perspective. They valued a clear anatomical diagnosis, especially when supported by imaging, and appreciated dry needling because it seemed to offer quick pain relief that let them return to sport rapidly, which reduced their performance-related stress.

The authors note this expectation sits uneasily with research suggesting that how the nervous system registers pain does not necessarily reflect the actual state of tissue or how well it has healed. As a qualitative study with a small sample, the findings describe these athletes' experiences and beliefs, not proof that the treatment changes recovery or outcomes.

If you're an athlete who has dealt with pain from intense training, this study offers an inside look at how elite competitors think about pain treatment. Researchers interviewed eight top Swedish track and field athletes who had used a needle-based treatment called neuroanatomical dry needling, which targets pain pathways mapped to the nervous system, at a specialised clinic. The athletes described treating pain as an unavoidable part of their sport.

They liked getting a clear diagnosis, ideally backed by scan images, and valued the needling treatment because it seemed to ease pain quickly and let them get back to training and competing fast, easing the stress of being sidelined. However, the researchers point out a tension here: feeling less pain doesn't necessarily mean an injury has actually healed, since the nervous system's pain signals don't always match what's really happening in the tissue. This was a small interview study of just eight people, so it tells us about these athletes' experiences and expectations, not whether the treatment actually speeds healing or prevents future problems.

This is a summary of research, not medical advice. Talk to your own healthcare provider about anything affecting your care.

This study speaks to a common clinical tension: athletes often want fast pain relief that gets them back to competition quickly, but that expectation may not align with what pain science tells us about tissue healing. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with eight elite Swedish track and field athletes (six men, two women, median age 28.5) who had been treated with neuroanatomical dry needling at a specialised musculoskeletal pain clinic, then analysed the transcripts thematically. The athletes described a performance-driven relationship with pain management.

They sought treatment even for minor reductions in capacity, valued unambiguous anatomical diagnoses supported by imaging, and appreciated dry needling specifically because it was perceived to provide fast analgesia enabling rapid return to play, which reduced their performance-related stress. The authors highlight that this expectation is incongruent with evidence that nervous system pain sensitivity does not reliably reflect actual musculoskeletal tissue state or recovery. As a qualitative study of eight athletes at a single clinic, this research illuminates athlete beliefs, expectations, and the perceived acceptability of a treatment approach rather than establishing its clinical effectiveness.

It offers insight into the psychological and contextual pressures shaping return-to-play decisions in elite sport, useful for framing conversations about pain versus tissue healing, but it cannot support claims about treatment efficacy or generalise beyond this specific athlete population and clinical setting.