Getting to the Core of Injuries with Dr. Cheryl Hancock

For many people struggling with injury, needles would not be their first thought when trying to speed up their recovery. More specifically, having upwards of twenty needles stuck into one’s body at a given time, in the name of rehab. However, needles are Dr. Cheryl Hancock’s method of choice for treating patients, and she has done so with ample success over the years.

Hancock claims that physical therapy has been a calling of hers from a young age. As early when she was in fifth grade accompanying a friend to one of her physical therapy appointments, she had known that she was drawn to the profession.

“From the moment I was introduced to this field, I fell in love with everything it has to offer,” Hancock said.

Her connection to the field grew more personal her senior year of highschool. Prior to her senior basketball season, she suffered a traumatic injury, tearing all the ligaments in her right ankle. Throughout the course of her rehab, she was inspired by the dedication of those around her helping her to recover. She started with volunteer work, and eventually went on to earn her associates, bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees in the field of physical therapy.

Hancock uses a wide variety of methods to treat her patients that some may categorize as “unorthodox”. The most notable of these methods being “dry needling” and “cupping”.

Dry needling is the direct, localized use of a single-use sterile acupuncture needle to target specific muscle points. By initiating biochemical and mechanical changes, it relieves pain and reduces muscle tightness. When utilized properly, patients will experience an increase in range of motion, and a decrease in pain within 24 hours of treatment.

“Inserting a needle into a trigger point creates micro trauma that changes the electrical and chemical activity in the area, and normalizes it. The trigger point is then deactivated. The surrounding muscles can relax, and white blood cells are drawn in, along with plasma cells to begin the healing process,” Hancock said.

Cupping utilizes small suction cup like devices to increase blood flow and decrease inflammation, along with helping to decrease soreness from dry needling.

While dry needling and cupping are used extensively by Hancock, they are just pieces of the puzzle when helping to rehabilitate a patient. Each of these methods serve a specific purpose during treatment, and come together to aid ones return to health. “No matter what clinical approach you choose for each patient, regardless of age, the treatment must always focus on the body as a whole, where one (injury) will always cause another, thus leading to a need for a multitude of techniques,” Hancock said.

Hancock keeps this whole body approach in mind when she evaluates a patient for the first time. She first begins by addressing their symptoms. She then takes notice of the dysfunction caused by the symptoms. Lastly, she takes into account what actions the patients need to be able to perform; i.e. their specific sport or line of work that they are in. She can then go about creating a plan of treatment that will correct the patients mechanics, and prevent future injuries.

“My treatment approach follows a set of rules; pain is a liar, never treat the symptom, seek out muscle endurance not strength, and go out of the box,” Hancock said.

Core Physical Therapy is Hancocks current practice, and is run by herself in Danville, Va. At at given time, she can be found running around her practice treating patients with a wide variety of methods. On one table a college athlete may be receiving dry needling, while across the room a patient in their 70s works on mobility exercises.

“Throughout my professional career I have treated a wide variety of patients ranging from nine to 90 years of age. Every person, athlete or not, that walks into the clinic has returned to some level of function.” Hancock said.

Being located in Danville, Hancock has treated numerous athletes from Averett University throughout the years. Word of Core Physical Therapy, and dry needling have spread amongst athletes in the community.

Entering his senior season, Matt Tuggle experienced severe pain in his pitching arm. Albeit being skeptical of needles, Tuggle decided to visit Core Physical Therapy in hopes of being able to play out his final year at Averett.

“I heard about Core PT through a teammate who had been going. Prior to my first visit I was very skeptical about being poked with a bunch of needles,” Tuggle said.

Tuggle and Hancock worked together to create a personalized treatment and rehabilitation plan. This plan enabled him to return to the mound for eight starts his senior season posting a 3.37 earned run average; something he wasn’t sure would be a possibility prior to being treated at Core Physical Therapy.

“It was a major part in getting me healthy and back on the field. Cheryl and the staff went over and beyond to make sure I was on the right track in recovering from my injury,” Tuggle said.

Much like Tuggle, Kyle Vidano is another former Averett baseball player who seeked out the help of Hancock. Vidano missed a full season after requiring surgery to repair his torn labrum. Surgery was merely the first step to recovery, and Vidano was unsure if he’d return to the caliper of play he was once capable of.

“The treatment was different than anything I’d heard of before, but I was willing to try anything to get healthy.” Vidano said.

Vidano put his trust in Hancock and her methods, staying committed to the rehab plan she created for him. Not only did Vidano returned from his injury, but he also put together the best season of his college campaign. The season following his treatment at Core Physical Therapy, Vidano was selected to the USA South All-Conference First Team, ranked 12th in the nation in stolen bases, and lead the team in hits and runs.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever return to playing baseball. Dry needling and cupping provided by Cheryl allowed me to come back stronger than ever. I would definitely recommend these methods to anyone struggling to find relief from an injury,” Vidano said.

Both Tuggle and Vidano serve as testaments to Core Physical Therapy, and the benefits of dry needling and cupping. While they both were able to find success with these methods, Hancock does make sure to remind patients that everyone is different, and dry needling is not always a viable form of treatment.

“Dry needling is not an option for everyone for many reasons, ranging from fear of needles, to health concerns where needling is contraindicated; know your patient. Dry needling is a wonderful alternative to try before searching for invasive procedures,” Hancock said.

The goal of most every patient that comes through the doors of Core Physical Therapy is to prevent surgery, or to be able to return to a healthy lifestyle that doesn’t rely on medication. Any person who is injured has one desire; to return to a functional and pain free day-to-day life. Hancock and her methods of treatment have been able to fulfill that desire for many patients over the years, and she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.