Why Your Neck Pain Might Start in Your Glute
Quick recap, if you're skimming:
I spent the past year in advanced sports medicine and orthopedic acupuncture training
Biggest lesson: pain doesn't always start where it hurts, sometimes treating the glute changes the neck
I experienced this firsthand at a conference (glute needle, immediate neck relief, no clean explanation)
This is already reshaping how I treat chronic pain and injuries in the clinic
I've spent the past year deep in advanced training that's already changing how I treat pain and injury in the clinic.
It started with a patient who came in with acute back pain and they were in a lot of pain and did not improve at all after the session. That one stuck with me. I love acupuncture and believe deeply in the medicine. I also believe good practitioners never stop learning. So I went looking for more tools: a deeper understanding of anatomy, movement, and how that connects to Eastern medicine, so I could better help people who are active, dealing with injuries, or frustrated that pain is keeping them from doing the things they love.
I have loved this training.
Where Sports Medicine Meets East Asian Medicine
One of my favorite parts of this training is how it blends modern sports medicine (anatomy, movement patterns, biomechanics) with the whole-body lens of East Asian medicine (patterns, meridians, how different systems connect).
At first glance, those can look like two completely different worlds but they are so interconnected it’s fascinating. Understanding how someone moves gives me one layer of information. Understanding the whole-body picture gives me another. Together, they help me ask better questions.
Sometimes the Pain Isn't Where the Problem Starts
One of the biggest lessons from this training: learn to look beyond the painful area.
Someone comes in with neck pain, and the most useful place to treat might not be the neck at all. Depending on what's going on, a needle in the piriformis (yes, the glute) can create real change in the neck and shoulder.
Yes, the glute, for neck pain!
This is why we say "the body is connected!” Your muscles, nervous system, movement patterns, stress, sleep, and daily habits all influence how you feel, both mentally and physically. That's why I don't just want to chase symptoms. I want the bigger picture.
I Felt This One Myself
In January, I went to a neck and upper extremity conference as part of this training. I've got my own history here, chronic neck pain from a few bike accidents and whiplash, plus an old right shoulder injury from paddling.
During a session on shoulder posture, I volunteered, assuming we'd work on my upper traps or shoulder.
Instead, the instructor needled my glute.
There I was, booty exposed on a table, in a room full of students, getting my piriformis needled! What’s crazy is, this was used to treat the unevenness in my shoulders (which leveled out) and my neck released. I felt it immediately.
Coincidence? Maybe. I can't prove otherwise. But it was a solid reminder that the body is constantly communicating, and the connections aren't always where you'd expect them to be.
What This Means for You
This training has changed how I approach chronic pain, sports injuries, and the stuff that just won't resolve, whether it's an old injury, a new setback, or something that showed after rearranging your garden pots.
I'm looking at more than the painful spot. I'm looking at how you move, what your body's been through, your stress and recovery patterns, and the bigger picture of your health. Because the goal isn't just making pain go away for a day. It's helping you understand your body and support it long-term.
So if you ever wonder why your acupuncturist is asking about your hips when you came in for a stiff neck, this may be the reason