Oakland's Sports Acupuncture & Dry Needling Specialists
At Lion's Heart Acupuncture & Wellness, Dr. Kim Peirano, DACM, LAc brings over 15 years of specialized experience in sports acupuncture and dry needling in Oakland, CA. Whether you're a competitive runner, a CrossFit athlete, a weekend cyclist, or someone navigating a stubborn injury, our clinic offers evidence-based, integrative treatments tailored to how your body moves — and what it needs to heal. Sports acupuncture and dry needling are not one-size-fits-all. Every session at our Oakland clinic begins with a detailed orthopedic assessment, so treatment targets the exact muscles, trigger points, and motor points driving your pain or limiting your performance. No fluff — just precise, results-driven care.
Dry Needling • Motor Point Needling • Trigger Point Needling • Cupping • Gua Sha • Therapeutic Rehabilitation Exercise Prescriptions • Supplements • Sports Performance Hypnotherapy • Mind-Body Connection
Acupuncture for Athletes of All Ages & Skill in Oakland
In addition to holding a Doctorate in Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (the highest clinical degree in her field), Dr. Kim has been a licensed acupuncturist in practice since 2010 and has specialized postgraduate training in orthopedics, sports medicine, and motor point needling. She has also been featured in USA Triathlon Magazine, Livestrong, and more!
As an athlete herself, Dr. Kim understands the mindset: you don't want to be told to rest. You want a plan. Every treatment is built around getting you back to your training, your race, or your routine — intelligently and as quickly as your body allows.
Whether you've never worked out a day in your life and are just seeking help to rehab an injury or relieve chronic pain, or you're a professional athlete who needs to run at optimal levels, we would love to work with you! There's no issue, big or small, too big or too small, for our clinic; we want to help you live the life YOU want.
Treatment plans and sessions are individually tailored to meet your needs and get you up and running as soon as possible.
We love that athletes come in all shapes and sizes, and that goals differ from one person to the next. Dr. Kim uses a Health at Every Size approach and is a member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health. She honors your desires and needs regarding your health and body.
Our goal is to get you where you want to go safely and swiftly.
What Is Sports Acupuncture?
What Is Dry Needling — And How Is It Different from Acupuncture?
Why Athletes Choose Acupuncture
Common Conditions We Treat
Sports acupuncture is a targeted approach that blends traditional Chinese medicine with modern sports medicine techniques. It’s designed to enhance athletic performance, prevent injuries, and speed up recovery times. By using acupuncture to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes, we address both acute injuries and chronic pain. Treatments can also help enhance your performance - by triggering muscles to engage properly, helping you get your head in the game and improving your focus it's a one-stop treatment with a big benefit.
Dry needling and acupuncture both use fine, sterile needles — but their frameworks differ. Dry needling targets myofascial trigger points: tight, irritable bands within a muscle that cause local and referred pain. The needle is inserted directly into these knotted fibers to stimulate a "twitch response," releasing the contraction, improving blood flow, and restoring normal muscle function.
Traditional sports acupuncture incorporates the principles of Chinese medicine — meridian theory, Qi flow, and systemic balance — alongside orthopedic techniques like motor point needling (activating inhibited muscles) and electroacupuncture (electrical stimulation through the needle).
At Lion's Heart, Dr. Kim uses all of these approaches together. That means you're not getting a narrow PT-style dry needling protocol or a purely traditional acupuncture session — you're getting a genuinely integrative treatment that addresses the whole athlete.
Dry needling is especially effective for: • Chronic muscle tightness and knots that don't resolve with massage • Referred pain patterns (e.g., trigger points in the glutes causing knee pain) • Post-workout soreness and DOMS • Injury rehabilitation where muscles have become inhibited or overactive • Improving range of motion before competition
Athletes often push their bodies to the limit, leading to muscle tightness, inflammation, and stress on joints. Acupuncture for athletes helps:
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Reduce pain and inflammation.
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Improve circulation for faster recovery.
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Enhance flexibility and mobility.
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Boost mental focus and relaxation.
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Prevent future injuries by addressing imbalances.
Tailored Care for Oakland’s Active Community
Located in the heart of Oakland, we understand the unique needs of our diverse, active community. Our sports acupuncture treatments are tailored to your specific goals, whether you’re training for a marathon, recovering from a sports injury, or simply maintaining peak performance.
Our Oakland sports acupuncture clinic is equipped to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and performance concerns, including:
Injuries & Pain
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IT band syndrome and runner's knee
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Rotator cuff injuries and shoulder impingement
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Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow (lateral/medial epicondylitis)
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Patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy
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Plantar fasciitis and foot pain
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Hip flexor tightness and hip labral strain
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Low back pain and disc-related sciatica
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Neck pain, whiplash, and cervicogenic headaches
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Wrist and elbow pain from climbing or overhead sports
Performance & Recovery
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Pre-race or pre-competition muscle activation
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Post-race and post-game recovery acceleration
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Chronic fatigue and overtraining syndrome
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Improving flexibility, mobility, and biomechanics
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Mental performance — focus, anxiety, and pre-competition nerves
Sports We Commonly Treat
Running · Triathlon · Cycling · Swimming · CrossFit & HIIT · Rock Climbing · Rowing & Paddling · Golf · Pickleball · Martial Arts · Weightlifting & Powerlifting · Basketball · Soccer · Gymnastics & Dance · Pole Dance & Alternative Movement
"I dropped 10 shots off my golf score in a tournament after just one session with Dr. Kim. My body felt loose and activated simultaneously and she gave me some tools to calm my mind and focus" - A.S.
What to Expect at Your Sports Acupuncture Visit
Your first session at Lion's Heart starts with a thorough intake — not just "where does it hurt," but how you move, train, recover, and what your goals are. Dr. Kim combines orthopedic assessment with Chinese medicine diagnostics to create a complete picture. Everything you need is included — no upsells, no surprise add-ons. Most patients notice a meaningful improvement within 3–6 sessions. Acute injuries often respond even faster.
Treatment typically include all or a combination of the following:
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Orthopedic Evaluation
A thorough intake and range of motion testing, palpation of trigger points, and postural assessment
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Dry Needling & Sports Acupuncture
Treatments are targeted to the specific muscles and meridians involved
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Electroacupuncture
Where appropriate, to accelerate muscle response and reduce inflammation
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Cupping or Gua Sha
When appropriate to release fascial restriction and improve circulation
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Rehabilitation Guidance
Therepeautic exercise prescriptions and movement cues to support lasting results
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Guided Hypnosis
For athletes who want additional support for the mind and focus, we offer Hypnopuncture sessions!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Acupuncture & Dry Needling in Oakland
Q: Does dry needling hurt? A: Most patients describe a brief, dull ache or muscle twitch when the needle hits a trigger point — which is actually a sign it's working. The sensation typically fades within seconds. Afterward, the area may feel sore for 24–48 hours, similar to a deep-tissue massage. Most patients leave feeling noticeably looser.
Q: How is dry needling different from a cortisone shot or physical therapy? A: Cortisone manages inflammation short-term but doesn't address the underlying muscle dysfunction. Physical therapy works on strengthening and movement patterning. Dry needling directly targets the neuromuscular source of pain — the trigger point — to release it and restore proper muscle activation. At Lion's Heart, these approaches are complementary, not competing.
Q: How many sessions will I need? A: For acute sports injuries, most patients see significant improvement in 3–6 sessions. Chronic or complex conditions may need 8–12 sessions to fully resolve, for some patients acupuncture & dry needling may be part of a long term management plan. Dr. Kim will give you an honest assessment after your intake.
Q: Do you work with professional athletes? A: Yes — Dr. Kim has worked with Olympians, professional dancers, soccer players, competitive triathletes, runners, rowers, golfers, and more. She's also a USA Triathlon-featured practitioner. Intensity of training doesn't change the approach; it just informs the timeline.
Q: Is sports acupuncture covered by insurance? A: Acupuncture coverage varies widely. Many PPO plans (including some Kaiser plans) now cover acupuncture. We recommend calling your insurer to confirm. We're happy to provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement.
Q: Can I get treated before a race or competition? A: Absolutely — pre-event treatment is one of our most popular requests. A 30–45 minute activation session 1–3 days before your event can help muscles fire correctly and reduce performance anxiety.
Ready to Recover Faster and Perform Better?
Sports acupuncture and dry needling at Lion's Heart Acupuncture & Wellness in Oakland are ready to meet you where you are — whether that's a nagging injury, a performance plateau, or just the goal of feeling better in your body.
📍 298 Grand Ave, Stuie 101, Oakland CA 94610
📞 510-761-7660
🗓 Book online at lionsheartwellness.janeapp.com
New patients: Book a New Patient Acupuncture visit to receive your full orthopedic intake and first treatment in one session. Sports Acupuncture or Full Acupuncture sessions can be available as follow-ups.
Serving Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, Piedmont, and the East Bay.