Dry Needling

Specializing in Dry Needling Courses for the Management of the Neuromuscular System.

Applications For Pain Management & Sports Injuries: Advanced Physical Therapy Techniques

Dry Needling education is a valuable manual therapy technique for the evaluation and treatment of neuromyofascial pain and dysfunction present in the acute and chronic population. Instruction will include evaluation and application of dry needling of neuromyofascial dysfunction for musculature which is considered appropriate at the introductory level of training. Other topics to be covered are: common diagnosis and manual therapy assessment, safety, clean needling techniques, and review of the supporting literature and marketing. This course is designed for physical therapists but is appropriate for MD’s and DO's.

Definition of Trigger Point Dry Needling (Dry Needling)

Dry Needling involves multiple advances of a filament needle into the muscle in the region of a “Trigger Point’. The aim of Dry Needling is to achieve a local twitch response to release muscle tension and pain. Dry needling is an effective treatment for chronic pain of neuropathic origin with very few side effects. This technique is unequaled in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits. The needle used is very thin and most subjects do not even feel it penetrate the skin. A healthy muscle feels very little discomfort with insertion of this needle. However if the muscle is sensitive and shortened or has active trigger points within it, the subject will feel a sensation like a muscle cramp -‘the twitch response’. The patient also may feel a reproduction of “their” pain which is a helpful diagnostic indicator for the practitioner attempting to diagnose the cause of the patients symptoms. Patients soon learn to recognize and even welcome this sensation as it results in deactivating the trigger point, reducing pain and restoring normal length function to the involved muscle.

Kinetacore's Position Statement on Dry Needling

Kinetacore’s Position Statement on Dry Needling & Physical Therapists Scope of Practice

(aka Trigger Point Dry Needling or Intramuscular Manual Therapy/Intramuscular Stimulation)

Dry needling is a mechanical device assisted manual therapy technique within the scope of physical therapy practice. Professional continuing education that includes demonstration of competency in dry needling is required for clinical practice. KinetaCore agrees with the Federation of State Boards that dry needling is within the scope of practice of adequately trained physical therapists/physiotherapists. Kinetacore does not condone or influence those trained to influence or control the scope of practice of other medical professionals in order to limit their ability to learn this technique or practice within their own scope of practice. Physical therapists who intend to petition their state, provincial or federal board for acknowledgement of dry needling as within their scope of practice should be proficient in the technique and knowledgeable about its application to clinical practice. The technique will continue to evolve alongside advances in clinical evidence based and best practice in the doctoring profession of physical therapy.