If PTs want to use needles they need to study 3500 hours TCM and pass acupuncture board exams

Physical Therapy is a profession and modality completely separate & distinct from Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Becoming a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese Medicine entails a minimum of 3500 credit hours studying Western & Eastern medicine including Chinese Medicine Foundations, Acupucnture Channels, Meridians & Points, cautions and contrindications & Herbal Medicine in addition to lengthy clinical hands on experience treating patients. Additionally they must pass 3 to 4 board modules for licensure. A PTs practice is entirely different and does not encompass any of this. To simply take a few hour certification course does not qualify a PT to perform any of a licensed acupuncturist's functions just as taking a certification course in Physical Therapy techniques would not qualify a Licensed Acupuncturist to perform these techniques on patients. Performing any needling technique without proper knowledge of the channel and meridian theory poses a very high risk of causing injury to the patient. PTs would certainly not want a Licensed Acupuncturist or any other medical profession for that matter, to perform PT techniques based on a few hour certification course either for the same reasons. If they believe needling may help, they should refer their patients to a licensed acupuncturist/TCM practitioner.