As a former student-athlete at a Virginia Division III institution, I can personally attest to the benefits of having access to dry needling. During my four years, I sustained injuries that significantly impacted my performance and recovery. Dry needling, administered by my athletic trainer, was a key factor in my ability to return to play. Admittedly, I was initially hesitant—having needles inserted into various muscle groups was intimidating. But I trusted my athletic trainer’s education, clinical judgment, and understanding of my body. That trust, built over years of daily interaction and care, made all the difference.

Athletes often have the closest relationship with their athletic trainers, not outside providers. If these services were restricted and had to be outsourced to professionals like acupuncturists, it would create unnecessary financial and logistical barriers. Not every athlete can afford that, and the continuity of care could easily be compromised. Allowing athletic trainers—who already know the athlete’s body, injury history, and treatment plans—to provide dry needling is not only practical but essential for effective recovery and performance.

Athletic training education programs, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), already include training in invasive procedures such as emergency IV administration, injections of lidocaine, and wound closure using staples or sutures. This demonstrates the rigorous and appropriate clinical preparation athletic trainers undergo in handling procedures that break the skin—including dry needling.

It’s worth noting that most of the opposition seems to come from acupuncturists, which raises the question: how much of this debate is truly about safety and how much is about protecting financial interests? Removing this service from athletic trainers doesn’t improve care—it just shifts it to a setting that’s often less accessible for athletes and potentially less effective due to the lack of established rapport and context.

Dry needling by trained athletic trainers isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for athletes to perform at their highest level.