I am writing this comment in a STRONG SUPPORT of athletic trainers being able to perform a modality of Dry Needling in the state of Virginia. Athletic Trainers are licensed medical professionals. We specialize in prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. Our treatment includes a variety of specialized certifications that enable us to treat these injuries effectively. Dry needling would be included in these certifications that can be obtained through board approved continuing education.

Dry Needling is defined as a technique to treat myofascial pain using a dry needle (without medication) that is inserted into a trigger point with the goal of releasing / inactivating the trigger points and relieving pain. Dry needling is also described as the use of solid filiform needles for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and soft tissue dysfunction. The insertion of needles into specific targets may increase local blood flow to tissue and relax trigger point related muscular tension resulting in decreased pain and improved function.

Dry needling is also a very safe treatment option. Dry needling is done with the use of alcohol swabs to clean the skin to prevent infection. The use of gloves is standard practice as well for dry needling. During the instruction of the class, one of the first topics of discussion is the importance of safety with dry needling to avoid any harm to the patients. The safety that is discussed is the importance of keeping the skin clean to prevent infection as well as how to safely dry needle around vital organs such as the lungs and kidneys. The course also discusses the indications, contraindications and precautions to properly execute safe and efficient treatments.

Dry needling for athletic trainers is allowed in many other states such as Ohio, North Carolina, Arizona, Illinois, Nevada, California, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, and West Virginia. Many of these states require a completion of a board approved continuing education course, which is standard operating procedure. I have had the fortune of taking multiple of these courses and have had many hours of dry needling experience with safe practice under a physician’s standing orders in the state of Ohio.