Dear [Recipient or Team],

I want to take a moment to address an important public health and professional scope of practice concern regarding the use of dry needling by athletic trainers.

Dry needling, while often framed as a technique rather than a form of acupuncture,because it is labeled as a separate and different practice.  Dry needling involves the insertion of solid filiform needles into the body—an invasive procedure that carries significant risk if not performed with proper training. Licensed athletic trainers complete thousands of hours of clinical and didactic coursework in the student of anatomy and therapeutic intervention in injury prevention and treatment. While other states have been allowing trained and certified athletic trainers complete this safe and therapeutic intervention for years, the state of Virginia is falling behind in this practice  

Athletic trainers have recently improved the education requirement for certification and licensure to include a masters in athletic training. Along with this advancement in clinical experience, coursework and demand for higher standard of practice, athletic trainers are expanding their already expansive scope of practice. 

In order to perform dry needling in other states currently it’s required to complete two courses of dry needling practice and education. Within that education, it is widely known and instructed on how to avoid puncturing any vital organs, reduce the risk of infection, and patient education on what they will experience. To become certified you also must undergo and experience needling first hand. Allowing athletic trainers complete thousands to dry needle would enhance patient education on all fronts. When I educate my patients on the difference between dry needling and acupuncture, I explain that they use slightly different principles and can achieve different results. When we’re crafting care plans, I still have patients who prefer acupuncture and do that instead of dry needling. It’s broadening the education of a community to bring both practices to even more people.

As healthcare professionals, we must advocate for growth and education of a community to all of the safe and available options. Uplifting and encouraging other practitioners to learn and promote new practices is only good for patients and healthcare.

Warmly,

Rosalind Senopoulos, MS, LAT, ATC

University of Virginia