Training requirements for physiotherapists. The training requirements for the practice of dry needling are currently not anywhere to be found.
The recent increase popularity of dry needling amongst physiotherapists in Australia has occurred in the relative absence of regulation by the relevant professional bodies. In the past the traditional acupuncture course which has been run for many years by the APA for physiotherapists, was considered to be the minimum standard of training required for physiotherapists to practice needling by the APA, some state registration boards and physiotherapy indemnity insurers.
Several years ago this was deemed by the APA to no longer be the case.
No replacement recommendation was made for minimum training for needling of any sort by physiotherapists by the APA.
As a result of an increase in adverse incidents as a result of needling practice by physiotherapists, it became apparent that physiotherapists were practicing dry needling with as little as 3 hours instruction and even with no formal instruction.
A work party of physiotherapists experienced in the practice and teaching of acupuncture and dry needling has recently worked in consultation with the APA and representatives of the indemnity insurance industry to produce a document of guidelines for the practice of acupuncture and dry needling by physiotherapists.
The “Guidelines for Safe Acupuncture Practice” document has reached its final draft format . It is not yet available to physiotherapists however should be very soon via the APA Acupuncture Study Group.
It is the hope of those in the work party that these guidelines will become the nationally recognized standard rather than the current situation which varies from state to state.
The minimum training requirements in the draft of the guidelines is 2 days for dry needling and 8 days for traditional acupuncture
Physiotherapists wishing to practice dry needling are currently required to comply with the recommendations regarding skin penetration and acupuncture of the Physiotherapy Registration Boards in each state.
Physiotherapists should check the stance of the physiotherapy registration board in their state for themselves however it would seem that there is some debate as to whether or not physiotherapists are able to practice needling in WA . The SA registration board currently maintains that the APA traditional acupuncture course is required as minimum training for needling in that state.