PTs receive sufficient education (anatomy, physiology, clinical/medical sciences) to safely perform dry needling. Besides being recognized as musculoskeletal specialists, PTs are also educated and equipped to consider and care for the neurological and vascular components of treatment involved with dry needling. PTs can safely and effectively use dry needling to complement and enhance the other treatments being including in an episode of care. 

A recent study by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) found that 86% of the skills needed to safely and effectively perform dry needling are included in entry-level DPT education. PTs who elect to gain even further training to specialize in dry needling are certainly qualified to integrate this modality into their clinical practice. 

While PTs may use similiar devices as acupuncture needles to perform dry needling, the purpose, technique, and clinical skills are unique to physical therapy and do not interfere with an acupuncturist's practice. Trigger point Dry Needling specifically addresses hyperirritable loci in the muscle tissue to elicit a physiological response directly in the target muscle tissue to enhance and progress treatments performed by the Physical Therapists.  This response is similar to the response elicited by other treatment modalities frequently utilized by Physical Therapists.