IAPTA - Montanaboards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/Portals/133/Documents/ptp/APTA LETTER TO... · Siniwii, Pi;...
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till North l,iirl"ax Strwt Ak-simlria. VA 22U41Am rn.s (m 734.1 fax vvww.afsin.org mm m R. ScollWjrd, PI, Will President Paul A. Rix*jr Ir, PT, rWT, MS Vk<> Prosideiu •Uurita M. Hark, PT, OPT, PhD, MBA, FAPIA Sc< rct.irv Hniw R. Pfal/, PT Ifeasurvr shawm- t. Snpa:, tt, dpt, mra Speaker <i! the I louse William I. Mrtk-hee, PT, MBS Viie SpeaMi ObecTors Sharon I. Dgim, VI Phi), CX S JenniferGiwui Wilson, PI, htl), MRA RogerA. Heir. PI, MPA, COS-t Hi.inneV Jowll, IT. HPT, PhD, rxs Aiinee B, Ktetn,FT, DPT,OSt, Kathleen K. Matreite, PI, OPT. MA !X»idA, Kaiser, PI, PhD MaryC. Siniwii, Pi; DPI. MLd Nkolei. Stout, PI. MPT, CLMANA Oiks' Executive Gfcer John D. Barne* Cc-mbineti 5e*:tir>n* Meeting iebriiary tt 11,2012 Chkagn, II PT 2012 Juneb-9. 2012 KuilJKl, ri. IAPTA American Physical Therapy Association. November 3, 2011 Montana Board of Physical Therapy 301 S. Park, 4th Floor P.O. Box 200513 Helena, MT 59620 Dear Members of the Board, This letter is to provide information regarding the use of dry needling by licensed physical therapists. It is my understanding that there is some questionas to whether dry needling is part of the physical therapist scope of practice and if its use by physical therapists is appropriate. Dryneedling is an intervention that is being utilized by physicaltherapists across the country. The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, which defines much of the scope of practice of the physical therapistprofession,lists numerous methods, techniques and procedural interventionsa physical therapist may utilizeto producea change consistentwith their diagnosis. Manual therapy techniques are designed to improvemusclefunction, inducerelaxationand decrease pain. The intentof dry needlingis compatible with this componentof physical therapist practice. The procedural intervention of dry needling is therefore not inconsistent with The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. The education of physical therapists includes anatomy, histology, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, neuroscience,pharmacology,pathology,clinical sciences, clinical interventions, clinical applications,and screening.Much of the basic anatomical, physiological and biomechanical knowledge that dry needling utilizes is taught as part of the core physical therapist education; the specific dry needling skills are supplemental to that knowledge and not exclusive to acupuncture. Physical therapists are bound by their license to practice safely and effectively. APTA believesthat it is not inappropriatefor licensed physical therapists to perform dry needling so long as they have education and training in the performance of dry needling, and arc competent in the use of the intervention. I understand that thereis some questions relatedthe possibleoverlapof this modality with those techniques used in the practice of acupuncture. Dry needling by physical therapists is a manual therapy intervention that involves the use of needles. The utilization of needles (a tool) is the primary similarity between dry needling and acupuncture. Most professions today share some procedures, tools, or interventions with other regulated professions. It is unreasonable to expect one
Transcript of IAPTA - Montanaboards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/Portals/133/Documents/ptp/APTA LETTER TO... · Siniwii, Pi;...
till North l,iirl"ax Strwt
Ak-simlria. VA 22U41Am
rn.s (m 734.1 fax
vvww.af sin.org
mm m
R. ScollWjrd, PI, Will
President
Paul A. Rix*jr Ir, PT, rWT, MSVk<> Prosideiu
•Uurita M. Hark, PT, OPT, PhD,
MBA, FAPIA
Sc< rct.irv
Hniw R. Pfal/, PT
Ifeasurvr
shawm- t. Snpa:, tt, dpt, mraSpeaker <i! the Ilouse
William I. Mrtk-hee, PT, MBSViie SpeaMi
ObecTors
Sharon I. Dgim, VI Phi), CX S
JenniferGiwui Wilson, PI, htl), MRA
RogerA. Heir.PI, MPA, COS-t
Hi.inneV Jowll, IT. HPT, PhD,
rxs
Aiinee B, Ktetn,FT, DPT,OSt,
Kathleen K. Matreite, PI, OPT. MA
!X»idA, Kaiser, PI, PhD
MaryC. Siniwii, Pi; DPI. MLd
Nkolei. Stout, PI. MPT,
CLMANA
Oiks' Executive Gfcer
John D. Barne*
Cc-mbineti5e*:tir>n* Meetingiebriiary tt 11,2012Chkagn, II
PT 2012
Juneb-9. 2012
KuilJKl, ri.
IAPTAAmerican Physical Therapy Association.
November 3, 2011
MontanaBoard of Physical Therapy301 S. Park, 4th FloorP.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620
Dear Members of the Board,
This letter is to provide information regarding the use of dry needling by licensedphysical therapists. It is my understanding that there is some questionas towhetherdry needling is part of the physical therapist scope ofpracticeand if itsuse by physical therapists is appropriate.
Dryneedling is an intervention that is beingutilized by physical therapists acrossthe country. The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, which definesmuch ofthe scope of practice of the physical therapist profession, lists numerous methods,techniques and procedural interventions a physical therapist may utilize toproducea change consistentwith their diagnosis. Manual therapy techniques aredesigned to improvemusclefunction, inducerelaxationand decrease pain. Theintentof dry needlingis compatible with this componentof physical therapistpractice. The procedural intervention of dry needling is thereforenot inconsistentwith The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.
The education of physical therapists includes anatomy, histology, physiology,biomechanics, kinesiology, neuroscience,pharmacology, pathology,clinicalsciences, clinical interventions, clinical applications,and screening. Muchof thebasicanatomical, physiological and biomechanical knowledge thatdryneedlingutilizes is taught as part of the core physical therapist education; thespecific dryneedling skills are supplemental to that knowledge and not exclusive toacupuncture. Physical therapists are bound by their license to practicesafely andeffectively. APTA believes that it is not inappropriate for licensed physicaltherapists to perform dry needling so long as theyhave education and training inthe performanceof dry needling, and arc competent in the use of the intervention.
I understand that there is some questions relatedthe possibleoverlapof thismodality with those techniques used in the practice ofacupuncture. Dry needlingby physical therapists is a manual therapy intervention that involves the use ofneedles. Theutilization of needles (a tool) is the primary similarity between dryneedling and acupuncture. Mostprofessions today share some procedures, tools,or interventions withother regulated professions. It is unreasonable to expect one
profession to have exclusive domain overan intervention, tool, ormodality. Most state lawsgoverning the licensure of health careprofessions provide exemptions for otherregulated healthproviders who areactingwithintheirscope of practice, so longas providers do not referto theirservices as anything but the profession for which theyare regulated.
In addition there are differences inthe philosophy, rationale, and use intreatment ofdry needlingby physical therapists versus acupuncturists. According to the American College ofAcupuncture and OrientalMedicine, the Masterof Acupuncture & OrientalMedicine degreeprogramis based on preserving the ancient theories, principles andtenets oftraditional Chinesemedicine. The objectives and philosophy behind theuseof dry needling by physical therapistsisnot basedon ancient theories or tenets of traditional Chinese medicine. The performance ofmodern dry needling by physical therapists is basedon westernneuroanatomy and modernscientific studyof the musculoskeletal and nervous system.
I hopethis information is helpful. Please let me know if you haveany questions.
Sincerely,
,r^\R. Scott Ward, PT, PhDPresident, American Physical Therapy Association
APTA/state/jle
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