Dry Needling – Pr. Kearns

Dry Needling (DN) is a powerful, adjunctive tool for the orthopaedic manual physical therapist. However, when not placed in the context of a thorough subjective history, a comprehensive neuromusculoskeletal examination, and appropriate differential diagnosis, it can be challenging to accurately identify the most appropriate patients and achieve optimal patient outcomes.

Explication du cours

This course is designed to bridge the gap between DN theory to how this tool can be integrated into clinical practice seamlessly by presenting a case based approach to DN with an emphasis on clinical reasoning in order to provide first time exposure and education to clinicians on DN as well as review and improve effective technique with clinicians currently utilizing DN.

Participants will cover the most commonly implicated muscles involved with frequently encountered upper & lower quadrant musculoskeletal dysfunctions. With concerns about complications from the invasive nature of dry needling, ample amount of lab time will be spent on surface anatomy and palpation to ensure accurate location of relevant regional anatomy and safety of technique.

Objectifs de la formation

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Knows basic terminology.
   • List the different histochemicals identified as being present in an active myofascial trigger point. (Cognitive: Knowledge)
   • List the differences between an active and latent myofascial trigger point. (Cognitive: Knowledge)

2. Understands theory.
   • Explain the major tenets of each trigger point dry needling theoretical model. (Cognitive: Comprehension)
   • Identify the differences between sympathetic, central and peripheral pain mechanisms that are considered with trigger point dry needling. (Cognitive: Analysis)

3. Apply principles.
   • Uses principles of pain science and trigger point dry needling as intervention in selected mock patient case studies. (Cognitive: Application)

4. Evaluate ideas.
   • Appraise the appropriateness for trigger point dry needling through subjective and objective presentation in mock patient case studies. (Cognitive: Evaluation)

5. Demonstrate awareness of presentation.
   • Acknowledge the precautions and/or contraindications in a case presentation when considering trigger point dry needling. (Affective: Receiving)
   • Contribute to class discussion of mock patient case studies. (Affective: Responding)

6. Demonstrate psychomotor skills.
   • Detect active and latent trigger points through digital palpation. (Psychomotor: Perception)
   • Practice under supervision of course instructor trigger point dry needling of muscles presented during the course. (Psychomotor: Guided Response)
   • Demonstrate safe application of trigger point dry needling to the upper trapezius as demonstrated by course instructor. (Psychomotor: Mechanism)
   • Proceed through identification of target muscle, patient set up, use of clean needle technique, and treatment of target muscle without cuing. (Psychomotor: Complex Overt Response)

Programme

Day 1

0800     Course Registration-Welcome and Introductions

0815     Lecture: Online Material Review: Dry Needling History, Theory, Mechanisms, Scope of Practice, and Literature Review (90 mins)

0945     Lecture:  Clean needle technique and needle handling (30 mins)

1015     Morning Break

1030     Lab: Shoulder Girdle Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 mins)

1100     Lab: Shoulder Girdle Muscles: Dry Needling (60 mins)

1200     Lecture: Shoulder Girdle Case Studies (45 mins)

1245     Lunch Break

0145     Lab: Arm Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 mins)

0215     Lab: Arm Muscles: Dry Needling (60 mins)

0315     Afternoon Break

0330     Lab: Forearm Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 min)

0400     Lab: Forearm Muscle: Dry Needling (60 min)

0500     Lecture: Arm and Forearm Case Studies (30 min)

0530     Adjourn – Total Time Day 1 = 8 hours (480 min)

Day 2

0800     Questions from previous day

0815     Lab: Cervical Spine Muscles: Surface Anatomy (60 mins)

0915     Lab: Cervical Spine Muscles: Dry Needling (90 mins)

1030     Morning Break

1045     Lecture: Cervical Spine Case Studies (60 mins)

1145     Lab: Lumbar & Posterior Hip Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 min)

1215     Lab: Lumbar & Posterior Hip Muscles: Dry Needling (60 min)

0115     Lunch Break

0215     Lecture: Lumbar & Posterior Hip Muscles Case Studies (30 min)

0245     Lab: Anterior Hip/Thigh & Posterior Thigh Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 min)

0315     Afternoon Break

0330     Lab: Anterior Hip/Thigh & Posterior Thigh Muscles: Dry Needling (60 min)

0430     Lecture: Anterior Hip/Thigh & Posterior Thigh Muscles Case Studies (30 min)

0500     Q&A (30 min)

0530     Adjourn Total Time Day 2 = 8 hours (480 min)

Day 3

0800     Lab: Lower Leg Muscles: Surface Anatomy (30 min)

0830     Lab: Lower Leg Muscles: Dry Needling (60 min)

0930     Morning Break

0945     Lecture: Lower Leg Muscles: Case Study (30 min)

1015     Lab: Upper Quadrant Round Robin (75 min)

1130     Lab: Lower Quadrant Round Robin (60 min)

1230     Lunch Break

0130     Lab: Q&A and Technique Review (75 min)

0245     Afternoon Break

0300     ASSESSMENT:  Day 1 Muscles check off (60 mins)

0400     ASSESSMENT:  Day 2 Muscles check off (60 mins)

0500     Q&A (30 min)

0530     Adjourn Total Time Day 3 = 8 hours (480 min)

Total Onsite Course time (including Assessments): 24 hours