Physical therapists (PTs) are doctors with many specialties like exercise, manual therapy, modalities, and anatomy. PTs take cadaver-based anatomy next to MDs and PAs in school. Acupuncture schools typically use online modules and models for anatomy, which offer inferior spatial anatomy training. Peuker and Grönemeyer in 2001 looked at adverse cases of acupuncturists and concluded enhanced anatomy training was needed for prevention.
PTs have been dry needling in 34 US States, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand to name a few. With so many PTs needling worldwide, data exist on PTs vs acupuncturist in terms of risk. Xu, Shifen, et al. in 2013 found that acupuncturists had higher rates of adverse events, including infections and pneumothoraxes, than PTs. Of serious organ damage, such as punctured spinal cords, cases demonstrate these were done by acupuncturists needling too deep. Perhaps acupuncturists need more education on anatomy, depth, and infection control?
To dry needle, PTs must pass several certificate courses. Such courses involve didactic and lab assessments and is typically staged over 75-100 hours. Given the doctoral training, this is more than sufficient training, and the adverse events data supports this. In the end, PTs deserve the right to needle in Florida.
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2020/01/15/physical-therapists-shouldnt-practice-dry-needling-without-training/4457484002/