Dry Needling Level 1 - Foundations

Presented by: Laeth Hamil, PT, DPT, DNPro and Taylor Bushnell, PT, DPT, DNPro of Dry Needling Pro
UNMC’s Division of Physical Therapy Education will hold this 2-day continuing education event September 23-24, 2023 in the Bennett Hall Lab (Room 4016) on the University of Nebraska Medical Center Campus, Omaha, NE.
The September course is FULL, but you may sign up for the wait list:
Dr. Taylor Bushnell graduated from the University of St. Augustine in 2009. Since then he has practiced in Boston, Ma, Eugene Or, and St. Louis Mo. He has been utilizing dry needling in his practice since 2011, working with average orthopedic patients to elite level professional athletes. He is passionate about treating patients and teaching effective dry needling skills to all practitioners. Taylor pairs dry needling with other manual therapy, strength training and postural training. Taylor currently is the clinic director at Peak Sport and Spine - The Grove in St Louis, and is the owner of Momentum Lab PT a cash-based PT practice and the owner and creator of Dry Needling Pro.
To take this course you must be licensed as a PT, MD, DO, DC, ATC, LAC, PA, NP, or a DPT student in their final year. Please check with your state practice act in your respective field to know if you are able to dry needle.
This course has been approved for 27 CEU hours through CEU locker.
- Learn the theory behind dry needling and differences from traditional acupuncture
- Understand the basic physiology of trigger points
- Understand common trigger point referral patterns and how they differ from radicular patterns
- Demonstrate and understand dry needling safety, including:
- Understand emergency preparedness for adverse dry needling effects
- Physiological (shock, vasovagal)
- Psychological (claustrophobia, anxiety, agitation)
- Understand precautions related to:
- blood thinners
- clots
- pregnancy
- surgical sites, etc
- Learn contraindications to dry needling related to:
- wounds
- infections
- blood thinners
- pacemakers/defibrillators
- Demonstrate proper PPE utilization and safe blood borne pathogen precautions
- Demonstrate safe needle insertion and show proper needle redirection
- Demonstrate proper hygiene and needle site sterility
- Understand emergency preparedness for adverse dry needling effects
- Learn basic upper extremity, lower extremity, and spine dry needling application including:
- Learn anatomical landmarks, borders, origin and insertion, referral patterns
- Demonstrate safe patient positioning
- Demonstrate needle direction and depth for a given muscle
- Demonstrate proper palpation and trigger point identification
- Demonstrate differentiation of active vs latent trigger points
- Understand choosing proper needle size for each muscle
- Demonstrate safe pistoning techniques taught in level 1
Day 1
7:30-8:15 Introduction and Pre-Test
8:15-8:30 Needling, Safety and Handling
8:45-9:15 Deltoid
9:15-9:45 Biceps, Triceps, Anconeus
9:45-10:15 Infraspinatus, Subscap
10:15-10:45 Teres Major/Minor, Lats
10:45-11:30 Wrist and Elbow extensors
11:30-12:30 Upper Trap, SCM
12:30-1:30 LUNCH
1:30-2:30 Cervical Paraspinals
2:30-3:30 Pec Major (Pinch grip only)
3:30-4:30 QL/Paraspinals/Psoas
4:30-5:30 Case Study 1
Day 2
7:30-8:30 Review from First day
8:30-9:30 Obliques, Rec Abd, Iliacus
9:30-10:30 Gluteus Maximus/Medius/Minimus/TFL
10:30-11:30 Quads/Hamstrings
11:30-12:30 Adductors
12:30-1:30 LUNCH
1:30-2:30 Gastrocnemius/Soleus/Peroneals
2:30-3:30 Tib Anterior/Quadratus Plantae
3:30-4:30 Review and Case Study 2
4:30-5:30 Post Test and Certificates
Course Fee for September Course
Audience |
Early Bird |
After Aug 31 |
UNMC alumni and CIs | $650 | $700 |
Public | $850 | $900 |
Cancellation/Refund Policy for September course:
100% if cancelled 2 weeks in advance (by September 8).
50% if cancelled up to 2 days prior to the course.
No refund if cancelled the day before the course.