I’m an acupuncturist. Allowing physical therapists to perform dry needling raises questions |
A bill in the California Legislature that would allow physical therapists to perform dry needling but doesn’t set minimum training requirements. Licensed acupuncturists need thousands of hours of practice and education to obtain certification for invasive procedures.
When star NFL linebacker T.J. Watt suffered a partially collapsed lung following a needling procedure at a Pittsburgh Steelers facility in 2025, the incident drew national attention. It also underscored a fundamental reality: Even routine medical techniques can carry serious risks when they involve penetrating the human body.
That reality sits at the center of a growing policy debate in California — one that reflects a broader national trend.
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In April, the Assembly Business and Professions Committee advanced Assembly Bill 2497 by a narrow 10-8-1 vote. The bill would expand the scope of practice for physical therapists to include needling procedures that penetrate the skin, commonly referred to as dry needling. The bill does not explicitly include a provision for a minimum level of training for physical therapists to do dry needling; that is instead left up to the Physical Therapy Board of California.
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To a patient, dry needling and acupuncture likely look like identical procedures. But to a practitioner, dry needling is a subset of the broader acupuncture field and is a skill that requires careful technique and many hours of practice.
While AB2497 is framed as a way to improve access to........