Level 1 Dry Needling Course

Practical dry needling training for allied health professionals, combining online theory with hands-on practical instruction.

What you’ll get

  • Hands-On, Small Group Training

    Train in a focused environment with direct supervision. Smaller groups mean more feedback, better technique, and faster skill development.

  • Practical Skills You Can Use Immediately

    This is not theory-heavy learning. You’ll walk away with techniques you can confidently apply in your very next patient consultation.

  • Muscle-Based, Clinically Relevant Approach

    Learn the key muscles responsible for common pain presentations, with a clear focus on palpation, trigger points, and real-world treatment application.

  • Lifetime Access to Your Course Supervisor

    Your support doesn’t end when the course does. Get ongoing guidance, ask clinical questions, and continue refining your skills as you grow in practice.

  • Build Confidence, Not Just Knowledge

    We focus on repetition, technique, and clinical reasoning—so you leave feeling capable, not uncertain.

  • Designed for All Experience Levels

    Whether you’re just starting out or refining your approach, the course is structured to meet you where you are and elevate your standard of care.

  • Safe, Structured, and Professionally Delivered

    Learn within a framework that prioritises patient safety, clinical accuracy, and best practice standards.

  • Elevate Your Clinical Outcomes

    Improve treatment efficiency, expand your skillset, and deliver better results for your patients.

  • Lifetime Access to Video Training

    Revisit the course anytime with full access to your video library. Reinforce your learning, refine your technique, and stay confident as you continue applying dry needling in practice.

Course Overview

This course is designed to give clinicians a practical foundation in dry needling.

You’ll learn the principles behind treatment selection, safety, contraindications, palpation, and core needling techniques, with a clear focus on how to use dry needling appropriately in clinical practice.

    • Brachioradialis

    • Forearm extensors

    • Supinator - head and belly

    • Pronator Teres

    • Biceps Brachii 

    • Finding the Brachial Artery

    • Triceps

    • Deltoid

    • FDB and QP

    • Ankle Sprain Management

    • Achilles Tendon Threading

    • Gastroc

    • Soleus

    • Biceps Femoris

    • SM/ST

    • Gluts Min and Med

    • Glut Max

    • Piriformis

    • Adductor Longus

    • Gracilis

    • How to find the Femoral Artery

    • Rectus Femoris

    • Vastus Medialis

    • TFL

    • Vastus Lateralis 

    • Peroneals

    • Tibialis Anterior

    • Infraspinatus

    • Supraspinatus

    • Teres Major

    • Teres Minor

    • Latisimus Dorsi

    • Trapezius

    • Masseter

    • Temporalis

    • Needle Handling

    • Blood Spill Management

    • Caution Structures and Anatomy

Online Theory Course

  • Principles and history of dry needling

  • Pain science and neurophysiology

  • Contraindications and precautions

  • Safety and hygiene

  • Clinical reasoning and patient selection

  • Consent and communication

Practical Course

  • Palpation methods

  • Needle handling and technique

  • Upper limb techniques

  • Lower limb techniques

  • Positioning and patient comfort

  • Technique refinement and supervision

By the End of the Course You Will Be Able To

  • Assess whether dry needling is appropriate for a patient

  • Identify key precautions and contraindications

  • Perform safe needling techniques with appropriate hygiene standards

  • Apply practical dry needling approaches to common MSK presentations

  • Integrate dry needling into your existing treatment model

  • Document your training for CPD purposes

Who This Training Is For

Designed for clinicians wanting practical, evidence-informed dry needling education that integrates into day-to-day musculoskeletal practice.

Osteopaths

Physiotherapists

Chiropractors

All participants are responsible for ensuring dry needling falls within their professional scope, registration, and insurer requirements.

Podiatrists

Exercise Physiologists

GPS with MSK Interests

Learn with

Dr Kurt Avouris

Dr Kurt Avouris is an osteopath with over 17 years of clinical experience and extensive experience teaching dry needling to allied health professionals.

His teaching style is practical, clinically relevant, and focused on helping clinicians leave with techniques they can use safely and confidently in practice.

FAQs

  • Dry needling involves inserting thin needles into trigger points in the muscle to relieve pain and tension. Unlike acupuncture, it is based on Western anatomical and neurophysiological principles.

  • No, dry needling and acupuncture are different. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine, while dry needling follows Western medical practices.

  • The course is open to qualified manual therapists such as chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists, and general practitioners with appropriate insurance coverage.

  • The course includes:

    • Online Learning Modules: Self-paced theoretical study.

    • Online Video Demonstrations

    • Practical Hands-on Training:12 hours of in-person workshops.

  • Participants must have a degree in a relevant health science field, current registration with AHPRA, and professional indemnity insurance.

  • The practical sessions cover needle insertion techniques, identifying trigger points, and practicing on fellow participants under expert supervision.

  • Yes, upon completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion that counts towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and insurance purposes. We suggest contacting your individual insurance before beginning this course.

  • Participants get access to theory videos, practical demonstrations, trigger point charts, research papers, and course notes.

  • Yes, the course is designed to equip you with the necessary skills to safely and effectively incorporate dry needling into your clinical practice.

  • The course complies with AHPRA guidelines by ensuring participants have appropriate qualifications, follow safety procedures, and understand the scope of practice for dry needling.

Secure Your Spot

View upcoming dates or get in touch if you want to host a private training for your clinic.

Dry Needling Level 1 Theory and Practical Course
$979.00
One time
$489.50
For 2 months
CONTACT US