PAANZ Courses 2026

Vignette evenings are an interactive session. You do not have to provide a case study and there will be breakout groups to discuss the cases brought up for discussion.

Michelle runs a physiotherapy practice in Christchurch – AcuPhysio Ltd. She integrates pain science, needling, and nervous system regulation with a deep understanding of the mind–body connection. With decades of clinical experience, she is known for looking beyond symptoms to uncover the patterns, beliefs, and protective responses that keep people stuck, and for helping people take back control of their healing.

The case studies she will be discussing in the upcoming vignette will draw from the clients and experiences she has had.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the Zoom link.

The Advanced Dry Needling course for the Upper Half of the Body aims to teach course participants how to needle myofascial components from T7 upward. This is a practical course, including the teaching of advanced techniques around the scapulothoracic region, shoulder, upper limbs, and neck, with particular emphasis on safety and efficacy. One of the major goals is for participants to integrate the use of dry needling into their clinical reasoning process and their clinical approach to treat common (and not so common) upper body conditions.

Case studies will be discussed to further enhance the clinical reasoning behind the use of dry needling and its integration with other physiotherapy skill sets, such as manual therapy, muscle balancing, exercise prescription, and postural advice.

Having taught over 240 introductory and advanced courses for AUT, PAANZ, the APA of Australia and Asia over the last 18 years, Trevor brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his teaching in this specialty area.

Course Prerequisites: Attendance requires completion of one of the following courses:

• PAANZ Foundation Dry Needling Course,
• APA Introductory Segmental and Dry Needling Course, or
• Post-Graduate Western Acupuncture qualification from AUT or Otago.

If you have undertaken dry needling training from another provider, please contact the PAANZ administrator to see if it qualifies as a prerequisite for the Advanced Course. All attendees must be registered as a health professional in New Zealand and have a current APC.

Fascial Mobilisation Therapy (FMT), originally introduced as the Modern Cupping Method in 2016, is an evidence-informed negative pressure manual therapy developed specifically for physiotherapists. Drawing inspiration from traditional cupping while integrating contemporary musculoskeletal assessment and clinical reasoning, FMT provides clinicians with a practical treatment approach that complements physiotherapy practice, including practitioners with an interest in acupuncture and dry needling.

Workshop Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop Module 1 Extremity (upper limbs and lower limbs) workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain the historical development of cupping and the evolution of Fascial Mobilisation Therapy (FMT) as an evidence-informed negative pressure manual therapy.
• Critically appraise the current evidence, proposed physiological mechanisms, clinical indications, and limitations of negative pressure therapy.
• Describe the interaction between negative pressure therapy, the fascial system, the nervous system, and movement.

Clinical Skills

• Demonstrate safe handling of modern cupping equipment, including appropriate cup selection, treatment force, application direction, and dosage.
• Perform pre- and post-treatment assessment using range of motion, functional movement assessment, manual muscle testing, and symptom modification testing.
• Identify contraindications, precautions, risk management principles, and infection-control procedures relevant to clinical practice.

Clinical Application

• Apply FMT techniques for common upper limb conditions (day 1), including:
  • Adhesive capsulitis
  • Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
  • Lateral epicondylalgia
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Thumb and wrist disorders
• Apply FMT techniques for lower limb and pelvic conditions (Day 2), including:
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
  • Hip pain and femoroacetabular impingement
  • Iliotibial band syndrome
  • Patellar tendinopathy
  • Achilles tendinopathy
  • Medial tibial stress syndrome

Rehabilitation Integration

• Integrate FMT into post-operative rehabilitation to facilitate pain management, scar mobility, restoration of movement, and progression towards active rehabilitation.
• Incorporate FMT alongside manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and physiotherapy acupuncture as part of an evidence-informed management plan.
• Progress treatment using structured clinical reasoning and advanced FMT applications, including patient self-management strategies.

1. Review key mechanisms of manual therapy and needling in the light of current pain sciences

2. Discuss combining needling with manual therapy

3. Review current safety guidelines for needling

4. Review contraindications to manual therapy

5. Select multimodal treatment approaches for cervicogenic headaches

1. Review the anatomy of the lung fields
2. Review key acupuncture point and trigger point locations over the lung fields
3. Review needling techniques to ensure safety of practice over the lung fields
4. Review patient screening for acupuncture
5. Review the practice of gaining of appropriate informed consent
6. Reflect on the current literature on pneumothoraces and its implications to current practice

Part A is a two-day theory and practical course designed for physiotherapists with dry needling training only, as well as those with no prior acupuncture or needling experience. It also provides a structured refresher for clinicians wishing to revisit the core principles underpinning safe, effective needling practice.

The course commences with an online pre-course lecture focusing on the safe application of needling. This includes informed consent, patient screening, skin disinfection and its clinical rationale, safe needle handling, and first aid principles relevant to needling-related incidents.

The two-day face-to-face component develops practical competence and clinical reasoning in needling practice. Content includes an overview of needling techniques, an introduction to acupuncture concepts, and foundational neuroscience principles to support clinical decision-making. Participants are introduced to acupuncture meridian pathways and will practise needling a selection of commonly used acupuncture points.

The emphasis of Part A is to support clinicians who are new to needling to broaden their clinical skill set beyond trigger point dry needling, while developing an understanding of acupuncture-related concepts that enhance treatment selection and patient outcomes. Participants will gain insight into the mechanisms of action, potential risks, and expected responses associated with needling interventions.

Throughout the course, participants are required to demonstrate safe needling of acupuncture points, discuss relevant tissue innervation, and explain the clinical application of each point. Case study analysis is integrated to support clinical reasoning around when and how acupuncture may be incorporated to complement physiotherapy management and enhance patient outcomes.

Join us for the Physiotherapy Acupuncture Association of New Zealand (PAANZ) Annual General Meeting. While this is not a clinical course, it is a vital event for our community to come together, reflect on the achievements of the past year, and help shape the future of acupuncture and dry needling in New Zealand physiotherapy.

Why Attend?

The AGM is your opportunity to have a direct voice in the direction of our special interest group. Whether you are a longstanding member or new to the community, your insights help us ensure that acupuncture remains a highly utilised, well supported, and protected tool within our profession. Attendance also counts toward CPD.

What We Will Cover:

• Year in Review: A look back at our educational milestones, including the rollout of the new Cert.ADNP accreditation pathway.
• Financial and Governance Updates: Transparent reporting on our budget, operational changes, and planning for the 2027 calendar year.
• Committee Elections: Welcoming new members to the executive and education teams, and discussing opportunities for those looking to step up and give back to the profession.
• Open Floor: A dedicated time to raise questions, share ideas, and discuss how PAANZ can better support your clinical practice.

Please note this event is for PAANZ Members only. 

Vignette evenings are an interactive session. You do not have to provide a case study and there will be breakout groups to discuss the cases brought up for discussion.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the Zoom link.

This foundation course, taught by Trevor Montgomery in association with PAANZ, is suitable for all physiotherapists wishing to expand their clinical reasoning and treatment skill sets with the use of dry needling. The course has a large practical component with particular emphasis on safe needling practice as set out in the latest PAANZ safety guidelines.

The course is an introduction to Dry Needling, learning to needle major muscle groups in all areas of the body, but focused looking at conditions such as Achilles Tendonosis, Shoulder Impingement, and SIJ dysfunctions. As we look at each of these conditions, we teach you how to needle trigger points in the muscles that may be dysfunctional in those conditions and then look at how to rehab the conditions using exercises/stretches that Trevor has developed. The Foundation Course teaches you to needle most major muscle groups in the body safely and plenty to take back and use with patients on Monday morning! However, we do not needle over the thorax in the Foundation Course because of the risk of pneumothorax. Needling muscles over the thorax is considered more advanced and, therefore, is included in the Advanced Upper Limb Course.

The course is designed to help practitioners integrate dry needling into their clinical approach to address the underlying causes of some of the more common clinical presentations we treat. Having taught over 240 introductory and advanced courses for AUT, PAANZ, the APA of Australia and Asia over the last 18 years. Trevor brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his teaching in this specialty area.

Prerequisites: All attendees must be registered in New Zealand and have a current APC. Non-PAANZ members and non-PNZ members are welcome.