Dry Needling Makes the A-List in the 2025 Hip Osteoarthritis Guidelines
If you ever needed more proof that dry needling deserves a seat at the evidence-based table, here it is.
The 2025 revision of the Hip Pain and Mobility Deficits—Hip Osteoarthritis Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG)from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Orthopaedic and Sports Sections has officially placed dry needling in the Grade A recommendation category—right alongside exercise and manual therapy.
That’s right—dry needling isn’t just a supporting act anymore. It’s headlining the evidence stage.
💡 Why Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) Matter
Clinical Practice Guidelines are like GPS for evidence-based care. They help clinicians navigate the ever-changing landscape of interventions, guiding decisions based on the strongest available research.
When a treatment earns a Grade A recommendation, it means it’s backed by multiple high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In short: this isn’t opinion—it’s data.
So when the APTA’s 2025 CPG says clinicians should use dry needling, that’s a big moment for physical therapists and rehab professionals everywhere.
💪 What the Guidelines Actually Say
According to Koc et al. (2025), clinicians “should use dry needling to treat myofascial trigger points in the iliopsoas, rectus femoris, tensor fasciae latae, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus muscles for short-term (3-week) improvements in muscle extensibility, pain, range of motion, function, and muscle force production in those with Grades II and III hip OA.”koc-et-al-2025-hip-pain-and-mob…
In other words, for your hip OA patients, dry needling isn’t just an option—it’s a highly effective intervention supported by Level I evidence.
And while the CPGs highlight its short-term benefits, those of us in clinical practice know: when combined with sound clinical reasoning, movement retraining, and neuroplasticity principles, dry needling can create lasting change.
🧠 Why This Matters for Clinicians
If you’re already integrating dry needling into your practice, this update gives you the scientific backing you deserve.
If you’ve been hesitant—consider this your official green light.
The APTA now recognizes dry needling as part of standard evidence-based care for hip OA. It’s not just about reducing trigger point irritability; it’s about improving movement, strength, and function—the things that truly matter to our patients.
🔍 The Bigger Picture: Beyond Trigger Points
At Dry Needling Academy (DNA), we know that dry needling is so much more than a technique for pain relief. It’s a powerful clinical tool that influences motor control, cortical reorganization, and functional recovery.
Our courses go beyond “where to stick the needle.” We teach how to think with the needle—how to use clinical reasoning, movement assessment, and neuroscience to make dry needling an integrated part of your plan of care.
Want to learn how to apply this evidence to your patients with hip OA—and beyond?
👉 Register for a Dry Needling Course with DNA and discover how to fully integrate dry needling into your clinical reasoning.
Because at DNA, we believe the technique has more to offer than trigger point abatement—it’s about transforming movement and restoring function.
✅ Key Takeaways
Dry needling now has a Grade A recommendation for Grades II–III hip osteoarthritis.
Supported by multiple high-quality RCTs demonstrating improvements in pain, strength, and range of motion.
Recognized by APTA as a core intervention within physical therapy practice.
At DNA, we teach you how to leverage dry needling for neuro-musculoskeletal recovery, not just symptom relief.
Citation (AMA format):
Koc TA Jr, Cibulka MT, Enseki KR, et al. Hip pain and mobility deficits—hip osteoarthritis: revision 2025 clinical practice guideline linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025;55(11):CPG1–CPG31. doi:10.2519/jospt.2025.0301
