Certification in Spinal

Manipulative Therapy

4 courses | 60 hours

FSBPT, ProCert, BOC & APTA approved

Certification in

Dry Needling

2 courses | 54 hours

FSBPT, ProCert, BOC & APTA approved

Diploma in

Osteopractic

9 courses | 12-18 months

FSBPT, BOC & ProCert approved

AAMT Fellowship in

Orthopaedic Manual

Physical Therapy

APTA-accredited | 12 months

The Worldwide Leader in Spinal Manipulation & Dry Needling Education.

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What is an Osteopractor?

An Osteopractor is a physical therapist or medical doctor that has completed an evidence-based post-graduate training program in the use of spinal and extremity high-velocity low-amplitude thrust manipulation, dry needling, instrument-assisted manual therapies, and differential diagnostics for the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions.

Osteopractic Physical Therapy is an approach to care, a sub-specialty within physical therapy, and more accurately describes the kind of physical therapy services offered (rather than simply “physical therapy”) so the public, potential patients, and colleagues alike, can identify the appropriate practitioner of choice for the condition in question. When you break a bone, you look for an orthopedist, not just a general medical doctor….

Become an Osteopractic Physical Therapist by learning spinal manipulation, extremity manipulation, dry needling, instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization, and differential diagnostics from the experts!  The American Academy of Manipulative Therapy is dedicated to teaching physical therapists, osteopaths and medical doctors the science and art of thrust manipulation and dry needling.

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Get Certified in Spinal Manipulative Therapy & Dry Needling through the Worldwide Leaders

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Osteopractic Physical Therapy

The title of Physical Therapist represents licensure awarded by a State Board of Physical Therapy; whereas, Osteopractor or Osteopractic Physical Therapist are titles and internationally registered trademarks in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia reserved only for those practitioners that have earned the Diploma in Osteopractic.

  • "Dr. Dunning is the real deal; he can manipulate extremely well. He knows the evidence and dispels many of the myths and misconceptions about traditional manual therapy approaches. I recommend these osteopractic manipulation courses to all physical therapists, especially Fellows who want to become experts in spinal manipulation technique."

    Marcos Parga PT, ATC, FAAOMPT - El Paso, TX

  • "Dr. Dunning's dry needling course is far beyond just inserting needles into trigger points within muscles. Needling techniques are demonstrated for the direct treatment of tendons, ligaments, musculotendinous junctions, teno-osseus junctions and peri-neural stimulation. In addition, a comprehensive review of the literature underpinning the use of dry needling in musculoskeletal practice is given. I highly recommend this osteopractic dry needling course for all physical therapists interested in improving outcomes of patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions."

    Dr. Wade Baskin DPT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN - Louisville, MS

  • "Dr. James Dunning is an excellent lecturer, superb demonstrator and marvelous manipulator. His knowledge of the relevant spinal manipulation literature is extraordinary. I intend to does this course and the spinal manipulation techniques justice in my medical practice."

    Dr. Steven Landau M.D. - Smithfield, NC

  • "My patients need spinal manipulation in certain situations. As a medical physician, I need to have the humility to know when medication is making a difference and when it is not. On this course, I learned how to effectively treat a variety of musculoskeletal pain syndromes with specific spinal manipulation procedures."

    Dr. Randy Naidoo M.D. - Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, TX

  • "This was a fantastic course! It was the most evidence-based and practical spinal manipulation course I have ever attended. Dr. Dunning supported the HVLA Thrust manipulation techniques with robust and recent evidence in the literature, not anecdotal stories. There was no wasting of time, and fantastic "clinical tips" were demonstrated throughout the course."

    Riccardo Rosa PT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN, Dip. Osteopractic - Saronno, Italy

  • “This was a fantastic class, and it was evidence-based. It not only met, but exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to taking the advanced Osteopractic Spinal Manipulation course.”

    M.D. – San Antonio, TX Dr. Kristi Salinas, M.D. – San Antonio, TX

  • “Dr. James Dunning is a master clinician and educator. He is able to condense a considerable amount of material and make it clinically applicable. The idea of using thrust manipulation in practice can raise concern with some clinicians with limited experience; however, Dr. Dunning makes the participants at ease and comfortable with learning the techniques.”

    Dr. William J. Hanney PhD, DPT, ATC, MTC, CSCS – University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

  • “Easily one of the best spinal manipulation courses I have ever taken. Thrust manipulation techniques are demonstrated and instructed for the entire spine and pelvis with a strong evidence-based explanation.”

    Michael Turner PT, MSc, OCS, MTC, FAAOMPT – Honolulu, HI

  • “The DN-2 Dry Needling course by Dry Needling Institute was exemplary. Unlike other dry needling courses that I have attended, Dr. Dunning’s depth of knowledge of the relevant literature and clinical background in both acupuncture and dry needling makes this course both first rate and truly evidence-based.”

    Dr. Justin Dunaway DPT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN – Phoenix, AZ

  • “I have been a Physical Therapist for over 28 years and I’ve taken countless continuing education courses. Dr. Dunning’s dry needling course was by far the best, most evidence-based and useful course I have ever taken!”

    Antoinette Munoz PT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN, Dip. Osteopractic - Saronno, ItalyPT, Cert. DN – Sedona, AZ

  • “I have been a Physical Therapist for over 28 years and I’ve taken countless continuing education courses. Dr. Dunning’s dry needling course was by far the best, most evidence-based and useful course I have ever taken!”

    Antoinette Munoz PT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN, Dip. Osteopractic - Saronno, ItalyPT, Cert. DN – Sedona, AZ

  • “The DN-2 Dry Needling course by Dry Needling Institute was exemplary. Unlike other dry needling courses that I have attended, Dr. Dunning’s depth of knowledge of the relevant literature and clinical background in both acupuncture and dry needling makes this course both first rate and truly evidence-based.”

    Dr. Justin Dunaway DPT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN – Phoenix, AZ

  • “Easily one of the best spinal manipulation courses I have ever taken. Thrust manipulation techniques are demonstrated and instructed for the entire spine and pelvis with a strong evidence-based explanation.”

    Michael Turner PT, MSc, OCS, MTC, FAAOMPT – Honolulu, HI

  • “Dr. James Dunning is a master clinician and educator. He is able to condense a considerable amount of material and make it clinically applicable. The idea of using thrust manipulation in practice can raise concern with some clinicians with limited experience; however, Dr. Dunning makes the participants at ease and comfortable with learning the techniques.”

    Dr. William J. Hanney PhD, DPT, ATC, MTC, CSCS – University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

  • “This was a fantastic class, and it was evidence-based. It not only met, but exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to taking the advanced Osteopractic Spinal Manipulation course.”

    M.D. – San Antonio, TX Dr. Kristi Salinas, M.D. – San Antonio, TX

  • "This was a fantastic course! It was the most evidence-based and practical spinal manipulation course I have ever attended. Dr. Dunning supported the HVLA Thrust manipulation techniques with robust and recent evidence in the literature, not anecdotal stories. There was no wasting of time, and fantastic "clinical tips" were demonstrated throughout the course."

    Riccardo Rosa PT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN, Dip. Osteopractic - Saronno, Italy

  • "My patients need spinal manipulation in certain situations. As a medical physician, I need to have the humility to know when medication is making a difference and when it is not. On this course, I learned how to effectively treat a variety of musculoskeletal pain syndromes with specific spinal manipulation procedures."

    Dr. Randy Naidoo M.D. - Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, TX

  • "Dr. James Dunning is an excellent lecturer, superb demonstrator and marvelous manipulator. His knowledge of the relevant spinal manipulation literature is extraordinary. I intend to does this course and the spinal manipulation techniques justice in my medical practice."

    Dr. Steven Landau M.D. - Smithfield, NC

  • "Dr. Dunning's dry needling course is far beyond just inserting needles into trigger points within muscles. Needling techniques are demonstrated for the direct treatment of tendons, ligaments, musculotendinous junctions, teno-osseus junctions and peri-neural stimulation. In addition, a comprehensive review of the literature underpinning the use of dry needling in musculoskeletal practice is given. I highly recommend this osteopractic dry needling course for all physical therapists interested in improving outcomes of patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions."

    Dr. Wade Baskin DPT, Cert. SMT, Cert. DN - Louisville, MS

  • "Dr. Dunning is the real deal; he can manipulate extremely well. He knows the evidence and dispels many of the myths and misconceptions about traditional manual therapy approaches. I recommend these osteopractic manipulation courses to all physical therapists, especially Fellows who want to become experts in spinal manipulation technique."

    Marcos Parga PT, ATC, FAAOMPT - El Paso, TX
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