The DGSA® Founders are the Pioneers in Dry Needling

Our journey began in the early 1990s when our paths crossed with the concept of Trigger Point Therapy. It was at this point that we first met David.G. Simons, a pioneer in the field and one of the first to understand myofascial pain and trigger points.

David had a truly inspiring career, from flying into space in 1957 to practicing as a doctor, researcher, and leader in the field of myofascial pain. He was our friend and mentor, sharing the knowledge we needed to start. Naturally, our academy’s name simply had to reflect his phenomenal life.

At that time Dry Needling didn’t really exist. It were the physical therapists Christian Gröbli and Ricky Weissmann together with the physician Fernando Colla, who established the first systematic trigger point Dry Needling approach. It is based on a combination of the myofascial trigger point concept by Simons and Travell and on our experience with the so-called “Swiss" approach, a form of Manual Trigger Point Therapy introduced by the Swiss physician Beat Dejung.

We have constantly improved the Dry Needling techniques with respect to safety and effectiveness, while Dry Needling has become very popular all over the world. 
We’ve performed plenty of research and published a range of articles and books.

In the years since its establishment, the DGSA® has trained ten thousands of students in Dry Needling all over the world. We have become internationally leading for our high standards and teaching techniques.

To take the next step in the teaching of Dry Needling to a new generation, the DGSA® Team has launched their very own Dry Needling Video Tutorials in addition to their in-classroom courses. 

Today, we continue to grow David’s legacy.