Frank Gargano PT, DPT, OCS, CIDN, MCTA, CWE has over 25 years of orthopedic physical therapy experience with the majority of those years in private practice. Dr. Gargano and Dr. Ma began working and training together in 2009. Their varied clinical skills and experiences brought a new perspective to the use of a dry needling for musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. Working side by side in clinical situations they are able to gain new perspectives on combining their treatment philosophies. They continue to work together to expand and develop new concepts relating to Integrative Dry Needling (IDN).
In 2013, Dr. Gargano started the Integrative Dry Needling Institute, LLC to take over the teaching responsibilities of the IDN seminars. Dr. Gargano has expanded the scope of the original courses to offer an even broader application to clinical orthopedic and neuromuscular treatment.
Dr. Gargano has 20 years of experience instructing advanced educational seminars across the US and internationally. He is an Accredited Mulligan Concept Instructor and an International Executive Board member of the Mulligan Concept Teachers Association (MCTA). Being personally trained by Brian Mulligan provides him with the background and innovative thought process to blend IDN with manual therapy treatments.
“IDN is such an invaluable clinical tool because of the versatility and ease which it integrates into manual therapy treatments”
Since 1998, Dr. Gargano created, and has been instructing the seminar “The Upper Cervical Spine in Headaches, Dizziness and Pain; A Neuro-Orthopedic Perspective.” nationally and internationally. This specialty course provides knowledge on the clinical relationship and management of cranial, cervicogenic and vestibular conditions. The seminar demonstrates how complex neurological relationships in these areas can be addressed utilizing the IDN neurological model.
Current dry needling research project:
- Griswold, D, Learman K, Cleland J, Gargano F. Randomized controlled trial comparing the use of dry needling to manual therapy for patients with mechanical low back pain. Data collection phase. In conjunction with Youngstown State University.
Dr. Gargano also serves as an expert witness for medical-legal case review in the area of rehabilitation. His professional memberships include the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapists, American Physical Therapy Association and the Orthopedic Section of the APTA.