Gunn IMS Training Program 2026 - 2027 Courses London (England) Halifax Toronto Edmonton Vancouver Victoria (BC) Calgary Vancouver Winnipeg Saskatoon University-Accredited Dry Needling Training Setting the Standard for Safety and Effectiveness Since 1994
Look beyond trigger point dry needling to address the cause of persistent musculoskeletal pain!
Are you frustrated treating patients who flare up or get worse regardless what approach you provide? Do you have patients who don't respond "as they should" to exercise or manual therapy? Are you interested in learning a unique approach that can help your patients reduce pain and return to function?
Our course will teach you:
How to understand and identify underlying nervous system dysfunction
How dry needling can positively alter nervous system sensitisation
To look beyond local tissues when treating orthopaedic conditions
You will gain these skills:
A thorough and cohesive assessment method to guide your treatment
Safe and effective dry needling techniques to treat 110 different muscles (over three levels)
The rationale to choose appropriate dry needling "dosage" to optimally alter neuropathic dysfunction
What is Gunn Intramuscular Stimulation (Gunn IMS)?
Dr. Chan Gunn was a visionary in understanding how alterations in the nervous system can lead to complex musculoskeletal dysfunction. He demonstrated that intramuscular dry needling can beneficially effect the sensitivity of the nervous system and improve treatment outcomes for musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Through decades of refinement, his rationale and treatment techniques are used today by thousands of medical doctors and physiotherapists with remarkable success.
Gunn IMS offers treatment and rehabilitation solutions for patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain conditions. You will learn to recognise and treat both the myofascial and neural (wiring) component of the musculoskeletal problems you face in your every day practice. Our comprehensive training prioritizes patient safety in all dry needling techniques, while maintaining maximum effectiveness. The program also provides a thorough evidence-informed assessment and treatment rationale for effectively integrating dry needling into your practice.
The Gunn IMS program sits within UBC's Division of Sport and Exercise Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine. The theory and practical components provided on this course will help therapists successfully treat clients that frustrate and mystify with other management approaches.
Course Format
Level 1 – Foundations: teaches the Gunn IMS model and less technically challenging dry needling points.
Level 2 – Advanced: teaches more advanced neuropathic assessment, clinical reasoning and more difficult dry needling points. Level 2 requires completion of Level 1.
Level 3 – Certification: Certification in UBC Gunn IMS awarded by the UBC Faculty of Medicine (CGIMS) - requires completion of a case study and will include high proficiency dry needling points. Level 3 requires completion of Levels 1 and 2.
Course Content
The course will cover education regarding Dr Gunn’s neuropathic model of myofascial pain syndromes, the effects of dry needling, and contraindications and safety considerations for dry needling including avoiding serious complications. You will learn how to conduct and interpret an assessment based on the neuropathic model to determine the cause of myofascial pain syndromes, which can then be used to devise a treatment plan using the Gunn IMS model. You will also learn to safely and effectively dry needle muscles of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine; shoulder and pelvic girdles; upper and lower limbs as well as muscles surrounding the TMJ. As the course progresses you will improve your clinical reasoning related to the application of the neuropathic model of treatment.
Prerequisites
UBC Gunn IMS only trains physiotherapists and medical doctors.
Included with your course tuition you will receive:
Online training in assessment and clinical reasoning
4 days of in-person training (Level 1 & 2)
Level 3 includes a further 1.5 days in-person training
Instruction by expert dry needling practitioners with combined experience teaching thousands of students
Low student-to-instructor ratios to ensure every student receives thorough instruction and supervision
Detailed illustrated course manual that thoroughly outlines all treatment techniques taught on the course
