Where: Online

CPE: 1.5 CPE points

Webinar Recording: Registering for this event will give you access to the webinar recording.

Webinar recordings can be watched at any time.

Superficial Needling Approaches to Sciatica: A Safer, Microcirculation-Focused Model: Physiological Rationale, Safety Considerations, and Clinical Reasoning

Sciatica is commonly approached through deep or muscle-focused interventions yet growing evidence from microcirculation research suggests that peripheral vascular dysfunction and superficial tissue changes play a significant role in persistent pain states. In many chronic presentations, the affected region demonstrates reduced capillary perfusion, altered skin tone and tension, and diminished tissue elasticity—signs consistent with impaired microcirculation rather than isolated deep tissue pathology.

This 90-minute introductory webinar explores superficial needling approaches to sciatica, grounded in contemporary understanding of microcirculation and superficial fascia physiology. Drawing on vascular and connective tissue research, the session presents a capillary-first clinical reasoning model, explaining why shallow needling can be effective without penetrating muscle or targeting trigger points.

Participants will examine how poor microcirculation may contribute to nerve sensitivity, tissue hypoxia, and altered sensory input, and how gentle stimulation of superficial tissues may support improved blood flow, reduced interstitial pressure, and nervous system down-regulation. Practical emphasis is placed on observable tissue responses, including changes in skin elasticity and tone, which can be used clinically to assess tissue receptivity and treatment effect.

Designed for practitioners seeking safer, lower-risk needling strategies, this webinar highlights how superficial needling may reduce adverse events, post-treatment flare-ups, and infection risk when compared to deeper techniques—particularly in sensitised or chronic pain populations.

The session focuses on clinical reasoning, safety, and physiological rationale, making it suitable for both dry needling and acupuncture practitioners interested in refining their approach to sciatica through a modern, tissue-tolerant lens.

Presenter: Yoshie Asahara

Yoshie Asahara began her journey in human health in 1989, inspired by both personal athletic experience and a desire to support others. As a national-level high school athlete in Japan, she experienced psychosomatic disorders, multiple sports-related injuries, including stress fractures and shin splints, which ultimately led to her retirement from competitive sport. This experience shaped her long-term interest in injury prevention, recovery, and sustainable approaches to human performance.

Motivated by a close friend who was a member of Japan’s national women’s soccer team, she pursued formal training to become a sport acupuncturist. After graduating from Hanada College in Japan with an acupuncturist licence and remedial massage therapist licence in 1998, she became a member of the Toyohari Association for Meridian Therapy, while providing therapeutic support to both athletes and the general public.

After relocation to Australia, she joined the ATMS and established a remedial massage and acupuncture clinics in Chatswood, Sydney, working alongside diploma-qualified Japanese therapists in 2004/2005. Following her move to Melbourne in 2012, she opened a practice in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, continuing her clinical focus on gentle, effective, and safety-conscious treatment approaches.

Since 2017, she has been delivering professional education in Japanese needle therapy, Japanese massage, and moxibustion, with a particular interest in superficial techniques, microcirculation, and tissue-tolerant care for chronic and complex pain conditions. She has been an AHPRA registered acupuncturist since 2012.

Contact the host of Recording of Webinar: Superficial Needling Approaches to Sciatica: A Safer, Microcirculation-Focused Model: Physiological Rationale, Safety Considerations, and Clinical Reasoning

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