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Sports Medicine

In the competitive world of sports,

the smallest advantage can make an

enormous difference in the outcome of a contest.

Acupuncture has a very successful record with sports injuries and performance enhancement, in fact – many professional teams have acupuncturists on staff to decrease recovery times and help them gain a competitive advantage. For instance, New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett and New York Knicks shooting guard Allan Houston have both reported turning to acupuncture treatment to help recover from injuries, as have National Football Association (NFL) players Steve Young and Jerry Rice. We have found acupuncture to be an extremely effective modality for treating athletes of all types from those that compete in high school sports to the weekend warrior. 

As an acupuncturist that plays soccer competitively, I know how we push our physical limits to extremes, leading to injury. I understand the frustration when overuse and repetitive motions cause pain that force you to the sidelines. Symptoms of fatigue, over-training, pain and injury can have a tremendous psychological impact on your performance. Treatment by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture got me back on the soccer field after I injured my calf muscles several years ago.  In my integrated approach to health, acupuncture is just part of a balance of training, nutrition, proper warm-up and warm-down, meditation and relaxation to help me prevent injuries and the recurrence.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine grew out of the martial arts traditions in China, and has played an important role in keeping both ancient fighters and modern athletes healthy and active. Whether you are looking for an edge in competition or to simply improve your game and reduce stress, acupuncture can help. There are three main areas in which acupuncture and TCM can help pros and weekend warriors alike: prevention and treatment of sports injuries, athletic performance enhancement, and the psychological aspect of competition.

Below are a few Sports related issues that typically respond well to acupuncture:

• Ankle pain/strain

• Neck and Back pain

• Calf pain/cramps

• Joint pain/ “tennis elbow”/ runner’s knee

• Foot pain/ Plantar Fasciitis

• Hamstring strain

• IT band pain

• Pulled muscles

• Piriformis pain / sciatica

• Shoulder pain /Rotator cuff injury

• Tendonitis

• Pre- race Performance enhancement

• Post-race Recovery

Benefits of Acupuncture for athletes include:

• Reduced pain and swelling
• Increased range of motion
• Improved  recovery time
• Increased strength and stamina 
• Improved  circulation
• Enhanced athletic performance

Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries

Through acupuncture, nutrition, herbal support, and proper preparation and training, injuries can be avoided. Regular acupuncture treatment helps your body stay in balance. A body in balance is less susceptible to injury and illness. Whether you play team sports, martial arts, cycle or spend your weekends enjoying golf and tennis, injuries do occur when you lead an active life. Acupuncture and Chinese dietary therapy can greatly help speed the healing of injuries. It works by decreasing swelling, bruising and muscle spasms while improving blood supply to the affected area and increasing range of motion. Acupuncture also triggers the body to create its own natural painkillers, anti-inflammatory and anti- stress hormones. Serious injuries such as fractures, dislocations, torn tendons, and serious internal injuries should be treated by a medical doctor or hospital. Recovery from many of these injuries, however, can be augmented by acupuncture, herbs and nutrition. Often, athletes are able to return to training and competing sooner than would otherwise be possible.

Athletic Performance Enhancement

Acupuncture is an invaluable resource for increasing an athlete’s optimum performance during training and competition. Athletes know that efficient training is vital to improve performance. However, as stated in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2005 Mar; 45 (1): 134-40, acupuncture was found to produce cardiovascular improvements that enhanced physical capacity and endurance by 7% in participants that did not exercise during the study. Anyone who is interested in improving the body's ability to perform may find acupuncture as a valuable complement to their training.

Psychological Aspect of Competition

Acupuncture can address the psychological components that can negatively impact the athlete and cause them to choke. Whether it is anxiety over performing in front of large crowds, fear of not meeting expectations or competing in an unfamiliar environment, fear can prevent the athlete from achieving that competitive and intuitive state. This state, often referred to as “the zone” allows the mind to bypass the higher functions of cognitive thought so the body can react in a faster, more instinctive state. As an athlete, I understand how once you are in “the zone”, you are more confident and this leads to having a game where you are unstoppable. Acupuncture is able to provide the mental clarity, focus and relaxation of mind so the body can do what it has trained for and achieve this competitive edge.

Links

The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on physical performance by sedentary subjects submitted to ergospirometric test on the treadmill.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16208302

Acupuncture Scores Points with Athletes    http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=2311

Acupuncture for Athletes http://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupuncture+for+Athletes