Sports Medicine & Acupuncture

Getting sidelined due to an injury can have tremendous effect on us, both physically and mentally. The goal of every sport enthusiast, whether we are weekend warriors or elite athletes, is to get back to doing the sport that we love as quickly as possible. We frequently don’t have the time or the patience to allow ourselves to heal completely. Acupuncture can provide a competitive edge for athletes in the areas of pain reduction and injury recovery, and performance enhancement.

Acupuncture works by helping restore the internal balance by using the inherent healing mechanisms of the body, balancing the energy flow in the body and increasing the circulation of blood. Treatments are safe, effective and drug free. Acute injuries treated with acupuncture and Chinese herbs tend to clear up fairly quickly, whereas chronic conditions most often take a short series of treatments. Injuries where there is extensive tearing of ligaments or joint pain from bone on bone are typically beyond the scope of acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help you to recover more quickly by, and by encouraging your body to heal itself naturally. By using acupuncture and, if indicated, herbal therapy, you should recover faster and with less pain. Acupuncture has evolved over thousands of years. Acupuncture uses fine needles (about the size a human hair) to encourage the circulation of your body’s healing and nourishing energy called qi. As an athlete, you may experience sprain, strain, repetitive stress injuries, physical trauma, overexertion, overtraining, or emotional stress.

There review articles on the available medical literature of acupuncture treatment in lateral epicondylitis, patellar tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, frozen shoulder, and osteoarthritis.

Area where Acupuncture and Chinese herbs may benefit:

  • Pain Management
  • Arthritis and joint conditions, tendonitis, osteoarthritis Pain Inflammation and restricted movement
  • Breaking the pain spasm cycle
  • Back, neck and shoulder injuries
  • Low back pain, hip pain and sciatica
  • Foot and leg issues such as plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, ankle sprains, shin splints, calf pain or spasm, many knee issues
  • Arm and elbow pain, such as tennis elbow, golfers elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome
  • A wide variety of martial arts injuries recovery,
  • General soft tissue recovery, either acute or chronic

Sports injury recovery and Performance enhancement

In the area of performance enhancement, Siberian Ginseng (Eleutheroccocus senticosus), is awell know herbal medicine in both Chinese and Western herbology. It is appropriate for long- term use without side effects. Siberian Ginseng is considered to be adaptogenic herb, in that it helps the body find balance and adapt to stresses. Effects of Siberian Ginseng include improvement in energy levels, immune support, and blood sugar regulation. It has been shown in studies to enhance athletic performance. If you are in training for an event, or going through extra stressful times, it can be of benefit. A regime of Siberian ginseng for one to two months followed by a break from use can be very helpful. Additional performance enhancement may be achieved with acupuncture and other herbs to help balance out the body and optimize overall health.