Acupuncture is well known for its effectiveness in reducing most types of pain, including sports-related injuries.
Acupuncture can be used to help decrease swelling, spasms and inflammation. Additionally, it can be used to control pain, increase range of motion and help promote healing. Because of its broad range of applications, acupuncture can be used during any of the phases of injury. The focus is not only to treat the injury but also to treat any underlying conditions that may predispose an individual to injuries. This is especially important when treating chronic or recurrent injuries that interfere with life activities or athletic performance.
Injuries occurring from sports are mostly due to trauma or overuse syndromes involving the musculoskeletal system and its soft tissues. Trauma to these soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons and muscles are generally the result from falls, blows, sprains/strains, collisions, compressions crushing and disruptions of the healing processes due to inflammation.
Some Commonly Treated Sports Injuries:
- Muscle Pull
- Neck Pain
- Shoulder Impingement
- Tennis Elbow
- Lower Back Strain
- Groin Pull
- Hamstring Strain
- Runner’s Knee
- Shin Splints
- Ankle Sprain
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Arch Pain
- Golfer’s Elbow
Linda Machol, L.Ac. & MTCM, treats many kinds of sports injuries including those above. If you want pain relief without surgery, call Harmony Acupuncture Wellness Clinic today. (720) 299-8278
Acupuncture & Sports Injury
Acupuncture has a very successful record with sports injuries. Many professional sports teams have acupuncturists on staff to decrease healing times and resolve stubborn ailments. But the use of acupuncture to treat acute injuries from intense or repetitive physical activity began centuries ago. It was and still is one of the primary means of quick healing for the martial arts. Specific acupuncture styles and techniques were developed to stop pain and dramatically increase recovery time. This tradition continues today and its use has expanded into competitive athletics that result in similar injuries.
How Does Acupuncture Help?
Acupuncture is an effective treatment for Sports Injuries because it reduces pain, increases range of motion, increases recovery and healing time, and strengthens weakened parts of the body. These effects are accomplished during treatment because acupuncture:
- decreases inflammation
- reduces swelling
- relaxes muscles and relieves spasms
- decreases bruising
- lowers the body’s pain response
- improves local blood circulation to increase delivery of nutrients and removal of noxious elements
When to get Acupuncture
Acupuncture divides sports injuries into two main categories, which determine how treatment typically proceeds. Acute injuries (that happened recently) and chronic injuries (unresolved for 3 or more months).
Acute Injuries
Acute injuries need to be properly assessed before any type of treatment can begin. Most people are all too familiar with the feeling of a strain or sprain. If someone is unsure, however, it is best to get examined and properly diagnosed (possibly with the help of an X-ray or MRI) to rule out a more serious injury. Acupuncture should then begin as soon after an injury as possible for the best results.
Acupuncturists classify acute injuries as Excess conditions. An Excess condition is just what it sounds like: there is an excess physical response (too much pain) or an excess biochemical reaction (too much inflammation or swelling). Acupuncture treatment given soon after an injury occurs encourages the body to deal with and process this excess in a rapid fashion. An improvement is usually noticed within one or two treatments. If an injury is not very severe, 3-4 treatments typically resolves the condition. More serious injuries require 4 treatments before an accurate prognosis and treatment plan can be given.
Right after an acute sports injury happens it is helpful to remember the acronym RICE. Each letter stands for one of the four steps to follow immediately after an injury: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. This will help quicken recovery and provide short term relief.
