SPORTS INJURIES

According to Statistics Canada, injury due to sport and recreational involvement is second in frequency only to motor vehicle accidents. Both serious and recreational athletes alike sometimes push their bodies too hard in an attempt to become healthier, stronger, faster, or more agile. While regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, weekend warrior activities, extreme sports, and lack of proper training and/or stretching can increase our risk of injuries.

Instead of allowing adequate time to heal completely, we often push ourselves to continue by using painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs which only mask the problem. While the drugs may allow you to return to your sport, in the long run they may make the problem worse by slowing healing, rendering us susceptible to further injury, and causing side effects that can impact health and performance.

"We have had excellent success with acupuncture in treating sprains and strains and other sports-related injuries. Within a treatment or two, many patients have noticed a fifty to seventy-five percent reduction in pain and swelling. This allows patients to begin other components of their rehabilitation much sooner, limiting time spent on the sidelines. Acupuncture can also be helpful for athletes, like cyclists and runners, who experience overuse injuries."
-- Dr. John Cianca,
an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston

Acupuncture and TCM treatments will:

  • Decrease pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • Relax muscles and relieve muscle spasms
  • Speed healing time by improving blood circulation to the affected area
  • Increase the range of motion of injured joints

Other benefits of TCM treatments for sports include:

  • Increase energy and endurance
  • Improve general health and decrease frequency of illness
  • Provide faster recovery from workouts and training
  • Allow for better focus of mind
  • Provide a competitive edge for achieving peak performance

Basketball player Penny Hardaway of the New York Knicks: "Penny Hardaway's right hamstring, which caused him to miss most of the last two months, "is perfect now," he said, thanks to acupuncture. Hardaway said he received the treatment five days a week, for 45 minutes a session, while he recovered in Memphis, his hometown."
-- New York Times January 30, 2005