Acupuncture is an ancient practice originating in China which has made inroads in the West over the past century. While initially received with suspicion and skepticism, acupuncture is now viewed as a viable complementary medical discipline which has a positive impact on patients suffering from pain and other physical conditions.
The benefits of acupuncture therapy for athletes are becoming increasingly apparent, as more and more of the pros turn to it to maintain their bodies in peak condition and to address pain from injuries. New York Jets fullback, Tony Richardson, is just one pro athlete who relies on acupuncture to alleviate the aches and pains that come along with the gladiatorial sport of football.
Let’s find out more about acupuncture and its many benefits for athletes of all kinds, from stars in the bone-crushing arena of professional football to weekend warriors.
How it works
Acupuncture uses ultra-fine needles to target areas of the body governing specific functions. The needles used are sterile and employed only once. The patient’s body is also thoroughly sterilized before each session.
If you think of your body as a house which is fed by electrical circuitry and acupuncture as the electrician that comes in to fix faulty wiring, then you’ve got an idea of how it works.
There are 2,000 specific points on the human body treated by acupuncture. These run along the body’s “electrical wiring” (known as meridians). By targeting specific points, acupuncture addresses specific sources of pain and dysfunction, based on an established way of understanding the body’s functions which originated thousands of years ago.
When your “wiring” is faulty, pain alerts you and acupuncture targets that wiring to bring resolution.
Great for athletes
Acupuncture offers you pain relief which draws on the body’s own, natural capacity for healing. Without drugs and without surgery, this discipline is based on the release of endorphins at the point of needle insertion.
Inflammation is reduced and range of motion enhanced when acupuncture is turned to as a regular part of a mindful training strategy. When injury arises, acupuncture restores balance, relieving pain.
Homeostasis describes a state of balance in the body. Acupuncture returns the body to this status by pinpointing specific areas linked to acupuncture points and treating them directly, by restoring cardiovascular and neurological balance.
When the electrical wiring in your house – your body – is addressed by a skilled electrician – an acupuncturist – your body will perform at the peak of its ability.
And every athlete wants exactly that.
By regulating the nervous system, energy and endurance are greatly enhanced, which is a decided advantage for athletes, regardless of the sport they play, or the activities they pursue to maintain strength and flexibility.
Strains and sprains of all kinds may be treated with acupuncture. Even the rotator cuff can be treated using this ancient therapy. Whether you’re injured, or just seeking to maintain your body’s systems in top form, acupuncture’s benefits for athletes are almost limitless.
You’ll find acupuncture for athletes at Back & Body, complemented by chiropractic, physical therapy and sports medicine.
