Acupuncture for Sport Injuries
Acupuncture for Sports & Injury
Chinese athletes regularly use acupuncture to heal injuries. This developed out of the martial arts tradition where a whole system of medicine, known as dit da yao, was developed by monks to treat the injuries and trauma suffered during combat. Acupuncture and herbs can help speed the healing process by increasing the flow of qi and blood to the injured area, reducing swelling, cooling inflammation, relieving pain, and improving range of motion.
Sometimes this involves treating the site of the injury; however when an injury is very painful, distal (more distant points) are selected. These may be on a channel near the injured area, or points on another part of the body, such as treating the ankle to benefit a wrist injury, or treating the right side of the body for an injury on the left side. Points may be added for their systemic effects such as using the point Gall Bladder 34, just below the knee, to treat all joint pain.
Research has shown that acupuncture is helpful for injuries. Though much investigation has never been translated from the Chinese, one study in German, measuring the effect of standardized acupuncture programs in the aftercare of accident patients by Rabl V; Bochdansky T; Hertz H; Kern H; Meng A From: Unfallchirurgie, 9: 6, 1983 Dec, 308-13 agrees.
In this study 153 patients suffering from pain were divided into nine groups. Edematous conditions, and impaired movement following traumas sustained in accidents were treated or after-treated with acupuncture. In all 9 groups, improvement of the painful condition was significant. Acupuncture proved itself to be an effective form of therapy for after-treatment of accident patients, presenting a valuable supplement to the field of rehabilitation.
Acupuncture is most effective when used according to the well-established principles and guidelines of traditional Chinese medicine.
Acupuncture and Herbs for Boosting athletic performance
Though acupuncture can have a role in boosting performance by easing pain and injury. Chinese herbal medicine is most widely used for this purpose, both for relaxing nervousness and for boosting energy and endurance.
More about Acupuncture and Chinese Sports Medicine
HERBS FOR ENERGY
