Athletes and those with active lifestyles can achieve better performance and heal sports injuries more effectively with the help of acupuncture. If you are training or trying to meet fitness goals and want to boost your endurance, then acupuncture techniques can help you maintain a strong body by improving digestion and sleep. If you are healing from a sprain, strain, or other painful injury, acupuncture will speed up the healing process through an anti-inflammatory response without the use of drugs.
Acupuncture activates your body’s own healing response which is responsible for the release of your natural pain relieving hormones while simultaneously increasing blood flow to the affected area to promote further healing. This reaction not only triggers a local effect to the injured tissues, but also a systemic anti-inflammatory effect through the whole body that can last two to three days; healing tissues throughout the body. In addition to acupuncture, other common Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques can help keep your body in top shape include tuina (massage) and cupping therapy.
From the classical textbook (of the Huang Di Nei Jing) comes a common Chinese saying: “without free flow, there is pain; with free flow, there is no pain.” This statement embodies the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to treating pain and injuries.
Essentially, what it means is that if everything (blood, qi) is flowing in the body without issues, you will not experience pain. However, if there is an obstruction–whether complete or partial, physical or energetic (which does not allow the proper flow)–pain will result.
Healing the underlying injury as opposed to masking pain (with painkillers) and potentially causing further injury is imperative for long term athletic success. You don’t need to be injured to benefit from an acupuncture treatment; in fact, maintenance of a healthy body is just as important as treatment of an injured one.
– Anita, New York Marathoner