Extreme sport

You are an athlete, a professional competitive athlete. You get hurt, injured. This is a common case that most trainees deal with sooner or later. Then two of your goals are faster recovery from injuries and better athletic performance. Most of your injuries persist as you push your limits. Often times, you don’t have enough time to heal completely, so you use painkillers and anti-inflammatories to cheat pain and reduce inflammation. This is only a temporary solution and such complaints may mask a more serious problem. These are your body’s warning signs that some of you are weak and out of balance. Does your GP take time to help you? Your natural health specialist will be there.

Acupuncture improves athletic performance by giving you a competitive edge

It’s true that more and more professional sports teams are hiring acupuncturists and other natural therapy providers to help their athletes recover from injuries, prevent future injuries, and greatly increase their performance. Acupuncture is a healing therapy with a long history of application, safety and use, exemplified by generations of martial arts masters, quickly and effectively healing injuries sustained during training or combat.

Many in the West are now familiar with the term Qi (chee), which is usually translated as “energy”, although it is more than that. Qi is essential for life, creating abundant health and well-being. For example, if you thought of your body as home, with your heart as light, and your stomach as a stove, and so on; For the home to function well, the power supply (Qi) circuit must be operational. This circuit must be strong, but not too strong either. This is where acupuncture comes in, creates efficiency, replenishes energy where it is weak, and diminishes where it is too strong, creating balance.

In treating sports injuries, acupuncture works on two different levels. It locally increases blood flow and initiates a healing response directly at the site of injury. Increasing blood circulation will speed up healing time and reduce swelling and bruising. Additionally, the increased number of white blood cells and immuno-molecules in place will speed up soft tissue healing and reduce pain. In the context of the whole body, acupuncture stimulates the release of a wide variety of natural biochemical substances, including endorphins, serotonin and neurotransmitters, which aid the healing process by reducing pain and promoting relaxation. Additionally, acupuncture can reduce anxiety and serve to break down mental barriers that sometimes make it difficult to function.

Examples for acupuncture treatment:

strains, tears or complete ruptures of ligaments and joint capsules or the ligaments themselves
contusions with bruises or hematomas of any type
dislocations
fractures
degenerative changes in joints and limbs
osteoporotic changes

Functional benefits:

faster recovery rate
increased flexibility
greater durability
less susceptibility to future injuries

Now consider this in the context of having a professional acupuncturist tailoring your sports treatment to your performance. You will then find that acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs are often used together as an integrated approach, providing even better therapeutic effects. These methods are safe, effective and natural, they not only relieve pain and persistent ailments, but also increase your energy, endurance and flexibility. They will also provide better sleep, enhanced immunity and faster recovery in the future. In a world of elite athletes and increasing training demands, Traditional Chinese Medicine has a lot to offer, so please talk to us about what our clinic can do for you and your competitive advantage.