Acupuncture and Sports
ATTENTION ALL ATHLETES!
Have you found that you have pushed your body to the extreme? Do you tend to let your competitive side over do it? In the sporting world, injury can occur as we push our bodies to it’s limits. When we choose to use painkillers to dull the aches and pains, we may be covering up a deeper problem. In the short term, medication may enable you to return to your sport, and carry on with life, but in the long run, it may make the problem worse.
Acupuncture is a safe, natural and drug-free method that can provide immediate relief and long lasting benefits. This time tested healthcare is a viable therapy in reducing swelling, improving range of motion, strengthening your body, speeding recovery time, and addressing any underlying issues that can contribute to future injuries.
Acupuncture can help to create that competitive edge, leading to a stronger and more agile performance.
Back Pain
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are very effective in treating back pain naturally. Not only does an acupuncturist aim to relieve your back pain symptoms, but they will also determine and treat the underlying cause.
According to TCM, trauma, overworking, and exposure to wind, cold, heat and dampness can cause back pain. Wind is thought to carry bacterial influences into the body and contribute to the variable nature of the pain. Internally, an energy deficient kidney can affect the lower body, presenting low back pain.
Chinese herbal therapies usually involve warming the kidney, clearing dampness, and resolving wind influences. There are a wide range of potentially useful herbs for back pain. Talk to your acupuncturist to see which herbs are right for you.
Some Self-care tips:
Improve your posture. Try to balance your weight evenly when walking and standing.
Exercise. Keep your core muscles strong with regular exercise. Yoga is a gentle and effective option.
Manage stress. Meditation, deep breathing or Qigong exercises can help you stay calm and relaxed.
References:
Acupuncture Media Works. “Back Pain.” 2015. Print.
Dharmananda, Subhuti. “Chinese Herbal Therapy for Sciatica and Lumbago.” ITM Online Dec. 1999, www.itmonline.org/arts /sciatica.htm. Accessed 19 Oct. 2016.
Freerider Skiing. 2016, Pixabay. Accessed 19 Oct. 2016. https://pixabay.com/en/freerider-skiing-ski-sports-alpine-498473/
Presson, Connie. Personal interview. 21 Oct.
