One of the aspects of Chinese Medicine that I truly love is
its preventative capabilities regarding our health. In the U.S., we tend to only worry about our
health when we have lost it. Whether it is
through illness, disease or injury, we tend to not think about preventing some
of the troubles we encounter in our lives.
Acupuncture and including Herbal Medicine, has an amazing
power to support our health so we do not experience illness or injury. One of the areas that this is best utilized
is Sports Medicine.
While most people do not consider acupuncture until after
they have hurt themselves, Acupuncture has the ability to keep our muscles and
joints running at their best so we can avoid the trauma and injury we often
face exercising or playing sports. Every
Olympic team and World class athlete knows this fact. And most of them have a personal
Acupuncturist on staff.
Most casual injuries we encounter are caused by repetitive
use or ‘wear and tear” upon muscles and joints.
When muscles are overused they often will become locked or
“cramp-up”. When this happens other
muscles must pick up the work to secure our balance and movement. This often will place great stress upon
joints and tendons. These tissues will
begin to swell and inflame causing pain and stiffness. Continual wear and tear upon these inflamed
tissues will eventually damage bone and cartilage causing further damage and
pain. When this injury happens suddenly,
we call it an acute injury, when it happens over long periods of time we call
it a chronic injury.
Acupuncture can assist in maintaining the health and
wellness of muscles and tendons so that they are less likely to experience
damage. By opening up the flow of Qi and
Blood into muscle groups, muscles are able to clear themselves of toxins and
poisons that develop in the tissues during heavy usage. With this better flow of Qi and Blood, the
muscles are able to maintain oxygen levels and necessary nutrients to keep
muscles operating. In this way they do
not cramp up or spasm and are less likely to fatigue.
By supporting the digestion and nutritional organ systems of
our body, Acupuncture aids us in the constant repair of muscles and tendons
that happens when we sleep. As I often say
to my clients, “it takes a great deal more energy to heal” than most people
realize. By supporting the digestive
systems, Acupuncture promotes absorption and utilization of nutrients,
supplements, and minerals that are needed for keeping muscles and tendons ready
for exercise.
Another important component of Acupuncture for Athletes is
the benefit of stress reduction.
Acupuncture is a proven treatment protocol for stress reduction. When we over-exercise or become fatigued, our
nerve systems and circulatory system are greatly taxed. By down regulation of the stress levels,
Acupuncture can assist in balancing the energies in our bodies so that they are
directed towards healing and repair. By
helping the body and mind recover from our work-outs, we can get back to our
favorite sport or exercise routine sooner with less aches and pains. Plus, by improving our mood and outlook, we
are better equipped to go the extra mile, swim the extra lap, or lift the extra
weight.
