Acupuncture is a healing therapy that has developed and evolved over thousands of years. Generations of martial arts masters used this medicine to effectively and quickly treat injuries sustained during training or combat.
Today, this traditional form of sports medicine has evolved into a comprehensive, holistic form of health care that can not only relieve pain, decrease healing time, and resolve stubborn ailments but also increase energy, stamina, and flexibility. In the treatment of sports injuries, acupuncture works on two different levels.
On one level, it works on the local area of injury by increasing blood circulation and attracting a healing response to the area where the needles are placed. The local increase in blood circulation has the effect of reducing healing time and aiding in the dispersal of swelling and bruising. In addition, an increase in the number of white blood cells and biochemicals in the area speeds up the healing rate of soft tissue and reduces pain.
Acupuncture also works on the whole body to treat sports injuries and increase performance. It causes the body’s nervous system to release a variety of chemicals, including endorphins, serotonin, and neurotransmitters, which aid in the healing process by reducing pain and promoting relaxation. Additionally, the relaxation effects of acupuncture can reduce anxiety and help alleviate some of the mental barriers that athletes experience, which might hinder performance.
Research increasingly shows that acupuncture is useful, both on its own and as a complement to other forms of treatment, such as physical and chiropractic therapy.
In fact, more and more professional sports teams employ acupuncturists to help their athletes recover from their injuries quickly, prevent future injuries from occurring, and boost their performance.