Acupuncture addresses sports injury from a holistic perspective by combining both Chinese Medicine and Western anatomy.
Practitioners make diagnosis and treatment plans from the functional differentiation of the organ systems, assessment of meridians and the origin of injury (cold, hot, etc). Then, apply western medical and scientific knowledge to prevent, recognize, assess, manage and rehabilitate injuries related to sport, exercise or recreational activity. Chinese medicine also includes preventive medicine and thus, enhance performance and prevention of injury. Different modalities can be used in Chinese medicine such as herbal prescriptions, Tuina and dietary recommendations. Now, the modalities can include physical therapists, personal trainers, surgeons, massage therapists, dietitians, chiropractors, and psychologists in Western health care settings.
Take a ski injury as an example – an athlete had a fall and injured their ankle. First, observe and ask how the injury occurred, then make a diagnosis. Next, the acupuncture points are selected based on the meridian and the cold weather (cold stagnation and xue stasis). After that, we make recommendations for the recovery and the treatment plan for follow up. Some Chinese herbs, Tuina, patches and moxibustion may be applied (Qi, Blood, Yin/Yang balance as well as Shen are considered in the treatment).
Overall, acupuncture has an incredible potential to help heal and strengthen the patient. As a result, the athlete has the ability to recover more rapidly, helping them get back to training, enhance performance and prevent re-injury.
Chinese medicine not only includes acupuncture, but other modalities. In Sport injury, all the modalities can play a part in the therapy from inside the body and outside the injury.
