Acu For Sports Injuries

Acupuncture for Sports Injuries
Athletes, no matter their ability level or age, may experience an injury or strain from time to time.
Medical conditions that arise as a result of sports and athletics can be difficult and/or time consuming
to treat. As one article points out, “…treating sports medicine conditions with medications can be
limited by significant side-effects.”
In an interview with Medill Reports, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo said, “You’re
just always trying to get on the field as soon as possible. So, you’re in an ‘I’m doing whatever I can to
feel better’ state of mind.”
Many athletes feel the same way. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a middle school team player, or
a professional, sports injuries can inhibit your ability to perform your best. If left untreated, or if
treated improperly, a minor injury can become a problem that prohibits you from the activities you
love.
Acupuncture can offer relief from myriad sports injuries, and could even prevent some. Athletes of
every caliber have turned to acupuncture as a form of regular treatment and research supports their
decision. Whether they have an injury they need to be seen for, are prepping for an event, or want
some aid in the recovery phase afterward, acupuncture could help bring you back to peak
performance.
One article from UW Health states that many professional athletes, such as Prince Fielder, Gabe
Kapler, Josh Hader, Aaron Rodgers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Grant Hill, Jason
Kidd, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Najah Davenport, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Johnson, John Mcglocklin,
Steve Nash, Bonnie Blair, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, James Harrison, Montre Hartage, etc use
traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture as a part of their regular routine. Others simply want to
focus on rehabilitating old injuries, like a troublesome knee or an old ACL injury, prior to a weekend
race or just to keep going to pick-up games at the local gym.
A systematic review of studies conducted on acupuncture for ankle sprains found that, “Acupuncture
as an add-on treatment also improved global symptoms compared with other treatments…” and
added, “Acupuncture was more effective than various controls in relieving pain, facilitating return to
normal activity, and promoting quality of life,” before advocating for additional research into the topic.
Another review reports, “Acupuncture can help relieve short-term pain and recover from dysfunction
and has been used as a useful, noninvasive, and conservative modality for managing sports injuries…”
That same review points out that acupuncture has been used in clinical settings to treat, “rotator cuff
tendinitis, shoulder impingement syndrome, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis,” which were “improved
by acupuncture.”
Data supports these claims. One study found that following acupuncture treatment, folks that were
treated for shin splints found 90% of their pain relieved and as a result, took 60% less medication for
pain relief than their counterparts who did not receive treatment.
Another article points out that acupuncture can be used not only to control pain, but to treat injuries
and hasten recovery time for individuals who experience chronic or acute sports-related conditions.
Acupuncture could help with a multitude of sports-related injuries and conditions. At the Woodlands
Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic, we have seen great success in treating:
 Sprains, Strains, Pain (Acute or Chronic)

 Shoulder & Arm Iinjuries;
 Rotator Cuff Strains & Injuries;
 Frozen Shoulder/Stiff Neck/Back
 Tennis, Bowlers & Golf Elbow (tendonitis & tendinopathy)
 Carpal Tunnel
 Trigger Finger
 Shin Splints
 Recovery from Broken Bones & Torn Ligaments (accelerating & promoting healing)
 & MORE
If you’re an athlete—whether professional, playing for a school team, or simply someone who enjoys
working out—and would like to be treated for sports medicine, our providers can certainly help you as
both of our providers have extensive experience and training in Sports Acupuncture/Acupressure.
At the Woodlands Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic, Dr. Louis Lei Jin is a sports acupuncturist where he
combines advanced trigger point acupuncture and orthopedic acupuncture to help athletes recover
from injuries or increase performance. He would be honored and delighted to help you get back to the
activities you love, pain-free.
For Further Reading:

“Acupuncture & tibial stress syndrome (shin splints),” The Journal of Chinese Medicine, Issue 70; Matt
Callison, 2002.
“Acupuncture for ankle sprain: systematic review and meta-analysis,” BMC Complementary Medicine
and Therapies, Vol. 13, Issue 55; Park et al., 2013.
“Acupuncture for Athletes,” UW Health, UW School of Medicine and Public Health; 2017.
“Acupuncture in Sports Medicine,” Current Sports Medicine Reports, Vol. 5 Issue 1; L. Tyler
Wadsworth MD, 2006.
“Effects of Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping, and Massage on Sports Injuries,” Evidence-Based

Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 2022; Zhang et al., 2022.
“NFL teams are tackling injuries with acupuncture and cupping,” Medill Reports Chicago, Health &
Science; Emine Yücel, 2020.

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Acupuncture for Sports Injuries

 Sprains, Strains, Pain (Acute or Chronic)

For Further Reading:

“Effects of Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping, and Massage on Sports Injuries,” Evidence-Based

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