If you’re watching a UFC event, you might notice one of the fighters has red rings all over his back. It’s a form of acupuncture designed to optimize recovery and improve sports performance. Many athletes from all sports disciplines use various acupuncture methods to help with injury recovery and performance enhancement. Acupuncture stimulates blood circulation through the body’s energy points. It increases blood flow to the muscular system, reducing inflammation and promoting faster recovery from training-induced stress and sports injuries, bringing balance to the body. Endorphins are released in the brain, providing pleasure and bliss while eliminating pain.

Why Athletes Choose Acupuncture for Sports Injuries

Common Types of Acupuncture

Cupping, trigger point therapy, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion are the most common sports-specific acupuncture treatment options.

• • Cupping: Applying cups to the body, pulling the skin from the muscles, reduceing inflammation and speeding up healing times.
  • Trigger point therapy: This technique applies pressure to points on the body to release energy, improve circulation, and fast-track healing.
  • Electro Acupuncture: A tens machine stimulates pressure points and improves the healing of the injured area.
  • Moxibustion: Involves burning medicinal herbs on the skin to accelerate the natural healing process.

Why Athletes Choose Acupuncture for Sports Injuries

Many athletes trust acupuncture strategies to fast-track their healing after an injury. A study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that athletes who received acupuncture for sports injuries were less likely to miss training. In comparison, athletes who did not receive acupuncture were more likely to miss due to the same type of injury.

This popular alternative treatment has proven results for common sports injuries such as:

• Sprains and strains
• Stress Fractures
• Soft tissue injuries
• Reducing swelling

Faster Recovery Times

Injuries require blood flow to the affected area to heal. The blood transports nutrients and enzymes to the injured tissues needed to recover. Acupuncture therapy increases blood flow, promotes healing, and speeds up recovery.

Improving Flexibility and Range of Motion

Acupuncture techniques loosen tight ligaments and muscles injured during training or competition. They reduce inflammation, improve joint flexibility, and increase range of motion.

Relief from Muscular Tension

Repetitive and overuse injuries cause inflammation, eventually leading to injury. Relieving tension can keep the muscles working harder for longer.

Improving Mental Performance When Playing Sports

As discussed, the release of endorphins in the pituitary gland in the brain increases the production of hormones and neurotransmitters required for optimal sports performance.  It’s also an effective stress-relief tool to prevent performance anxiety before the competition. It can help to keep the athlete focused on training and competition. Mental well-being can enhance athletic performance.

Nerve Stimulation

Acupuncture on pressure points near nerves stimulates nervous system activity in a specific area. This cascading effect through the CNS improves reaction times and reflexes while enhancing coordination.

Reducing Fatigue And Reducing Sports Injuries

Regular sports acupuncture treatments assist athletes with injury prevention. They also prevent burnout, allowing athletes to perform at their peak and extend training to refine their performance in competition.

Every Athlete Needs a Professional Relationship with an Acupuncture Therapist

Using acupuncture strategies in specific sports injuries allows athletes to return to physical activity, training, and competition faster than conventional physical therapy strategies alone.

This type of therapy can reduce reliance on dangerous painkillers for pain management. It is a non-invasive, natural recovery tool that keeps the athlete performing at their highest ability level.

Every athlete should have a relationship with a qualified, experienced, professional acupuncture therapist who treats sports injuries as part of their recovery program.

Southlake Natural Family Wellness

Our mission is to support the health and well-being of our patients.

We offer individualized, comprehensive holistic care including acupuncture, herbal recommendations, customized nutritional counseling, allergy elimination (NAET), whole food supplements, lifestyle suggestions, moxibustion, and cupping. As well as helping couples get pregnant and STAY pregnant by supporting all the paths to conception.

About Farrah Hamraie

Farrah Hamraie, L.Ac, MOM, Dipl.OM (NCCAOM), is licensed and board-certified in Acupuncture and Herbal medicine in the State of Texas with a Masters of Oriental Medicine from the Dallas College of Oriental Medicine.

She is also a Diplomat of NCCAOM (the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine), a Board Certified Acupuncturist, a Chinese Herbalist, and a member of the American Association of Oriental Medicine.