Sports Acupuncture

SPORTS ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT

Sports Medicine is a branch of Chinese Medicine. Whether referred to as sports acupuncture or dry needling therapy, treatments are geared toward individuals looking to treat acute, chronic, or complex musculoskeletal injuries. Sports acupuncture works through the two main functions of enhancing circulation and modulating muscle tone and integrity by needling anatomically specific trigger points. Acupuncture and bodywork techniques are used to unwind muscle knots and increase blood flow through areas of injury. Removing muscle knots to improve blood circulation is like removing rocks from a river to increase its strength and ability to flow. Healthy blood flow allows damaged tissues to eliminate waste and receive nutrients faster to support healing and improve overall physical strength and function. Good circulation is vital for healing muscle and joint injuries and preventing injuries.

FIRST VISIT

During your Initial Consultation + Treatment, we will have an in-depth medical consultation outlining treatment goals before delving into sports acupuncture/dry needling and bodywork. Treatment may involve acupuncture/dry needling, therapeutic massage, cupping, manual traction, or moxibustion.

RETURN VISIT

For existing patients, treatments begin with a review of symptom changes from your previous visit. The information I receive about how your injury shifts after each treatment is helpful diagnostic information that continues to inform treatment strategy moving forward. Discussion is often brief in order to dedicate as much time as possible to physical treatment on the table. If you are currently taking herbs, I may modify your formula based on the discussed symptom changes.

SPORTS ACUPUNCTURE & BODYWORK

I often begin orthopedic work with therapeutic massage to evaluate the underlying tissue. I massage and palpate (diagnostic touch) the injury locally, upstream, and downstream to assess the root and branch causes of the issue. Palpating helps diagnose primary and secondary ‘ashi’ (pronounced ahh-shir) points and trigger points. ‘Ashi’ literally means ‘oh yes.’ These are tender spots, usually areas of tightness where muscle fibers are knotted and condensed. The number of acupuncture needles used varies from person to person and from treatment to treatment. Needles are inserted at specific ashi and trigger points to modulate muscle tone and stimulate blood circulation. After the needles are removed, Sports Acupuncture is generally followed by medical massage, cupping therapy, or manual traction to further promote circulation, soften muscle tone, and lengthen muscle fibers.

The following list gives a sense of what Sports Acupuncture can treat:

  • Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

  • Tendonitis

  • Neuropathy

  • Arthritis

  • Sprains and strains

  • Range of joint and muscle motion

  • Pain and inflammation

  • Acute injury

  • Chronic injury

  • Overuse injury

  • Structural imbalance

  • Reduce pre and post-surgical recovery and rehabilitation

  • Athletic training maintenance and rehabilitation

  • Increased endurance and athletic performance

  • Injury prevention and recovery

  • Maintaining healthy muscles

  • Muscle spasms

  • Muscle soreness

  • Stress relief and relaxation

  • Pain, acute, chronic, and complex

  • Restless leg syndrome

  • Scar tissue

  • Sciatica