Acupuncture and Sports Injuries in Scottsdale
If you live in Scottsdale, AZ you know that people are generally sports minded, especially in the eight beautiful months of the year. They like their golf, tennis, bicycling, jogging, hiking, skating and swimming. Virtually all of Scottsdale’s 41 parks are filled with people of all ages, from children on jungle gyms, to after school sport groups, to seniors walking dogs. For a health conscious person like me, it’s a joy to see.
With all of this activity, there’s the occasional sport injury such as sprains, fractures, rotator cuff tears, and knee injuries. There are also repetitive stress injuries, caused by excessive movements or forceful or prolonged use of a muscles, tendons or joints that cause conditions such as tennis elbow, tendonitis and knee pain, to name a few.
How can acupuncture treat sports injuries or repetitive stress injuries?
Acupuncture reduces pain and inflammation and increases blood and qi flow to the injured area to initiate and speed the healing process. It also relaxes muscles, stops spasms and minimizes bruising so you are up and active again sooner.
Of course, some injuries require urgent care. Use your best judgement in deciding when to use the emergency room or consult your doctor. If swelling lasts longer than a few days, call your doctor to rule out a more extensive problem.
Inflammation or swelling is the body’s normal response to injury. The fluids, blood, white blood cells, etc., that surround the injury perform several functions: first, they protect the site from further damage by signaling to the brain to take caution and, second, they are necessary to trigger the first stage of healing. Inflammation while normal in the acute stage, can be harmful if it continues. It is important to reduce swelling within the first couple hours of injury.
Here is where acupuncture comes into play. By increasing the flow of fresh blood, fluids and qi to the area, it speeds up the healing process so that damaged cells and tissues can repair more quickly decreasing the need for inflammation. In addition to acupuncture, Chinese herbs work internally to build and move blood and strengthen muscles and tendons. Ice is also useful the first couple of hours after injury, as is resting and elevating the affected area and applying mild compression with an ace bandage for support and to reduce swelling.
It’s important to start using the injured area as soon as possible. Muscle atrophy and scaring are often residual effects that hamper future activity. That’s why acupuncture is so beneficial. It will get you back on your feet faster and reduce scarring.
A quick story about the healing power of acupuncture and herbs.
I got hit by a car while riding my bicycle several years ago. Unfortunately, I was leaving for Italy ten days later to take my 80+ year old parents on their first trip to their country of heritage. I had to get on my feet quick! With torn groin ligaments, I was unable to walk the first couple of days and after that only with a four-legged walker.
As soon as I was released from the hospital, I had an acupuncturist come to my house every other day for eight days and I took Chinese herbs for the next 6 weeks. Ten days later, whenI had to accompany my folks on our trip, I was walking with a cane. There were limitations but I was able to go and I even got better as I went along despite the all the walking and stairs. The best news is that I don’t have any residual problems. I didn’t received physical therapy before the trip and only took antiinflammatory meds while in the hospital. I confidently attribute all of my recovery to acupuncture and herbs. This event made me such a believer in the power of acupuncture and herbs that I eventually decided to become an acupuncturist myself.
