Acupuncture for Athletes and Active Lifestyles - Let the Games Begin

As professional sports associations begin to re-open and allow the athletes to start playing the games they love, we want to make sure they are healthy and ready for a successful season.

Healthcare professionals and acupuncturist’s alike are recommending treatments for active athletes. Acupuncture is thought of as a relaxing spa-like treatment and categorized as a holistic modality to relieve certain ailments.

Athletes are turning to acupuncture to promote recovery and accelerate the healing of several types of injuries such as sprains, strains, stiffness, and spasms. Studies have shown that, acupuncture may relieve pain and decrease inflammation to enhance their performance.

America’s top athletes in MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, PGA and even Olympic players have embraced acupuncture in their regular health routines.

Athletes depend on acupuncture for 4 important reasons:

1 - PAIN RELIEF

Acupuncture is well known for its powerful ability to reduce and often eliminate pain. This is a huge attraction for athletes who are playing with a strain or injury. The athletes never have to worry about experiencing side effects from pharmaceutical drugs or failing a drug test. How does acupuncture alleviate pain? There are several studies which suggest that when needles are inserted, they stimulate points that boost our natural painkillers. One study, from researchers at the University of Michigan found that acupuncture affected the brain’s long-term ability to regulate pain.

2 - MUSCLE RELAXATION

Athletes train for thousands of hours which is punishing to their bodies. Acupuncture reduces soreness from workouts and helps athletes get ready for another day by relaxing their tight muscles and reducing inflammation.

3 - FAST HEALING

When an athlete has to skip training or miss a competition, precious time is lost. Acupuncture helps injuries to heal faster so athletes do not miss valuable training time.

4 - SLEEP BETTER FOR ENHANCED ENERGY

Acupuncture boosts athletes’ energy when they are awake and helps them to sleep at night. The body repairs itself at night so sleeping well is vital to optimal performance. Read the Secret to Better Sleep for more information.

We are here to support you and your health with the power of acupuncture.

Written by: MOD LIFE Support Team

Sources:

University of Michigan Health System in Journal of NeuroImage, Vol. 5, No. 83, 2009

NCBI-National Institutes of Health-Recovery

NBA players: https://hoopshype.com/2017/12/30/nba-players-trying-acupuncture-to-relieve-pain-maximize-effectiveness/

NFL players: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2018/february/james-harrison-nfl-cupping-therapy-football/

NHL players: https://acuzenme.com/tag/nhl-acupuncture/

MLB players: https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32011

Golf: https://www.golfchannel.com/video/anna-nordqvist-shows-results-acupuncture

Olympics: https://www.sportsinjurycenters.com/blog/olympic-athletes-use-acupuncture/