If you are an athlete, either professional or amateur, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can benefit you in several ways. You have probably seen pictures of Michael Phelps with cupping marks or James Harrison with dozens of needles in his body. Why would these world class athletes, who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars keeping their bodies in peak shape, use acupuncture. Because it works and here are five reasons why.
Pain Relief
Acupuncture is well documented for relieving pain. By inducing the body to increase the production of naturally occurring pain relieving substances, athletes are able to get back to training faster and more safely. With little to no side effects and without the risk of further injury associated with synthetic pain relievers, acupuncture is an essential part of any training regimen.
Faster Recovery
By increasing blood flow and relaxing muscles, fatigued muscles are able to recover faster. This allows athletes to push harder, sooner and achieve new levels of performance.
Improved Sleep
By engaging the bodies parasympathetic (think rest and digest) part of the nervous system and shutting down the sympathetic (think fight or flight) part of the nervous system, longer periods of deeper sleep can be achieved. The only time your body is recovering is when you are sleeping, so if you are sleeping better, you are recovering better.
Faster Healing
Injuries are the biggest impediment to training. A sprain or strain can set a training regimen back weeks if not months. Increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation and even providing the necessary environment with electro-acupuncture, your acupuncturist can get you up and running in a fraction of the time it would normally take to heal.
Engaging Adrenal Response
Just like acupuncture can engage the parasympathetic nervous system and down regulate the sympathetic nervous system, an acupuncturist can similarly do the reverse. By engaging your adrenal response, you can be ultra-prepared for your race or event. This procedure is typically done as close as possible to the race so that your body is primed to perform at optimal levels.
It is amazing that top athletes can perform at world class in one instance and fail to even finish a race in another. By setting the stage for training and even on race day with acupuncture, you can be sure that you are performing at your best, whether you are an Olympic athlete or a weekend warrior.
Princeton Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Our patients know just how effective treatments are for these and a host of other problems. Steven Hoffman, a New Jersey Licensed Acupuncturist and Diplomate in Oriental Medicine, will provide you with a thorough intake and evaluation and a clear, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan that will insure that your goals are met or exceeded. Do you want to move past these or other problems? We will help you thrive not just survive!