The Role of Acupuncture in Sports Injuries and Athletic Performance Acupuncture is used effectively to reduce the pain and inflammation of sports injuries. It has also been shown to increase range of motion and accelerate healing time. Acupuncture can benefit sports injuries at any stage: to prevent, to treat acute pain, swelling and spasms and to address conditions circulation to specific areas …
of the body, which not only promotes healing of sports injuries but could also boost athletic performance. The American Journal of Acupuncture published a study that examined the effects of acupuncture on anaerobic threshold and work capacity during exercise. Researchers found that those who received acupuncture not only had lower heart rates, but had higher maximal exercise capacity and were able to handle greater workloads at the onset of blood lactate accumulation than those in placebo group. If preexisting or new sports injuries are hindering your training or recreational goals, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine should be considered a viable option for a speedy recovery. Don’t let sports injuries keep you from enjoying life!