Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that typically occur while participating in organized sports, competitions, training sessions, or organized fitness activities. These injuries may occur for a variety of reasons, including improper training, lack of appropriate footwear or safety equipment.
The injuries are of two general types. The first type is called an acute traumatic injury. These injuries usually involve a single blow from a single application of force, like getting a cross-body block in football. The second type of sports injury is called an overuse or chronic injury. Chronic injuries are those that happen over a period of time. Chronic injuries are usually the result of repetitive training, such as running, overhand throwing, or serving a ball in tennis. By TCM theory, acute injuries immediately produced the blockage of the smooth-flow of qi, blood, and body fluids in the channels collaterals and zang/fu organs, which result in pain, swelling, muscle spam etc...
In 2016, a study had shown that an average annual estimate of 8.6 million sports- and recreation-related injury episodes was reported in USA, with an age-adjusted rate of 34.1 per 1,000 populations. Males (61.3%) and persons aged 5-24 years (64.9%) accounted for more than one-half of injury episodes(Yahtyng Sheu etc, in National Health Statistics Reports 2016). there are the seven most common sports injuries people will have:
1. Ankle sprain
2. Groin pull
3. Hamstring strain
4. Shin splints
5. Knee injury: ACL tear
6. Knee injury: Patellofemoral syndrome
- injury resulting from the repetitive movement
of your kneecap against your thigh bone
7. Tennis elbow (epicondylitis)
Usually, common sports injuries are mild or moderate - there's some damage, but everything is still in place. You can treat them at home using the PRICE therapy method for acute injury.
PRICE principle:
P - protect from further injury for more severe injuries, protect the injured area with a splint, pad, or crutch.
R - restrict activity Restricting activity will prevent worsening of the injury.
I - apply ice immediately after a common sports injury.
C - apply compression with an elastic bandage will help reduce swelling.
E - elevate the injured area. Elevating the injured area above the heart will also reduce swelling.
This is the first aid for just for acute sports injuries. Afterwards, the treatment would be much more crucial to get a full restoration of associated functions.
Recent studies show that acupuncture can effectively treat sports injuries such as strains, sprains, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle pain, swollen muscles and shin splints. One systematic review even found strong evidence suggesting that acupuncture is effective in the short-term relief of lateral epicondyle pain (Trinh 2004). The only other systematic review on sports injuries found that, based on the results of trials exhibiting a sufficient level of quality, treatments that were effective in decreasing pain and improving function in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome were acupuncture, quadriceps strengthening, and the use of a resistive brace (Bizzini 2003).The largest clinical study of acupuncture ever conducted was published in the December 2004 Annuals of Internal Medicine and found acupuncture to significantly reduce and improve function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. In recent years, acupuncture has become more popular in Western countries and is now recognized by the National Institute of Health as an acceptable form of treatment for pain. Besides, studies also show in addition to treating the injury, acupuncture can improve performance and give athletes a competitive edge as well.For further evidences of effectiveness of acupuncture treatment on sports injuries, please review factsheets by follow the link.
What injuries does acupuncture treat?
--Medial and lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis elbow),
--Plantar fasciitis, Neuralgia, Bursitis,
--Frozen shoulder/Impingement syndrome,
--Sprains and strains
--Tendinitis
Please note that acupuncture will not be effective for serious physical injuries such as those requiring surgical intervention. Please consult a sports injury specialist to rule out any serious injuries.
It is my belief that the optimal treatment of sports injuries are often a combination of multiple modalities like acupuncture, herbal therapy, and other interventions, like physical therapy, and physical conditioning.
The final and most important element to any treatment is balancing the patient’s body energetically. By using the diagnostic tools of TCMany underlying imbalanceswill be assessed and a tailored treatment plan specific to the needs of your body will be developed. Effective treatments will be achieved by applying multiple healing methods acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping when necessary to balance the systems in your body.
On average patients are advised to have 2-3 treatments for 2-4 weeks and then are re-evaluated for treatment completion or continue treatment.