Sports injury

The disappointment and frustration of being sidelined through injury, the agony of hurting your back, twisting a knee or elbow just playing with the kids or simply bending in the garden... it doesn't matter whether it comes from the sporting arena of rthe backyard stadium, the fact is, it hurts! And you want to know, 'How can I get back to normal and back on the field or court, as quickly as possible?'

As a general rule, treatment of sporting type injuries relies on the R.I.C.E. principle. Rest. Ice. Compression and Elevation. This treatment will help reduce the swelling, inflammation and bruising associated with these injuries.

However, acupuncture treatment 'fast tracks' your recovery time, and gets to the point of the problem quicker.

If you happen to be sidelined by a sports injury, a fall, or injury to joints or muscles you're likely to be suffering either one or a combination of the following signs and symptoms:

• Bruising
• Inflammation
• Swelling or oedema
• Restriction of movement
• Pain.

For sports-related and muscle and joint injuries, acupuncture works locally right at the site of the problem.

Your body basically has the capacity to 'manufacture' its own natural pain killers, natural anti-inflammatory and anti-stress hormones. Acupuncture stimulates your body to get that production line moving, thus releasing those natural, in-built, body chemical healers, giving you a less pain/more gain sensation.

Once acupuncture treatment is commenced it will work in the following ways to help you bounce right back into action:

• Lessening the effect of bruising
• Reducing the swelling, inflammation and pain
• Increasing the range of movement of the affected joint, whether it's fingers, feet, knees, hips, back, neck or shoulders
• Decreasing muscle spasm and dispersing the 'caulking' in muscles
• Reducing pain quite substantially with each treatment by breaking the pain/spasm cycle
• Cutting healing time dramatically by improving blood supply to the affected area and dispersing oedema or swelling
• Acupuncture can also provide an extra aid in healing when used in conjunction with other therapies such as massage, moxibustion, cupping and Chinese herbs.

To do all this, acupuncture treatment recreates and maintains the natural free flow of energy through all the muscles, blood vessels and vital organs of the body.

Find about more about the drug-free, performance enhancing effects of acupuncture.