Alternative Therapies to Treat Sport Injuries
Steve Amoia
February 04, 2009
To begin, let's take a look at Acupuncture.
When you visit a doctor who practices traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), he or she will take a rigorous medical history. They also will take your pulse in a different fashion than in Western medicine to ascertain the overall status of your heath. A tongue inspection provides them with clues about an underlying illness and/or your present state of health. The Chinese approach utilizes the whole body theory of medicine, and does not have the specialist nature common in Western Medicine. It also focuses upon root causes and not symptoms.
Generalist Treatment and Diagnostic Approach
A licensed acupuncturist can treat a man's or woman's infertility, along with sports injuries incurred by amateur or professional athletes. That combination would be quite rare to find with a Western physician. Perhaps the best way to think of this difference is with a football/soccer coaching analogy. In professional soccer, one head coach manages the team with very few assistants. In American gridiron football, one head coach manages the team with several specialists.
Expert Opinion on Acupuncture
Dr. Sen Huang is a Chinese medical doctor (C.M.D) who studied at Nantong Medical College, and also earned a Ph.D from the prestigious Shanghai Brain Institute. Dr. Huang used to teach Human Anatomy at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He now focuses on his growing Traditional Chinese Medicine practice, Huang's Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Clinic, and also acts as a consultant to GWU´s alternative health program at their medical school. Dr. Huang utilizes acupuncture, herbal medicine, and medical Qigong in his practice. He is licensed to practice acupuncture in Washington, D.C. and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Huang has treated Heads of State (The President of Latvia), along with members of the US Congress.
"In the eastern view of traditional Chinese medicine, an energy or life force called 'Chi' flows through the body along 14 channels. When 'Chi' is blocked, people may become sick. Placing needles at various points along the channels to remove the blockage, allowing 'Chi' to flow and restoring harmony between the body's opposing forces of 'Yin' and 'Yang'. While Western science does not yet understand the concept of 'Chi', studies have found that acupuncture somehow stimulate the body's natural protective and pain-fighting systems. Studies show that brain activity is increased, the immune system is boosted and pain-fighting endorphins and peptides are released during acupuncture."
As we can see from Dr. Huang's explanation, acupuncture both prevents and treats the illness or injury. One of the benefits of Chinese medicine is the focus on root causes, and not merely symptoms, of an illness or subsequent injury.
Acupuncture Demonstration Videos
Benefits of Acupuncture to Treat Sports Injuries
Sports acupuncturist Matt Callison, L.Ac., (Licensed Acupuncturist) has treated professional American gridiron football players for the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers:
"There is much that acupuncture can do for sports injuries, especially combined with western therapy. Acupuncture can quickly relieve pain and inflammation, and move blood stagnation (i.e., release osmotic pressure) away from the injury. This, in turn, creates a more efficient healing environment."
Besides the additional therapies of acupuncture and external herbal formulations, Chinese medicine provides a more personalized perspective. Dr. Ronda Wimmer, PhD, LAc, points out that, "in many sports medicine and athletic training environments, protocol treatments are used across the board. These treatments focus on the symptoms rather than problem origins."
Callison adds, "There are differences between east and west as far as treating and managing an acute injury. In the east, the focus is upon both the athlete and the injury while, in the west, it's just the injury segment. TCM fills in the gaps by addressing the individual in order to maximize their healing potential. In the rehabilitation phase, the protocol is further modified to retrain the athlete for their particular sport."
Source: Acupuncture Keeps Athletes Off the Bench.
Herbal Medicine
Unlike Western medicine prescriptions that often are given for acute problems, herbal remedies, or formulas, address the root causes and act as tonics that benefit the body over time. They also offer a preventive feature. As was discussed earlier, alternative therapies focus upon maintaining good health which may reduce the prevalence of injuries. Another difference is that the side effect profile of herbal formulas is vastly reduced compared to Western medicine. For an example, click here to see the side effects for the Chinese herbal equivalent of aspirin or ibuprofen. You will also notice that the complete contents in the formula are provided on the side of the bottle. In Western medicine, we see the name of a drug, but rarely its components.
In terms of safety and efficacy, Dr. Huang provided an opinion:
"Most Chinese herbs are unexplored from the perspective of Western science, but they have been used for thousands of years and demonstrated clinically effective."
Tai Sophia Institute: Pioneers in Herbal Medicine Education and Training
The Tai Sophia Institute, which is located near Washington, D.C., is the first American university to offer graduate degree programs in herbal medicine. According to Tai Sophia's web site:
"The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the world's population presently uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary healthcare. In recent decades, the properties of medicinal plants and traditional systems of medicine have been rediscovered in the Western world. A recent Prevention magazine national survey revealed that 44.6 million Americans use botanicals on a regular basis, reflecting a multibillion dollar a year industry."
"Herbal Medicine, used for thousands of years, supports the healthy structure and function of the body. Herbs are taken to promote vitality, balance, and longevity. Simply defined, herbalism is the art and science of skillfully collecting, preparing, and utilizing herbs to nudge the body towards wellness... The current practice of herbalism in United States focuses on supporting wellness as opposed to fighting disease. Many herbalists believe the strength of botanicals lies in their capacity to support the body as it finds the healing path."
Medical Qi Gong
Dr. Huang provides us with his expert opinion about this alternative therapy:
"Qi Gong (pronounced 'chi goong') is a Chinese system of physical training, philosophy, and preventive and therapeutic health care. Qi (or 'chi') means air, breath of life or vital essence. Gong means work, self-discipline, achievement or mastery. Qi Gong is a discipline that makes us to be more sensitive to the internal operations of our bodies, and helps us to reveal the body's place within nature's oneness to integrate our internal Yin/Yang balance with the universal order. Thus, through the active cultivation and deliberate control of a higher form of vital energy, we can achieve a harmonious integration of the human body with the universe. Qi Gong involves breathing exercises combined with meditation. It improves delivery of oxygen to the body's cells, reduces stress and stimulates circulation of blood and Qi, or the life force. This gentle art has been used to treat a variety of ailments."
Shiatsu Therapy
Shiatsu is a Japanese word that means "finger pressure." The purpose and goals of Shiatsu are similar to acupuncture. This therapy corrects bodily imbalances, and maintains a steady flow of Chi, the life force, which prevents illness from occurring. Shiatsu utilizes the same meridians as acupuncture; however, there are a few key differences. Needles are not used, and the patient does not remove their clothing. The Shiatsu practitioner diagnoses a person's imbalances by feeling the soft and hard areas of the patient's stomach (torso) region.
Video Demonstration of Shiatsu
Shiatsu Used by Maccabi Haifa
Avi Armoza was a Shiatsu therapist for Maccabi Haifa, an Israeli professional soccer team. He discusses the similarities with TCM:
"Like acupuncture, shiatsu is based on the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine, where illness is thought to result from imbalances in the natural flow of energy, or qi (pronounced 'chee') through the body. Shiatsu therapists use finger and palm pressure to energetic pathways, called meridians to improve the flow of qi. A scientific explanation is that shiatsu calms an overactive sympathetic nervous system, which improves circulation, relieves stiff muscles, and alleviates stress."
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