5 Ways Acupuncture Benefits Athletes

Us Squamptonites love to be active and play outdoors.  Whether you’re an elite athlete, die-hard marathoner, dedicated yogi, mountain biker, rock climber or weekend warrior; acupuncture can improve and enhance your performance in the sports you love by strengthening your overall health.

Acupuncture is an extremely beneficial, time-tested treatment for sports injuries because it enhances the natural healing mechanisms of the body, resolves pain, and increases the range of motion.

Here are a few reasons why acupuncture should be incorporated in any athletes training regiment:

1. Acupuncture Reduces Anxiety and Stress

The balancing effect of acupuncture has on the body has extensive impact on the mind and brain, serving to lower anxiety, tension and stress. Being centered, focused and relaxed will enhance your physical performance during your competition or event. Any one who has had needle therapy will let you know how loose and relaxed they feel after a treatment.

 2. Acupuncture Enhances Sleep

Let face it we all could use additional and improves quality of sleep. Acupuncture is a safe approach to treat insomnia and sleeping issues, for example, sleep deprivation and restlessness, dream disturbed sleep, waking in the middle of the night. Regular acupuncture treatments can help you feel rested. Whether your going to hit the weights, Climb the Chief or drop in for yoga class, the body repairs itself at night so sleeping soundly is key to top performance.

 3. Acupuncture Strengthens the Immune System

Ever attempt to compete with a stuffy nose? Do you get wiped out after the big event? Athletes who engage in strenuous activity walk on thin ice as one can go from extreme physical wellness to a body with impaired immune function.  Research shows that Athletes that are at heightened risk of upper respiratory tract infections through times of intense activity and for one to two weeks following events and competitions.  Studies have demonstrated that needle therapy (acupuncture) increases immune cell function in the body. Particularly, it helps the brain expand the body’s level of T-cells, the cells that abolish bacteria and damaging infection in the body.

 4. Acupuncture speeds recovery time

Would you like to reduce your recovery time and bounce back faster after your big event? Not only does acupuncture help accelerate the healing process, but it also aids the body recover more rapidly after activity.  A 2008 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that members who got needle therapy (acupuncture) for muscle soreness 24 and 48 hours after they exercised to exhaustion stated less pain than the individuals who did not acquire treatment.

 5. Acupuncture builds mindfulness, awareness and complete wellbeing

You need to have your head in the game! Being centered, focused and body conscious is key to accomplishing your performance objectives and goals. Acupuncture helps connects you into your body, mind, brain, emotions and feelings at a greater level bringing about more concentrate on your surroundings, on and off the playing field. Acupuncture is an effective preventive and pro-performance modality that will promote all parts of any competitor’s health and wellbeing.