Acupuncture For Kids

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Acupuncture for Kids’ Sports Injuries and Performance

When it comes to sports, kids play hard – and while they often seem to be made of rubber, injuries can still happen. Whether from overuse (like tendonitis, bursitis, or shin splints from swimming, tennis, running) or trauma resulting from external force from getting slammed on the field, acupuncture is a great alternative approach to treating a myriad of sports injuries. This gentle and effective technique provides pain relief and speeds rate of healing without invasive procedures or medication.
World Wide Attention on Acupuncture

Last year’s Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China brought a lot of attention to how effective acupuncture can be as a remedy for sports injuries. In the “birthplace” of acupuncture, athletes and officials were offered free acupuncture treatments at the Olympic Village. Many Olympic athletes used acupuncture to enhance performance and recover quickly from injuries so they could stay competitive in the games.
Acupuncture and Common Sports Injuries

Sprains and strains of joints are among the most common ...
... types of acute sports injuries. The Western sports medicine recommendation of R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is great for acute treatment for treating sprains and strains, but acupuncture can speed healing and relieve discomfort for more effective long-term recovery. Acupuncture:

Reduces inflammation
Releases pressure
Improves blood circulation
Relieves pain
Boosts the immune system to promote healing
Increases endorphin levels creating calm and focus
Increases energy levels

Acupuncture is also a great treatment option for growth plate injuries and other types of musculoskeletal disorders kids may experience while playing sports. TCM can address more chronic repetitive injuries such as rotator cuff issues, joint inflammation, cramping, fatigue, and general muscle tension. As an added bonus, TCM and acupuncture may also help improve sports performance by helping to calm and center the mind, and prevent recurring injuries by treating underlying imbalances.

Chinese Medicine Approach to Sports Injuries

Chinese medicine can be a great compliment to Western medicine, as it takes a different approach to diagnosis. Western medicine focuses mainly on the symptoms of an injury: What isn’t working, and how can we fix it? Chinese medicine addresses the symptoms but also focuses on origins or the root cause of the problem so that the injury is less likely to persist or reoccur.

A Chinese medicine practitioner looks in depth at the athlete’s health condition. A diagnosis is based on past injuries, but also other health issues including stress over school or performance, sleep patterns, nutrition, and the condition of all body systems. Acupuncture is then used bring the patient’s mind, body, and spirit into balance, thereby promoting healing from injury as well as the optimizing overall health of the athlete.
Is Acupuncture Effective for Sports Injuries?
Clinical research has shown that acupuncture is effective at treating both acute injuries as well as chronic sports injury ailments.

In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) summarized the results of an extensive study it conducted, “Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials.” According to this study, acupuncture “…has been proved, through clinical trials, to be effective…” for a variety of sports injuries, including knee, neck, and shoulder pain; tennis elbow, and sprains.

Research studies are starting to show what TCM has known for centuries: acupuncture is a great way to treat pain and injuries, including those typically suffered by playing sports today. As few as 1 or 2 treatments can provide noticeable improvement if the injury is not severe.

In an independent study, 31 patients suffering from acute ankle sprain were treated with acupuncture. There was a 100% success rate for patients with between as few as 2 up to 12 treatments.[1]
In 2002, Callison conducted a study of patients with shin splints. Patients were divided into three groups: those who received regular sports injury treatment, those who received acupuncture, and those who received both. The acupuncture and combined groups reported much lower pain levels after 3 weeks of treatments twice a week compared to the sports medicine group.[2]
In 1999, researches at the University of Heidelberg studied the effectiveness of acupuncture on rotator cuff (shoulder) tendonitis. They found patients who received 8 acupuncture treatments over the course of 4 weeks showed significant improvement compared to a “control” group that received placebo treatment.[3]

This is just a small sampling of studies that have been conducted on acupuncture treatments for sports injuries. Read more here.
Acupuncture for Kids’ Sports Injuries

Children respond particularly quickly and well to acupuncture, even though they may be a big apprehensive about needles at first! The tiny hair-thin needles are surprisingly not painful, nothing like getting a shot, and probably very mild in comparison to the injury itself. Ask your practitioner to demonstrate on mom or dad first to alleviate junior’s concerns about pain. If needles are an absolute no-go, there are several needle-free techniques a pediatric acupuncturist can use.

Parents should always respond to serious sports injuries like torn tendons, dislocations and fractures with immediate medical treatment. But to speed healing, alleviate pain, reduce the chance of a repeat injury, and optimize game performance, acupuncture is a winner’s choice.