Pacific College of Oriental Medicine News & Events

When the Ten Thousand Things are seen in their Oneness, We return to the Origin where we have always been. - Sengtan

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Oriental Medicine Newspaper

NEWS RELEASE

April 1, 2003

For More Information Contact: Rebecca Wilkowski, Phone:(800) 729-0941

Acupuncture Keeps Athletes off the Bench

On March 18th, 2003 the New Jersey Star Ledger reported how a high scoring New York Knicks player traveled out of his way to get acupuncture between games. According to the March 24, 2003 Washington Post, a Chinese ice-skater treated her sprained ankle with just ice and acupuncture. A March 17, 2003 London Times article chronicled the growing relationship between an Oriental Medicine school and a professional soccer team.

The 2003 NCAA Sweet Sixteen has been, as usual, marred by injuries. Keith Bogans’ ankle sprain, Brandin Knight’s chronic knee problems, T.J. Ford’s high ankle sprain, Halston Lane’s torn calf, and Hollis Price's groin injury limited players’ participation and performances in these important games. What might the competition have been like if slow healing didn’t hinder some of the best players?

Sports acupuncturist Matt Callison, L.Ac., who traveled with the Minnesota Vikings during the 2001 playoffs and now treats many of the San Diego Chargers players, says, "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, Ph.D., L.Ac., 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 on both the athlete and the injury while, in the West, it is just the injury segment. Traditional Chinese medicine 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."

To learn more about acupuncture and how it can help athletes and sports injuries, please contact Pacific College of Oriental Medicine at (800) 7290-941.

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