All athletes from weekend warriors to world class Olympians are searching for ways to gain a step up on the competition. While there are a number of gimmicks readily available to anyone willing to shell out a few bucks, it is often times hard to find something that can actually provide real benefit. It turns out that acupuncture can!
Research on acupuncture in general is limited and its effect on sports performance is even more sparse, but the small amount of preliminary research has found beneficial effects. One study found that a single acupuncture treatment resulted in an increase in quad strength. (1) Another showed that after 5 weeks of acupuncture administered one time per week subjects had an increase in VO2 max and anaerobic threshold. (2)
Acupuncture has also been found to accelerate recovery from intense activity. One study demonstrated that receiving acupuncture after activity resulted in decreased post exercise muscle soreness. (3) A second found administering acupuncture prior to a treadmill run and then during periodic breaks from the run resulted in increased recovery after the run was over based on heart rate and lactic acid levels. (4)
Clearly more work has to be done to more thoroughly evaluate the impact of acupuncture on athletic performance. The research we do have combined with anecdotal evidence shows that acupuncture is a very promising approach for athletes looking to gain an edge. Let us know if you have any questions on how you can benefit.
Sincerely,
Colleen Burke, MA, L.Ac.
SMI Staff Acupuncturist
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20386479
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275128/
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1428381
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20499248
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16739839
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18990049
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18185043
read more about our acupuncturist Colleen Burke at smiweb.org