The XXIII Olympic Winter Games have just begun on Feb 9th in PyeongChang, South Korea. While cheering for our athletes, did you know that acupuncture has been used to help our Olympic athletes to relieve pain and eases muscle tension?
An athlete’s best friend is their body. A regular person’s might be their mind. Athletes spend all day training their bodies, whereas regular people might be required to complete tasks using their minds. I have learned over my career, especially since I’ve gotten to an age where my body requires more maintenance than it once did, that the No. 1 asset you have as an athlete is the ability to use your body effectively. This means developing good habits and an effective routine including warming up and cooling down properly, using recovery techniques (ice bath, compression, massage, and acupuncture), sleeping a good amount, and eating food that will replenish the nutrients lost while training. The body is complex, therefore it requires a ton of attention to detail. I find myself taking the necessary steps to recover almost as much as training for my sport.
Said J.R. Celski, who qualified for the 2018 U.S. Olympic Short Track Speedskating Team – He finished second in the men’s 1000m, 1500m and overall at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Remember during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games the discovery of mysteriously perfect round bruises on the back of famous U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps? Those are the result of a type of acupuncture therapy known as “cupping”. The therapy involves placing glass or plastic cups to the skin and, using a detachable pump, creating a suction that applies negative pressure to person’s underlying sore tissue.
Cupping helps to mobilize blood flow to promote healing and relieve pain from inflammation and scarring – especially after an injury or surgery. Dark bruises can result, but they usually don’t hurt, just like a hickey!
Want to experience the amazing miracle of acupuncture? Learn more here: http://www.beijingchinesemedicalcenter.com/
Credit:
https://www.sbnation.com/2018/2/8/16868932/winter-olympics-pyeongchang-team-usa-athletes-scars
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/health-family/karen-garloch/article94892197.html
