As a busy Acupuncture clinic in downtown Toronto, we regularly treat patients involved in various sports with goals to improve or maintain athletic performance. Renowned athletes use Acupuncture and Cupping as part of their routines for performance support. Let’s face it—we Torontonians live active lives! It can be a challenge to juggle training or exercise routines with a busy career. We get it! Our patients are excited to incorporate Acupuncture as an effective sports medicine option.
Our center goes way beyond the run-of-the-mill physio that incorporates a few trigger points and uses a cheap plastic suction gun. We’re an established Chinese Medicine clinic with extensive experience in treating musculoskeletal conditions. We’re proud to be sports medicine experts, going beyond a Band-Aid approach to reduce the aches and pains associated with your training.
We’re here to nourish your muscles, revive and lubricate your tendons, and wrap up each session with feel-good, stress-relieving acupuncture points to support your emotional well-being. Let’s dive into why we believe we’re the superior choice for athletic performance support through Acupuncture.
How Acupuncture and Cupping helps improve athletic performance
Acupuncture and Cupping help with training
It is through training that athletic performance is built. Acupuncture can never replace training, but it does serve to make it more efficient! Here are the top ways in which Acupuncture and cupping improve athletic performance:
- Acupuncture and cupping improves circulation and accelerates recovery from intense workouts. It reduces swelling and inflammation, encourages nourishment to reach the tissue, and accelerates the clearing out of wastes.
- Acupuncture and Cupping Stimulates the body to relieve unnecessary tension in the musculoskeletal system, and thus allows the body to move more efficiently in ways that agree better with the natural coordination of the system. This is not only meaningful for better performance, but also helps prevent injuries.
Acupuncture and Cupping- the ultimate sports enhancement therapy
Both therapies balance the inner functions of the body, which are essential for the building and support of the musculoskeletal system.
- Both therapies balance the inner functions of the body, which are essential for the building and support of the musculoskeletal system. Acupuncture follows the principals of Traditional Chinese Medicine theories. These theories of yin and yang respect the connections between the inner functioning of the body and our physique. Think of it like keeping production factories well maintained and all the roads to it clear to ensure abundant supplies to all destinations.
- Cupping and Acupuncture both work to sharpen the mind and support the nervous system, which are important for fast reactions, accurate judgments, and a strong spirit. There’s always a certain degree of stress when preparing for a competition. Acupuncture is here to bring balance. We foster healing, and refresh your body’s systems.
- Acupuncture and cupping strengthen the mind to maximize athletic performance. Acupuncture treatments work on improving aspects like concentration and willpower.
- Acupuncture helps with all kinds of pain by creating change in the nervous system (including neurotransmitters) and releasing endorphins.
- As well as reducing pain. Acupuncture can also help with problems that sometimes come secondarily to experiences of acute or chronic pain such as poor sleep, lack of energy, and/or emotional regulation.
- By treating you holistically, and considering these related factors, we can stop the pain spiral and get you back to feeling 100% after just a few sessions.
Acupuncture helps reduce recovery time away from training and prolongs one’s ability to stay competitive and remain in peak athletic condition.
Removes toxins
Cupping removes, stress, lactic acid and energy blockage.
Energizes the body
Give yourself an extra boost
Healing acceleration
Great for injury recovery
Boosts Blood Flow/circulation to muscles, tendons and joints
Fire cupping delivers fresh oxygen to tired or injured muscles via the soothing flame torched hot cups
Muscle Recovery
Decrease soreness, speed up the washing out of lactic acid build-up.
Pain Relief
Cupping creates micro-injuries and bruising. Within a few days you’ll notice Reduce a reduction in inflammation and a decrease in pain.
Keeps athletes Limber and Flexible
Patients note a decrease in stiff muscles and joints. Increase range of motion. Cupping is amazing for frozen shoulder, sports related arthritis and nourishes the joints profoundly.
Reduces stress
Cupping therapy can help relieve tension,
which is beneficial for mental clarity and focus.
Acupuncture and Cupping for sports recovery
We treat the following sports injuries
- Lactic acid build-up
- Aches and pains
- Arthritis
- Sprains and tendon injuries
- Non-acute fractures
- Dislocated shoulder
- Low back pain
- All ankle, knee and wrist injuries
- Numbness and tingling
- Sciatica, glut and hip issues
- Pulled muscles
Nutrition
Although Acupuncture does not directly feed the body with nutrition, it does help the body assimilate nutrients and aid with digestion.
By promoting balance in both physiological functions and psycho-emotional status, Acupuncture helps the body keep its metabolism in a healthier state and thus allows for more efficient use of the nutrients.
Sleep
To achieve greatness in sport, you have to sleep well! Let us apply acupuncture points that induce peaceful sleep. Acupuncture has many points to ensure that you are well rested for the game. Quality sleep allows the body to quickly recover after training and lull itself into its best state for strength, endurance, and reaction time. As detailed in a previous blog post, Acupuncture works great as a natural sleep aid. It’s no secret that the R. Ac’s at our Center are experienced in treating all sleep related issues.
With years of expertise in sports medicine, we focus on long-term performance and recovery. Our Yorkville Acupuncture clinic is at your service to help you move better, feel stronger, and stay ahead of the game.
Scheduling your sports medicine Acupuncture session
What appointment should I book?
For Acupuncture and/or Cupping, feel free to book online either the:
- “Clinical Acupuncture” appointment
- “Cupping Therapy” appointment.
Please note that all cupping appointments will include some Acupuncture.
When should I book my Acupuncture Session?
Post/off-season:
This is the best time to work into any new or old issues for changes. It is also the time for the type of improvements that may take a series of treatments. This will help prevent injuries, keep your joints in good health. Acupuncture is the ultimate preventative medicine for all sports related activities.
Before competition: The best is to start treatments as early as possible. The treatment plan can then be discussed with your practitioner according to your needs. When it comes close to the competition, unless there is something that must be addressed, it is usually recommended to schedule the last Acupuncture session at least 48 hours before any competition. This is considering how some people may experience mild soreness after treatment when the body continues the heal process.
Game season:
This is the time to gently promote balance and reduce unnecessary tension to fine tune the body into a better state. Deep or strong and targeted treatments are often not recommended at this stage.
For the best experience, it is a good idea to plan your session so that you are receiving Acupuncture in a comfortable state:
- After the rapid breathing and excitement of exercise have settled,
- Having rested a little so you don’t feel extremely exhausted, and
- With the stomach feeling neither too hungry nor too full.
- Please take a shower and come for a treatment the next day!
Post Game-injury recovery phase:
Early treatments after injury generally give the best results in recovery. Please note that although we encourage jumping into taking care of injuries, we can’t work on a same-day broken leg, same day acute injuries or anything that requires a hospital visit or simple bed rest. With acute injuries, the body needs 2 days-1 week for the injury to settle in the body so it can sort itself out to be healed.
After training: If you are trying to plan Acupuncture treatments around your training schedule, after training is usually more beneficial than before training. There is usually more need to support recovery after training; while following an Acupuncture session, it is usually suggested to avoid exertion for the rest of the day to let the body continue its healing work better.
If you happen to have an Acupuncture session scheduled on the same day after training, it can be an addition to your recovery routines (e.g., hydration, nutrition, stretching, etc.) but not a replacement.
Incorporating Chinese Herbal Medicine to enhance athletic performance
In treatments related to athletic performance improvement, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine can sometimes be a great addition to reinforce Acupuncture. Think of the herbs as giving your body an extra dose of medicine geared to whatever issues or goals you’d like to focus on.
Chinese herbs can: improve circulation, promote repair, strengthen body functioning, resolve imbalances, and destress. If interested, you are always welcome to discuss the possibility with your Registered Acupuncturist. If you would like to receive both Acupuncture and work on a getting a prescription for Chinese Herbs, book the Chinese Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture Combo (in person) appointment on our online booking system. Please note that the cost of herbs is in addition to the time spent with your R. TCMP. Due to time limitations, fire Cupping will not be included during Herbal appointments. Read more about how we practice Chinese Herbal Medicine here.
Whether you’re training hard, recovering from an injury, or simply looking to stay in peak condition, our approach to Acupuncture and Cupping is designed to support your goals at every stage. If you’re ready to experience what thoughtful, targeted care can do for your body, we invite you to book an appointment and see the difference for yourself. Come chill with us!
By Mona Wang R. Ac, R. TCMP
Mona Wang R. Ac, R. TCMP is our resident professor and one of our Associate Lead Acupuncturists. She’s a respected Instructor at TSTCM (a prominent Chinese Medicine College in Toronto). Wise, kind and intelligent, Mona is a very popular and sought after Acupuncturist in our Center. With her leadership role and extensive experience, she often has waitlists. Mona is strong at treating pain management and providing sports medicine through a Traditional Chinese Medicine lens. She is an R. TCMP which means she has the provincial accreditation to prescribe Chinese herbs safely. Mona will quietly work on you with razor sharp focus and help you achieve your athletic goals. Click here to book an appointment with Mona.
