Sports injuries are common and vary from minor toe injuries to major complex trauma. Usually, only soft tissue is damaged, but there can also be fracturing of bone. Soft tissue injuries include sprains, strains and bruising. Contributing factors can be not warming, using inadequate equipment or training too hard for current level of fitness.

Most commonly, sports injuries affect the lower limb, particularly the ankle (e.g. Achilles tendinopathy, sprains) and knee (e.g. patellofemoral pain syndrome, ligament injuries). Other common sporting injuries include those of the shoulder (e.g. dislocations, acromioclavicular joint injuries, rotator cuff injuries); elbow (e.g. tennis, golfer’s); wrist (e.g. strains, sprains, breaks); leg (e.g. shin splints, stress fractures, hamstring injuries); foot (e.g. plantar fasciitis); groin (strain); and back (e.g. acute lumbar sprain..

Acupuncture is believed to relieve pain by stimulating nerves to release endorphins to change the way the brain processes pain. It can reduce inflammation, improve muscle stiffness and increase joint mobility. It has been suggested that it influences the signalling system which influences pain and increases factors which reduce pain and speed nerve repair. 

I’ve had a great deal of success treating sports injuries. If you’d like to book you can do so online. Alternatively, you can email or contact me via my contact form.

Source: British Acupuncture Council. More information is available from the British Acupuncture Council here