Acupuncture for injuries

[FG Kev]

Hi guys, I was just wondering if any of you guys use acupuncture or other traditional Chinese medicine therapies such as cupping to treat your lifting or workout injuries?

I had been recovering from glute injury which had impinged on the sciatic nerve which caused similar symptoms of someone who had a slipped disc ie pain running from the glute all the way to the toes. Sciatic pain was albsolutely excruciating.... Sleeping, standing, sitting we're nearly unbearable think let alone working out!!!. After a few sessions of acupuncture in conjunction with absolutely brutal deep tissue massage I am back working out although still not 100% yet.

Just wanted to see who out there give some of these alternative measures a try rather the straight to the Physio or chiro.

Cheers

Kev

 

[El Testicle]

Injuries suck... period. Everyone get them regardless of how careful or experienced you are with your lifting.

I recently done my back in BAD and had some dry-needling done with the physio... also on my shoulder which is still rooted.

Worked well on the back after a few weeks treatment / twice a week, but am still hesitant to squat 170 again anytime soon :-/

Also tried the electro-acupuncture when my back went... I reckon the massage that went with it did more good. The electric pulse was more of a novelty and annoyance imo.

 

[chocchillimango]

Hi guys, I was just wondering if any of you guys use acupuncture or other traditional Chinese medicine therapies such as cupping to treat your lifting or workout injuries?

I had been recovering from glute injury which had impinged on the sciatic nerve which caused similar symptoms of someone who had a slipped disc ie pain running from the glute all the way to the toes. Sciatic pain was albsolutely excruciating.... Sleeping, standing, sitting we're nearly unbearable think let alone working out!!!. After a few sessions of acupuncture in conjunction with absolutely brutal deep tissue massage I am back working out although still not 100% yet.

Just wanted to see who out there give some of these alternative measures a try rather the straight to the Physio or chiro.

Cheers

Kev

I have had acupuncture to help with injury rehab a number of times. Am about to get it again later this month.

It's great if you use it correctly as part of your rehab. I have found it works best to "unspasm" muscles and tendons that have been injured or are near the site of an injury and have been stressed due to compensating for the injured muscle/tendon.
This usually allows you to get a lot more out of your physio and mobility work that you may be required to do as part of rehab.

It has made a huge diff for me every time.

Find a really good practitioner though.

You are in VIC I see. I can highly recommend Dr Ian Relf. He's got offices in both East Melbourne (Victoria Pde) and Bacchus Marsh.
He's awesome. He's also a GP.

 

[Bazza20]

Been some recent studies done on acupuncture and none are positive. Some done with untrained people randomly pinning people and others done with people just randomly poking people with toothpicks and compared to proper acupuncture the outcomes were no different. People are just getting a feel good placebo effect with acupuncture. If you are happy with spending your cash on that good for you.

 

[FG Kev]

I guess like all things, there is no one solution, you need to find the right practitioner whether its a physio or chiro or alternative.

Sometime we can be our own worst enemy when recovering from injury as our enthusiasm to get back to the gym can often delay the recovery process!!!

@ baz I've heard of those studies too. The reality is that studies can be found that prove things either way for heaps of things. It's what works for the individual. Thanks comment though as i know heaps of ppl where the whole alternative medicine thing hasn't done a thing.

Very interested in hearing ppls exp on the matter.... Good, bad or indifferent.

Cheers

Kev

 

[Bazza20]

@ baz I've heard of those studies too. The reality is that studies can be found that prove things either way for heaps of things. It's what works for the individual. Thanks comment though as i know heaps of ppl where the whole alternative medicine thing hasn't done a thing.



Kev

The comment that there are studies that prove things either way is a huge cop out.

The overwhelming amount of scientific evidence says its does nothing. There is really no scientific reason why it should work, so while nothing is really 100% certain chances of acupuncture having anything to it are extremely slim.


Also saying works for the individual is all well and good but how do you even know what works for the individual. You can't go back in time and do things different to see if acupuncture or whatever else you did made the difference.

 

[chocchillimango]

The comment that there are studies that prove things either way is a huge cop out.

The overwhelming amount of scientific evidence says its does nothing. There is really no scientific reason why it should work, so while nothing is really 100% certain chances of acupuncture having anything to it are extremely slim.


Also saying works for the individual is all well and good but how do you even know what works for the individual. You can't go back in time and do things different to see if acupuncture or whatever else you did made the difference.

actually, from a scientific standpoint, it's incorrect to say that there is no reason why it should work.

in a true scientific sense, there is little understood about why it might work.

That's a rather different thing.

 

[FG Kev]

Also saying works for the individual is all well and good but how do you even know what works for the individual. You can't go back in time and do things different to see if acupuncture or whatever else you did made the difference.

That's why I was asking what people experiences are like. I hear you but some people may have gotten treatment for a particular injury or ailment using more conventional ways but have not been successful but for whatever reason the alternative route worked for them.

Appreciate the feedback though

 

[Bradders]

I found it useful for my troublesome left calf, but could have been the placebo effect but it felt a lot looser afterwards

 

[Chum]

In my opinion having worked with acupuncturists and had many treatments, it is pretty much placebo. The only people who i saw in the clinic who were happy with results were people who were getting treated for things like energy levels, and used acupuncture as part of an ongoing health plan, and these people obviously already had it in their head that it was an effective treatment.

I've had much more success with dry needling, there is a difference. There are many styles of acupuncture but the ones i have experienced generally work far away from the problem, to allow " energy flow" downstream, or sometimes upstream, to the site of the problem. Dry needling will also work far away from the problem at times, but that will be because of the musculature and nerve pathways that might be impacting on the problem.

I have met some really good physiotherapists who are also acupuncturists, who have used needles and certain acu- points effectively, but usually they will be thinking more along the lines of nerves and muscles and less about meridians.

This is just my opinion, take it for what it's worth, but i find most types of acupuncture pretty ineffective for musculoskeletal problems, depending like everything does on the practitioner and their skill.

 

[Brick]

I see a chinese guy who is fucking unbelievable uses a combo of acupuncture, massage and weird fucking linaments. Works wonders on my shoulder and back albeit the relief is only temporary but gets you up an moving without drugs.

Only problem is he only takes cash so I don't get any dough back off health insurance, all the registered accu and sports massage places I've tried where I can get a rebate have been shithouse.