McNeill 1 Lee McNeill English 1103 Ms.

Ingram

Argumentative Research Essay

Although acupuncture has many risks and liabilities, the use of it when it comes to athletes is very beneficial to recovering faster and can be safe and reliable when seeing an experienced and qualified acupuncturist. While there are have been negative outcomes during the treatment of acupuncture, these cases are actually not as common as sometimes perceived. Acupuncture has been practiced in Asia for over 2000 years (Wadsworth). It is a way of relieving pain from the body. Modern acupuncturists use sterile, disposable acupuncture needles to treat acupuncture points selected according to symptom location and origin (Wadsworth). The amount of treatments needed its mainly dependent on how severe the injury or the pain is. Typically, six to twelve treatments are needed to control chronic conditions, whereas acute injuries may improve within two to four treatments (Wadsworth). Overall it is a very safe and effective way of treating pain in all kinds of areas. I believe that acupuncture is something that is often avoided or just looked around due to rumors and stories that have been blown out of proportion. People will not even try acupuncture due to just what they have heard. Others may avoid acupuncture all together because they have a pre-established fear of needles. The most important thing for and athlete to consider when seeking an acupuncturist is to make sure the person that

McNeill 2 they are seeing is qualified and experienced. This will greatly reduce any chance of something going wrong during or after the treatment. In regards to athletes acupuncture can treat all kinds of injuries from ankle sprains, lower back problems, ligament injuries and even tendonitis. Mark Kastner, an acupuncturist, is very convinced of acupuncture and its success in sports. He has seen numerous cases where it has got athletes back on the field faster. Acupuncture is so effective in sports medicine because it moves the blood, its anti inflammatory, and it increases endorphin release, which reduces pain (From the Needle). While acupuncture is not necessarily a supplemental treatment to injury it does help relieve pain, which results in the athlete having the ability to start playing faster. In many cases acupuncture is the best treatment for athletes. For example, a professional athlete may be given cortisone shots that can cause tissue damage and have serious repercussions 4 or 5 years down the road. Trainers are not as much concerned with the effects that occur later on because there main focus is to get the athlete back to playing as soon as possible (From the Needle). In cases such as this acupuncture would be a safe and effective way to go about the injury. Injuries such as tennis elbow and runners knee can also be treated through acupuncture. Recently there has been discovery in the effects of acupuncture on osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and functional limitation, yet few treatments have been found to be safe and effective. Recent research demonstrates that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis (Taylor). Athletes have also found that pre event treatment of acupuncture can be very helpful. Pre event treatment is preformed 1 2 hours before the game and uses 4 -5

McNeill 3 needles. Players report feeling less pain, greater flexibility, balance, and coordination (From the Needle). As much as athletes from the high school to the professional level are competing and practicing they need something to help them recover. Acupuncture helps relieve the pain and soreness that is a result the day-to-day activities an athlete goes through. There are lots of negative stereotypes and opinions when it comes to acupuncture. None is more evident when it comes to the medical staff and trainers of professional teams. While acupuncture is effective and beneficial, medical staffs are hesitant to refer players to acupuncturists because they feel as if it is a liability (From the Needle). There is also a misconception that things often go wrong during treatments. This could be possible but if the person is properly searching for a qualified and experienced acupuncturist the chances of something going wrong are very small. Acupuncture is actually a lot safer than other therapy treatments; one study calculated that an acupuncturist might cause less than one serious event per 100 years of full time practice (Davis). There are many professional athletes who have found success through the use of acupuncture. Two that stick out are Bill and Luke Walton. Bill a former NBA basketball player and Luke, his son, a current NBA basketball player. Bill first began using acupuncture to treat injuries and other pains he had from life as a professional basketball player. He found it so helpful that once his son reached high school he had him start receiving treatments as well. When Luke got to college he started to develop ankle problems that carried over into his professional career. After the teams medical staff couldnt do anymore to help, he was faced with not being able to play. The staff finally

McNeill 4 whispered to him Better call your needle guy. He began treatments with him again, and after two weeks he was able to play (From the Needle). This is just further evidence to prove how beneficial acupuncture is. If some of the best athletes in the world are turning to it, there must be something working. Mark Kastner and Matt Callison are very high on their practice and its use with athletes. The players always report great results. They love it because theyre always looking for that extra edge, and since most of them are young, I find theyre easy to treat because their bodies respond quickly (From the Needle). It is hard to find reason that acupuncture is not beneficial when there are numerous cases that have proven its effectiveness. Overall, players have been very open to acupuncture. Callison found that 99% of the players find it to be very effective and are partial to having pre event treatment (From the Needle). Both Kastner and Collison believe that acupuncture is also overlooked due to the liability it imposes but feel it is in many cases better than other treatments. Were up against these trainers whove been using the same techniques for 30 years. Theyre big into ice, electro stimulation, and surgery. What they do gives players immediate relief, but it only last 24 hours. They need to stimulate the blood flow because the player is increasing inflammation all the time (From the Needle). The fact that acupuncture can provide immediate relief is what sets it apart from most other treatments. Athletes need something that is effective immediately of they want to stay at peak performance and acupuncture can do just that. It is evident that acupuncture is beneficial for athletes and can help with their performance. Many treatments can be a quick fix but down the road can impose many

McNeill 5 problems to the athlete. Acupuncture offers a quick way to get back to playing with no problems down the road. These facts are often overshadowed by the common misconceptions of what can go wrong with acupuncture. Acupuncture is truly beneficial to athletes in the treatment of injuries and can be very safe and reliable when seeing the right person.

Bibliography
Davis, Carol M. Acupuncture Theory and Acupuncture Like Therapeutics in PT Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK, 2004. 307 317 Print.

McNeill 6 "From The Needle To The Field: A Look At Acupuncture In The World Of Sports." Oriental Medicine (2011): 1-10. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 13 Sept. 2012 TAYLOR, JOANNA. "The Role Of Complementary Alternative Medicine In Physical Activity And Sport." Wellspring 21.3 (2010): A1-A4. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 29 Oct. 2012 Wadsworth, L. Tyler. "Acupuncture In Sports Medicine." Current Sports Medicine Reports (American College Of Sports Medicine) 5.1 (2006): 1-3. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.