Crossfit Athletes use Acupuncture

Everyone has by now heard of CrossFit, the strength and conditioning program that has taken the exercise world by storm. It’s a specific style of working out that uses a wide variety of exercises, including running, rowing, plyometrics, gymnastics, weight training and Olympic weightlifting techniques. It is a workout style well known for its pain, and also its camaraderie. Every block seems to have a CrossFit gym popping up, and we treat many patients who are in love with the sport. CrossFit gets you in great shape, but because of the intense nature of the workouts, it can also get you injured.
CrossFit coaches put enormous focus on teaching proper lifting form to their students. It is one of the cornerstones of the workouts, and key to getting good results. For people who disregard the importance of form, or do too much too fast, injury is often a common occurrence. For some, even if you power snatch and dead lift with impeccable form, old injuries and imbalances can come to the surface and demand attention.
The most common areas of injury we see in our CrossFit patients are the low back, shoulders, neck and knees. Many WODs (workout of the day) involve heavy weight or high repetition, and these areas are often affected because they involve transitional vertebrae (neck and low back) or joints with many types of range of motion (the knees and shoulders), which are more susceptible to injury. The great news it that acupuncture is an amazing tool for CrossFit athletes.
Acupuncture is one of the most effective and noninvasive ways to treat pain, and improve range of motion and functionality in a muscle group. We use traditional techniques to relieve pain and tension, as well as trigger point acupuncture to release targeted muscles. Rather then allowing an injury to linger and having to modify every workout, athletes can get treatment and correct the problem, preventing further imbalance in the muscles and overall body structure. It allows for faster recovery time, which lets you get back to doing the sport you love. We all know how much you would hate to miss a “filthy fifty”.
Whether you are a CrossFit beginner, or training for the games, acupuncture will help you get back into the box.

by stephanie worth on May 31, 2013