Maximizing Athletic Performance: The Benefits of Sports Acupuncture for Orthopaedic & Other musculoskeletal Disorders
- Dr. Margie Virgo D.TCM, R.Ac
- Feb 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 18
What exactly is sports acupuncture? Sports acupuncture is a comprehensive approach to evaluation and treatment that merges the principles and techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine with those of Sports Medicine.This system was initially developed by Matt Callison
30 years ago and has been continuously evolving since then.
Sports acupuncture involves deactivating hypertonic and irritable malfunctioning motor points to balance the tone and tension of the muscle structure. This technique can relieve muscle tension and spasms while also addressing muscle weakness. The main goal of sports acupuncture is to correct the body's biomedical alignment and ease muscle imbalance and pain.
Where can motor points be found? Their precise location differs slightly among individuals, but their relative position adheres to a consistent pattern.
How are they identified? A practitioner locates the motor point by feeling the area, typically finding it within the vicinity of a ten-cent piece from the predetermined spot. Motor points are identified based on anatomical landmarks and traditional acupuncture point locations, aiding the skilled acupuncturist in finding them.
The Potential Benefits of Sports Acupuncture
Sports acupuncture is ideal for addressing obscure muscle pain linked to repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) or trauma to the affected area. Symptoms may include referred pain or sensations, numbness, and tingling radiating from the original site. There might be a reduced range of motion, stiffness, and pain that worsens with certain movements. In traditional Chinese medicine, needling 'as-shi points' (similar to trigger points) and balancing the local channels in the affected area can also be beneficial.
How does it work? Many musculoskeletal injuries can develop over time into a pattern of 'tug-of-war' between opposing agonist and antagonist muscle groups, creating stress on the muscles, joints, and ligaments. Typically, one muscle or group of muscles may be 'hypotonic (lengthened), while the opposing muscle (or group) may be hypertonic (shortened) and in a state of constant contraction or shortened.
Normal movement requires a balance between antagonist and agonist muscles to support the body's and joints' normal movements. When this balance is disrupted, and antagonist muscles cannot elongate normally, they may become chronically and adaptively shortened, leading to a pattern of tight, contracted, fatigued, and ropey fibrous connective tissues. This can restrict joint mobility, affecting the quality of movement.
By applying acupuncture to the motor points, trigger points, and muscle spindle of the affected muscles, it can help release these contracted hypertonic muscles, thereby balancing the opposing overly lengthened muscles and restoring them to their normal length.
For instance, when a muscle or group of muscles shortens and their opposing muscle or muscle groups weaken, it can predispose one to somatic injuries such as:
Shin splints
Low back strain
Sacral Iliac Joint dysfunction
ITB & hamstring pain and tightness
Shoulder impingement issues
Tendonitis
Certain knee problems
Understanding the Distinction Between Trigger Points and Motor Points
A trigger point is a highly sensitive area within a muscle, often described as a muscle fiber stuck in a constant state of contraction. These points can lead to the shortening of the muscle, reduce local blood supply, and exert pressure on nearby nerves, causing pain and decreasing the availability of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle.
Trigger points can cause a widespread pattern of referred pain or tenderness. Their location varies depending on the individual and the areas they have strained. In Chinese medicine, tight and painful muscle bands and knots have been recognized for thousands of years and are known as 'AS-HI' points, meaning 'points of pain' within a muscle. The term 'trigger point' is a modern English equivalent for the ancient as-hi point.
A 'motor point' is the area of a muscle that is most responsive to electrical stimulation, having the highest concentration of nerve endings. It is typically where the nerve enters the muscle belly, also known as the 'zone of innervation.'
Motor points are generally found in the mid-muscular region, with few exceptions. In contrast, trigger points can be located in various places and differ from one individual to another.
Understanding Muscle Spindles: Their Role and Function
A muscle spindle is a specialized sensory receptor found throughout the muscle. These small receptors can detect and adjust the overall length of the muscle they are within. If muscle spindles malfunction, they may significantly contribute to a decreased range of motion and taut bands within the muscle, preventing the affected area from returning to a neutral position. The muscle spindle stimulates the agonist muscle in which it resides and sends signals to the antagonist muscle to relax, allowing for coordinated movements through reciprocal inhibition.
Sudden injuries, such as whiplash, an ankle sprain, or severe muscle strain from activities like bodybuilding, can cause a muscle spindle to elongate or shorten. Microtears in the fibers can lead to adhesions or swellings, which may adversely affect the muscle spindle.
Applying acupuncture to the motor point may reset the dysfunctional muscle spindle, potentially alleviating pain, tightness, and joint function imbalance.
How does it feel to have the motor point needled? When a qualified and skilled acupuncturist inserts an acupuncture needle precisely into a motor point, there will be a deep, dull aching sensation. In Chinese medicine, this is known as 'De Qi.' You might also feel a significant twitch release in the muscle, which is beneficial as it relaxes- and resets the malfunctioning muscle spindle. This can cause the opposing muscle to return to its normal length as well. Sometimes, we may need to needle both the antagonist and agonist muscle groups, but this isn't always necessary.
We may also needle the 'Huato JaJi points', which align with facilitated segments and viscerosomatic reflexes, potentially affecting both the myofascial and organs at that level. Needling the facilitated segment might impact the overall outcome if there is an influence from the viscera or organs as well.
Dr. Margie Virgo, trained in Canada, has been practicing since 1997. She incorporated Sports Acupuncture into her practice in 1998 after pursuing postgraduate studies with Matt Callison in the USA, Canada, and Australia throughout her career.
For more information or to make an online booking go to; wwww.westoncreekacupuncture.com.au or ph./text 0438 815 167
Comments