Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy For Sports Injuries
This article is written with the intention of providing information to the general public rather than with an academic or research focus.
Traditional Chinese Medicine offers holistic approaches to treating sports injuries, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, tui na (traditional deep tissue massage), cupping therapy and others. These therapies are believed to provide numerous health and healing benefits to the body. While is known to help in symptomatic relief of minor injuries and preventive care, athletes should also be cognizant of potential risks and controversies surrounding TCM treatment. For proper assessment and safe management, it is important to consult only trusted and qualified TCM practitioners and seek the help of sports orthopaedic surgeons if the injury is severe or if the symptoms are persistent.
Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Sports Injuries
Injuries often hamper athletes and sports enthusiasts as they push their limits to perform better. While conventional medical treatments are widely accepted and utilized, there is a growing interest in alternative approaches such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, focusing on balancing the body's energy (Qi), enhancing blood flow, harmonizing bodily functions and nourishing the body. TCM practitioners often look at the athlete holistically rather than solely focusing on the injured area. Central to TCM philosophy is the concept of qi (pronounced "chee"), the vital energy that flows through meridians in the body. The proper balance and flow of qi is believed to lead to health and wellbeing. TCM treatment aims to improve recovery by allowing proper flow of qi in the body. There are various modalities of treatment for TCM therapy. These include acupuncture, herbal medicine, tui na (deep tissue massage), cupping therapy, and dietary supplementation, all aimed at restoring balance and harmony within the body. Below is an elaboration of some of these key therapies:
Acupuncture: Involves inserting fine needles into specific meridian points on the body to affect Qi flow. This is believed to assist in pain reduction and healing. Today, acupuncture therapy has also been offered as a form of complementary medicine in public hospitals in Singapore (1,2).
Herbal Remedies: Utilises plant-based substances to reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair. They are also used for nourshing the body to promote faster recovery after intense training and to treat exercise induced fatigue.
Tui Na (Massage): A form of therapeutic massage to improve circulation, alleviate pain, and support recovery.
Cupping: Cupping treatment involves placing suction cups on body areas experiencing pain or discomfort. This form of therapy has also been described in Greek history. The purported effects of use of this therapy are to balance Qi, aid in ejection of pathogenic factors and improve circulation. Even prominent Olympic athletes such as Michael Phelps have been photographed showing signs of cupping therapy as observed by news reporters. (3)
Michael Phelps spotting circle marks from cupping therapy (Source: Elle)
Advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy
One of the key advantages of TCM therapy is the whole-body approach in evaluating and assessing the patients. While conventional medical treatment usually focuses only on the area of injury or a known medically related condition which affects various symptomatic areas, TCM practitioners often view the balance and harmony of the entire body as the most important issue. Additionally, TCM also emphasizes preventive care, overall well-being and continued nourishment of the body, which can benefit athletes by allowing them to stay longer in their sports.
Disadvantages, Risks, and Controversies
Despite its long history and widespread use, TCM is not without its drawbacks and controversies. Some critics raise concerns about the lack of scientific evidence supporting certain TCM practices. While TCM has centuries of anecdotal evidence and positive patient outcomes as validation, it is deficient in the area of rigorous scientific validation in the form of controlled clinical trials when compared to conventional medical treatment. This has led to skepticism about their efficacy and criticism that the positive effects may be placebo in nature. There are also reports of potential side effects of herbal remedies. These adverse outcomes may stem from challenges in tracing the origins of herbs to ensure authenticity and detecting contaminants or additives introduced during processing. Additionally, the qualifications and expertise of TCM practitioners may vary, leading to inconsistent quality of care. Thus, it is essential for patients seeking TCM therapy to weigh these factors carefully and consult only trusted and qualified TCM practitioners who obtain their herbal products from reputable sources.
Making Informed Decisions
In the journey to return to sports after an injury, prompt and comprehensive assessment is crucial. While TCM therapy may offer numerous benefits, it’s greatest impact is being part of a comprehensive multiprong approach to treat sports injuries. If the sustained sporting injury is severe (eg. Inability to weight bear for lower limb injuries or inability to carry loads for upper limb injuries) or symptoms do not improve despite TCM therapy, it would be wise to consult an orthopaedic specialist in addition to undergoing TCM therapy. Your orthopaedic surgeon will perform detailed evaluation, order additional imaging investigations such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), provide accurate diagnosis and advice on necessary treatment as well as estimated recovery time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, exploring traditional Chinese medicine therapy for sports injuries can provide athletes with additional avenues for healing and recovery. However, the combination of both TCM and orthopaedic management may provide even better results as this allows the injury to be managed in a balanced and objective manner, combining the benefits of both conventional and traditional medicine. Going forward, it is encouraging to see that some TCM practices have already incorporated conventional orthopaedic medical considerations in their management plan by inviting orthopaedic doctors to be part of their advisory committee. By leveraging the expertise of TCM therapy alongside the precision of contemporary orthopaedic treatment principles, the trajectory of holistic patient care appears poised to facilitate expedited recovery and swift resumption of activities for athletes and sports enthusiasts.