HIP SPORTS INJURY: January 20th 2022
At East to West Wellness Center we see many athletes of all ages from all sports- our goal is to treat these patients efficiently and effectively so they can recover quickly and get back to doing what they love. Hip injuries are incredibly common, especially in the realm of sports. The hip is a joint with lots of mobility and flexibility which unfortunately also leaves it more susceptible to harm. Hip pain can also occur as a result of playing sports and walking with improper gait. All of the muscles, joints and tendons from the foot all the way up to the spine work together to move your bodies properly, when one of those players is affected it is possible that all the other joints will be moving in an improper way and entirely shift the way we function.
One of our current patients is a hockey player and has had several injuries to the left foot over many years, after chronic improper gait due to a repeatedly fractured foot the patient began experiencing hip pain that wrapped around to the lower back. The patient stated that their pain was a 6/10 when they came to receive treatment, it was impeding their ability to play hockey as well as interrupting their sleep. Both the hip and foot became very sore after any use especially when playing hockey.
Acupuncture can target these injuries that arise from overuse and overcompensation from previously injured body parts. When we get injured, our bodies adapt to try to move comfortably so that we don’t continue to injure ourselves further- however this can be harmful to us in the long run. Muscles that are supposed to be engaged during certain movements are shut down and stop firing – as is the opposite, new muscles engage that are supposed to be relaxed. Acupuncture is able to counter this compensation pathway- we are able to mechanically engage under-active muscles by stimulating them by keeping the needles retained for the full treatment to fully allow blood to circulate the area and reduce any inflammation. Other muscles that are constricted and engaged are able to be mechanically manipulated by the needles as well- we are able to trigger the muscle and relax it, these needles are quickly removed and do not remain inserted throughout the treatment.
This patient saw a 70% decrease in the intensity of their hip pain as well as a 50% decrease in the intensity of their foot pain just after one singular treatment. Injuries like this often see the best results when paired with physical therapy that focuses on postural restoration.
-Anna Craddock, Student of Acupuncture
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