Let’s face it, you deal with some, if not all of these sore spots on a regular basis. It finally hit me in college that I wasn’t a grom anymore. Now, just to be clear I obviously knew I wasn’t a grom, but you see where I’m going. I had hair under my armpits, my acne had disappeared, my braces were long gone, and I had a voice that was almost as deep as Chef from South Park. I was still young, but my body was aging. My body could no longer handle the relentless beating I was inclined to throw at it. In fact, I think I made the biological jump from grom to dad status overnight. My knees ached after a long session, my back would spasm mid pop-up, and it would take more than a few beers to get rid of the soreness. Overall, my time in the water was becoming less enjoyable.
It got to the point where the waves had to be really good to make paddling out worthwhile. I tried multiple remedies including yoga. That helped, but it never really solved the problem. I had heard from a number of people that I should try acupuncture. I was intrigued, but still slightly skeptical. All I knew was it involved someone sticking needles in you and 8 out of 10 of the acupuncture offices I passed resembled a happy-ending massage parlor.
So after a couple years of this, I did the research and found an acupuncturist that looked like she knew what she was doing. A few months into a regimen of weekly treatments, my back felt the best it had in a decade. Besides my back, the treatments have been able to help a stiff neck, knee pain or even a common cold–all things that the regular surfer suffers from.
I wanted to help other surfers get a better understanding of acupuncture and how it can help, so I got the run-down from my acupuncturist, Angela Huber. Because she’s located in the LA area, she deals with a lot of surfers, and I hear she shreds on a snowboard. Here’s what I learned:
What happens in an acupuncture session?
In a typical first acupuncture session, the acupuncturist takes a thorough medical history and focusses on the chief medical complaints that brought the patient in. Afterwards, the acupuncturist will insert the needles in the acupuncture points they have decided will be most beneficial to the patients. Once all the needles are in place, they will leave the room and let the patient rest for 20-30 minutes. Some acupuncturists may also use additional modalities such as acupressure, tui na (bodywork), gua sha (a scraping technique), cupping, moxa, electrostimulation (application of electricity to the needles), and or infra-red heat to enhance the treatment.
Talk about the needles and what pain comes with their use.
Needles vary in both length and gauge, but generally speaking, are much thinner than the needles used when one gets an injection or has blood drawn. When the needle is inserted, the patient may feel some level of pain or sensation for a brief second. Once in place, the patient might feel a dull sensation, heaviness or fullness at the needle site, sometimes a tingling or slightly electric sensation, warmth, or coolness. Most patients feel relaxed while the needles are in and go to sleep or enter into a deeply relaxed or meditative state.
Why does this work?
According to Chinese medicine, there are 12 primary channels that run up and down the human body. When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body, it creates a physical stimulus. In western science, a stimulus is defined as a detectable change in either the external environment or within the body itself. The body, when introduced to a new stimulus, produces a response. There are a variety of physiological changes that occur that researchers have documented following stimulation of acupuncture points. One of the most note-worthy of these changes is the release of endorphins that moderate pain and mood. One would be surprised to know that this effect can be so strong that acupuncture has been used in lieu of anesthesia in surgery.
It is important to understand that acupuncture is helpful for more than just pain. One of the ways that it improves the health of the whole body is by acting on and regulating the neuroendocrine system, also known as the HPA axis (Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal hormone endocrine feedback system). The HPA axis consists of endocrine glands that control hundreds of bodily functions involved in the stress response, digestive system, immune system, sex hormones, the storage of energy (weight gain) or expenditure (weight loss), as well as emotions, mood and circadian rhythms.
What about acupuncture and surfing?
The most common injuries I see in surfers are overuse injuries such as shoulder strain or joint issues, cervical injury/ degeneration or neck strain, lower back pain, and knee injuries. Many professional athletes use acupuncture to improve performance, muscle recovery, decrease pain, and heal injuries. Acupuncture can help strengthen tendons and ligaments, improve circulation to muscles and joints, break up scar tissue and improve flexibility and ROM (range of motion). It can help the body remove lactic acid buildup and cellular waste in the tissues and decrease soreness, as well as improve energy levels. I’ve also seen improved mental focus in some patients.
What is a reasonable cost for a treatment?
Cost of treatment varies depending on many factors such as location of the practice and expertise. Acupuncturists usually charge anywhere from $50.00 to $150.00 per session. Many acupuncturists take insurance, and many insurance plans cover acupuncture.
What are the best practices to get the best results out of my treatment?
Have an open mind, ask a lot of questions, be open and honest and detailed when describing your complaint and health goals. Before treatment, it is important to be in a good mind space, have eaten a normal sized meal some time before (don’t want to be starving or have too low blood sugar), hydrated, and rested. It is best not to be overly caffeinated or hungover.
Are there complementary treatments that surfers should considered combining with their acupuncture treatment?
Cupping therapy is another treatment that can relieve the aches and pains that come along with an active lifestyle and an againg body.
Cupping is an awesome treatment modality that can benefit everyone, especially athletes. Cupping therapy traditionally involves the use of glass cups (although some practitioners now use plastic cups) that are placed on the skin usually over the muscles of the back, shoulders, and neck. Before placing the cups, the practitioner uses heat to burn the oxygen inside the cup so that it creates a vacuum, which causes the cup to have suction. The suction separates the muscle and fascia layers underneath and draws blood to the surface. This action helps break up knots, improves circulation, and draws toxins and cellular debris back into circulation so that they can be flushed out. I think of it like getting an oil change, beneficial to anyone, and should be done on a regular basis.
Another helpful therapy that is especially great for surfers and athletes is gua sha. Gua sha involves the use of a special tool to scrape the skin over the back, neck, shoulders, or IT band, hamstrings, etc. It improves circulation, and breaks up scar tissue, releases toxins, and lactic acid build up. Both cupping and gua sha are also traditionally done to improve immune system.
Reference: http://www.theinertia.com/surf/heres-why-acupuncture-will-help-your-surfing/
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
