Joint and Muscle Injuries

Joint and muscle injuries can be debilitating, but there is treatment available. Sports injuries do not occur only in professional athletes.

Many people associate sports injuries with professional athletes due to the publicity of the “tears, sprains, strains, impingements, and dislocations” that occur during televised sports. Did you know sports injuries happen in non-professional athletes and the general population? These injuries can significantly impact health and social, emotional, and financial well-being.

For example, tennis elbow is a condition that is characterized by pain in the elbow, which is caused by overuse or repetitive motion of the muscles and tendons in the joint. Despite the name, many patients with this condition (lateral epicondylitis) do not play tennis or golf. Approximately 1-3% of the general population and 7% of hand workers, including plumbers, painters, carpenters, and butchers, will suffer from tennis elbow. The following link is an analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials involving 796 patients with tennis elbow. The study concluded that “acupuncture appears to be superior to drug or blocking therapy or sham acupuncture therapy for lateral epicondylitis.”

Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials - PMC
Zhou Y, Guo Y, Zhou R, Wu P, Liang F, Yang Z. Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Pain Res Manag. 2020 Mar 20;2020:8506591. doi: 10.1155/2020/8506591. Erratum in: Pain Res Manag. 2022 Feb 17;2022:9764940. Doi: 10.1155/2022/9764940. PMID: 32318130; PMCID: PMC7114772.

Several randomized controlled trials have shown that acupuncture is effective in controlling pain in sports injuries in athletes, and it has been reported that the symptoms were improved by acupuncture in:
• Lateral meniscus rupture of the knee
• Hip impingement syndrome
• Ganglion cysts
• Abdominal muscle and groin strains
• Rotator cuff tendinitis
• Shin splints
• Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)

Use of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Sports-Related Injuries in Athletes: A Systematic Review of Case Reports - PMC
Lee JW, Lee JH, Kim SY. Use of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Sports-Related Injuries in Athletes: A Systematic Review of Case Reports. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 6;17(21):8226. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17218226. PMID: 33172218; PMCID: PMC7664377.

Although studies and reviews were conducted to evaluate acupuncture for the treatment of sport-related injuries, these same injuries occur in many individuals who do not participate in sports. If you are suffering from joint or muscle pain, consider talking with your healthcare professional about acupuncture as a treatment option for you.