Sports Recovery & Performance
First and foremost: all trigger point or sports medicine needling is acupuncture.
There is a deep misunderstanding of what and how sports acupuncture works. The best work is done within the context of the larger system of acupuncture, meaning you can’t just treat the area of pain and expect magic.
If it were as easy as sticking a needle in the thing that hurt, then no one would feel pain ever again!
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This page is for athletes and active individuals who want to recover faster, perform better, and prevent injuries before they happen.
We work with:
Competitive athletes
Recreational athletes
Runners
Lifters
Weekend warriors
Individuals recovering from injury
If your goal is to move better, train harder, and stay consistent, there is a better way to approach your care.
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We are the only clinic that has experts in sports medicine who understand the full system of acupuncture and are experts in integrating movement, posture work, and sometimes herbal medicine into your care.
We are also the only clinic that combines acupuncture and Softwave Therapy.
If you are in need of relief that is acute, fast-acting, and preventative, then we are the only office in the area with the capability for all of the above.
Real talk: treating the injury without understanding how your body moves is why so many athletes stay stuck.
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Pain and injury are often not isolated to one area. They are the result of how your body moves, compensates, and recovers over time.
When one part of the system is not functioning well, other areas pick up the slack, creating patterns that lead to pain, restriction, and decreased performance.
The Systems Behind Performance
Performance and recovery are influenced by:
Nervous system regulation
Circulation and blood flow
Muscle activation and coordination
Movement patterns and biomechanics
Recovery capacity
If your recovery isn’t dialed in, your performance never will be.
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Acupuncture supports both recovery and performance by improving how your body functions as a whole.
What Acupuncture Does in the Body
Increases blood flow and oxygenation to muscles
Reduces inflammation
Improves neuromuscular connection
Relieves pain and muscle tension
Supports recovery and tissue repair
Why This Matters for Athletes
Acupuncture improves blood flow and makes your PT exercises more effective, lessening your time to recovery. It improves flexibility, increases muscular endurance, and boosts power by stimulating motor points for better muscle activation.
Additionally, it helps regulate the nervous system to decrease stress, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep, allowing athletes to train harder and recover faster. This is how athletes train more consistently, recover faster, and perform at a higher level over time.
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One of the things acupuncture is best at is recovery and repair work. Combining proper circulation with neuromuscular connection while the body is put into a state of rest allows the body to solve problems in a way that it usually can’t in our everyday lives.
We know recovery is important, but what that actually means often escapes us. Biologically, workout recovery is the active, post-exercise process of restoring physiological homeostasis, repairing damaged muscle fibers, and replenishing energy stores.It involves reducing inflammation, using satellite cells to rebuild tissues stronger, rebalancing hormones, and hydrating to remove metabolic waste. Yes, we can help with all of this! That's the magic of this office.
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Every treatment is custom and personalized.
In your first visit, we take a full health history and look at how your body moves. This includes evaluating movement patterns, areas of compensation, and how your training or activity may be contributing to pain or limitation. You will also receive treatment at that appointment.
After intake, we explain what acupuncture will feel like and how it fits into your overall care plan. Even athletes who are skeptical or new to acupuncture typically adjust quickly and begin to feel changes within a few sessions.
Because acupuncture works with your nervous system, treatments often create a state of deep relaxation while still targeting performance and recovery. Many patients notice improved mobility, decreased pain, and better recovery between sessions. We often combine acupuncture with additional therapies such as cupping, gua sha, or SoftWave depending on your needs.
Most patients start with 3 visits and then are reassessed to determine the next phase of care. From there, we build a plan around your training schedule, competition timeline, or recovery goals.
If you are only treating injuries when they show up, you are always playing catch up. Our goal is to keep you ahead of them.
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First and foremost: all trigger point or sports medicine needling is acupuncture. The difference is that at BPH, we treat the full system—movement, circulation, and nervous system—not just the point that hurts.
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Yes. Acupuncture improves circulation, muscle activation, recovery, and nervous system regulation—all of which contribute to better performance.
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No. We work with athletes who want to prevent injuries and improve performance as well.
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This depends on your training schedule and goals, but most athletes start with weekly sessions.
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Acupuncture works extremely well alongside physical therapy and can make those treatments more effective.
Frequently Asked Questions