PRO ATHLETES INCREASINGLY TURNING TO NON-TRADITIONAL THERAPIES LIKE ACUPUNCTURE

BACKGROUND:

Just two weeks after having extensive surgery (Tommy John) on his pitching arm, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, Kris Benson, began receiving acupuncture treatments to help manage his pain, promote tissue regeneration and reduce scar tissue formation. That was last year. He returned to Major League pitching this year, just eleven and a half months following the surgery, and completed one of his best seasons.

Benson is one of a growing number of athletes who are using acupuncture as part of their rehabilitation and training programs. Shaquille O'Neal, Jaromir Jagr, Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis and Bob Estes, are just a few of the professional athletes who have been public about their use of acupuncture.

Acupuncture dates back more than 3,000 years and involves inserting very fine needles at particular points on the body. Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals either change the experience of pain or release other chemicals, such as hormones, that influence the body's self-regulating systems. The biochemical changes in turn stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

The use of acupuncture to assist in pain management is one of the more widely accepted and researched practices. The National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization formally recognize the use of acupuncture for the treatment of various forms of pain.

If you are interested in locating an acupuncturist, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine maintains a directory of certified practitioners on its Web site: www.nccaom.org.

SOUNDBITE:

· Thomas Ost, Dipl. Ac. (Benson's acupuncturist)

Audio Provided By:
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine