Natalia Eichstaedt, L.Ac specializes in Sports Medicine Acupuncture. For mobile acupuncture services to your athletic team facilities, please contact Natalia. For articles about major sports teams using acupuncture, read Articles about Acupuncture.
Sports Medicine Acupuncture®
Sports Medicine Acupuncture is a synergistic blend of the ancient wisdom and methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), modern sports medicine science and assessment, and specialized treatment techniques. It is a comprehensive and intelligent approach to treating pain, sports injuries, work injuries, and postural imbalances. Additionally, it helps to promote enhanced athletic performance and improve range of motion.
Natalia Eichstaedt, L.Ac., C.SMA is currently one of only four acupuncturists to be certified in Sports Medicine Acupuncture in the state of Illinois.
Using orthopedic and manual muscle testing, sports medicine acupuncturists can ascertain the exact location of pain, muscle imbalance, or soft tissue lesion and use specialized acupuncture points to correct overactive or inhibited muscle fibers. The acupuncturist uses motor point needling techniques to “reset” the affected muscle spindle fibers. This teaches the body to maintain balance between its opposing muscle groups, maintain the muscles strength and tone, and open the nervous system circuit to maintain optimal functioning and range of motion. When these techniques are performed correctly, by a licensed acupuncturist with this highly specialized training, results are immediate. Immediate results provide a quick return to activity and peak level of performance for the patient. Follow up treatments may be necessary to maintain optimal body functioning and for lasting results.
Sports acupuncturists may also use soft tissue release and mobilizations, postural assessment, PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretches, and exercises to correct postural imbalances to quickly let the patient back in the game pain free, maintain optimal results, and prevent future injuries.
Natalia has also had training in performance enhancing acupuncture techniques, which are beneficial for runners, cyclists, swimmers, and many other competitive athletes. Through years of working with chiropractors, physical therapists and trigger point therapists, Natalia has perfected techniques that give athletes a competitive edge by enhancing their endurance, power, and speed. These techniques may vary from person to person, and need to be tested prior to competition.
Sports acupuncture techniques have a wide range of applicability. Acupuncture can be very beneficial for the following disorders:
- Acute Sprain/Strain
- Arthritis
- Athletic Enhancement
- Baker’s Cyst
- Bursitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Coccygodynia
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Costochondritis
- Degenerative Disc/Joint Disease
- De Quervain’s Syndrome
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Tension/Stress, Cluster, Sinus, Rebound, Migraine Headaches
- Herniated Discs
- Hip, knee, and shoulder arthritis
- IT Band Friction Syndrome
- Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis elbow)
- Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)
- Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s elbow)
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Neuralgia
- Occipital Neuralgia (Arnold’s Neuralgia)
- Paresthesia
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis/Fibromatosis
- Post Laminectomy Syndrome
- Postural Imbalance
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
- Sacroiliitis/ SI Joint Pain
- Stroke Sequelae
- Surgery rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation from Major Fractures, Hairline and Stress Fractures,
- Functional Scoliosis
- Shin Splints/ Tibial Stress Syndrome
- Shingles and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
- Shoulder Impingement/Frozen Shoulder
- Spinal Stenosis, Spondylosis
- Sprained Ligament(s)
- Strained Muscle(s)
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain
- Tendonitis/Tendonopathy
- Tenosynovitis
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Whiplash