Using Acupuncture to Treat Tendonitis
Posted: June 14th, 2010 | Author: Jessica | Filed under: pain, running, techniques | Tags: acupuncture, e-stim, pain, running, studies | No Comments »A Case Study on Posterior Tibial Tendonitis Treated Successfully with E-Stim (Electro-Acupuncture)
Acupuncture is a great modality for the treatment of injuries, whether acute or chronic. This particular injury had elements of both, with the onset of pain occurring suddenly during an hour-long run. The condition had been developing over the previous 4 months of training while the patient was in the process of increasing her mileage in order to run a half marathon. The pain was sharp and located on the right side only, inferior and posterior to the medial malleolus (inner ankle).
The patient was advised by a PT to rest her ankle and perform ice massage. She took about a month off of running, did some irregular icing, and received very deep massage work, but the pain recurred immediately upon running. She started seeing a different PT about 2 months after the onset of the pain, and a few weeks after that started to receive acupuncture. At this point, she had reduced her running from 5x/week to 3x/week and dropped her mileage to below 3 miles a run. She always took a day off between runs, and performed regular strengthening exercises assigned by the PT. After a few treatments using local tender points and moxibustion, I switched to e-stim. She came in 3x/week for 3 weeks. I needled Ki 2 and 7 and Sp 4 and 6 with e-stim at medium frequency for about 25 minutes at each visit. Following the 3rd week of this treatment, she reported her first pain-free run in 6 months. She has spent the past month pain-free and started to very slowly rebuild her mileage. Treatment frequency is now about once a month.
Do you have an injury? Are you in pain? Acupuncture can help facilitate the healing process. Get in touch for a free consultation.
Many people have heard of using acupressure on the muscle located between the thumb and index finger to treat headaches. This point is known as Large Intestine 4 (LI 4) or Hegu (Chinese for “Joining Valley,” referring to the mound that muscle forms when you squeeze your thumb in towards your hand). A few other really useful points which acupuncturists often needle are located on the feet. One of my teachers at school would often repeat “feet help the head” to help us remember that points far away from a condition’s location are often the best ones to use. Next time you have a headache, try rubbing your feet–or, if you’re lucky, get someone else to do it! Pay particular attention to the tops of your feet, especially the areas about 1/2″ proximal to the webs between your toes. Feel for tender points, on one side or both, and apply gentle pressure until your headache dissipates.
