Yesterday, I wrote generally about acupuncture and pain. Today, I want to give you a couple of up-to-date examples of athletes using acupuncture to relieve pain.

There are conflicting reports on New York Rangers’ Scott Gomez’s ankle injury and sore groin, but it has been widely reported that he is using acupuncture to reduce that pain and get him back in the lineup as soon as next week.

Another athlete, super wrestler Matt Hardy has posted on his MySpace blog that he resorted to acupuncture treatment during WWE’s tour of England. He wrote: “The lady proceeds to stick 10 or 12 needles into my lower abdomen, groin, and inner thigh. It was quite weird to say the least. But I must give her props-she relieved 75% of my groin pain. God bless her! It was well worth taking the chance because it totally paid off.”

Hmmm, these are not men who I would have previously considered followers of alternative treatments, BUT wear and tear on muscles and joints are an occupational hazard for many athletes. People who depend on their bodies to earn their daily bread have learned that TCM and acupuncture can help fend off injury and even speed healing.