Acupuncture Sports Medicine

Raphael Paul Fratkin, L.Ac., MSAc treats acute and chronic injuries by combining traditional acupuncture with a modern understanding of anatomy and physiology. Techniques used to rehabilitate injured and inflamed tissue include: cupping, trigger & motor point needling (dry needling), electro-acupuncture, gua sha, external topical herbal plasters and soaks, and tuina medical massage.

These techniques help facilitate healing at the site of injury by increasing blood flow, decreasing inflammation, and repairing damaged tissue facilitating regrowth with strength and vitality. Acupuncture is proven to help change the neural pathways of pain that begin in the brain and travel through the nervous system, enabling chronic and acute injuries to heal at the deepest level.

Raphael has a Performance Enhancement Treatment Series designed to help athletes perform at their best week-in, week-out to avoid injury and improve performance. A combination of the techniques above with a proper assessment of fascial tension lines throughout the body; Raphael uses myofascial techniques, auriculotherapy, constitutional and nutritional support. Through the Performance Enhancement Treatment Series we can help strengthen or loosen tendons, ligaments and muscles, improve lung and heart function for oxygen enhancement to improve speed and endurance, and help build essential internal resources to give athletes the ability to perform at the highest level.

Raphael completed The Acupuncture Sports Medicine Apprenticeship Program with Whitfield Reaves OMD, L.Ac in Oakland, CA and received a certificate of completion in October 2017 on Advanced Training in the Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment of Sports Injuries and Pain. Whitfield Reaves was among the first acupuncturists in North America to specialize in sports acupuncture using anatomically-based assessment with East Asian Medicine treatment protocols.

acupuncture_sports_medicine_pain_injury.jpg
 
 

Conditions we treat include common injuries such as sprains, strains, pulled & torn muscles, ligament & cartilage tears, stiff/achy muscles & joints, pre-performance and post-recovery for competitive athletes.

Other conditions include:

  • Achilles Tendonitis 

  • Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Dysfunction

  • Acute and Chronic Sprain/Strain

  • Arthritis

  • Athletic Enhancement

  • Bicepital Tendonitis/Tendonosis

  • Bursitis

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Calf Pain/Spasm

  • Cervical Radiculopathy

  • Chondromalacia

  • Coccygodynia

  • Compartment Syndrome

  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

  • Degenerative Disc/Joint Disease

  • De Quervain’s Syndrome

  • Facet Joint Syndrome

  • Fibromyalgia

  • First MTP / MCP Joint Arthritis/Sprain

  • Major Fractures, Hairline and Stress Fracture Rehabilitation

  • Frozen Shoulder

  • Glute Medius / Minimus Dysfunction (Hip Imbalance)

  • Hamstring Strain

  • Headaches - Tension/Stress, Cluster, Sinus, Rebound, Migraine

  • Herniated Discs

  • Hip, knee, and shoulder arthritis

  • IT Band Syndrome/Tightness

  • Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis elbow)

  • Levator Scapulae Syndrome

  • Low Back Pain / Instability 

  • Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)

  • Lumbar Disc Syndrome

  • MCL / LCL Sprain 

  • Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s elbow)

  • Medial / Lateral Meniscus Tear

  • Metatarsal Stress Fracture

  • Morton’s Neuroma

  • Neuralgia

  • Occipital Neuralgia (Arnold’s Neuralgia)

  • Osteoarthritis 

  • Paresthesia

  • Patellofemoral Joint Syndrome

  • Patellar Tendonitis

  • Peripheral Neuropathy

  • Peroneal and Posterior Tibialis tendonitis

  • Piriformis Syndrome

  • Plantar Fasciitis/Fibromatosis

  • Post Laminectomy Syndrome

  • Postural Imbalance

  • Quadratus Lumborum Syndrome

  • Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)

  • Rib Pain

  • Rotator Cuff Injury (Supraspinatous, Infraspinatous, Subscapularis, Teres Major/Minor)

  • Sacroiliitis/ SI Joint Pain

  • Sever’s Disease (Calcaneal Apophysitis) 

  • Surgery Rehabilitation

  • Functional Scoliosis

  • Sciatica

  • Shin Splints (Anterior or Posterior Compartment Syndrome)

  • Shingles and Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

  • Shoulder Impingement/Frozen Shoulder

  • SI Joint Dysfunction

  • Spinal Stenosis, Spondylosis

  • Sprained Ligament(s)

  • Strained Muscle(s)

  • Sterno-Clavicular Joint Sprain

  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain

  • Tendonitis/Tendonopathy

  • Tenosynovitis

  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)

  • Thoracic Vertebral Pain

  • Tibial Stress Syndrome

  • Trigeminal Neuralgia

  • Ulnar Collateral Ligament Sprain

  • Whiplash