ACUPUNCTURE FOR ATHLETES 

Acupuncture can help keep your body running smoothly  

As the weather gets warmer, we all tend to increase our physical activity.  The extraordinary mountains beckon us to come up and play in them.  Or there's the Rail Trail, which is so easy and accessible.  Or there are miles of country roads and beautiful views.  Maybe you like to hike, bike, climb, run, or go for long walks.  Or you may be training for races and triathlons.  Exercising outdoors feels great, and helps you stay healthy.  No matter how athletic you are, however, all that activity can cause wear and tear on your body.  Muscles get sore.  Old injuries can be aggravated.  New injuries might occur, especially when you're pushing yourself to improve performance.  Or maybe you find that you just can't log the miles that you used to, and you're looking for a way to increase your energy and stamina.  Acupuncture can be a tremendous asset to support your enjoyment of the outdoors and your body.

Many professional athletes use acupuncture for performance enhancement and recovery, to speed up the healing of injuries, to reduce stress and to increase focus and concentration. Some examples include tennis player Maria Sharapova, Iron man champions Paula Newby-Fraser and Dave Scott; the NBA: Yao Ming, Allan Houston, and Shaquille O'Neal, MLB: Vernon Wells, Chan Ho Park, and David Cone; NFL players Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Matt Hasselbeck, Regan Upshaw, Marcellus Wiley, Will Demps, and Brian Russell; golfers Michele Wie and Fred Couples, and Olympic speed skater Kevin Overland.  One acupuncturist travels around the country every week to attend to N.F.L. players from the Jets, Giants, Steelers, Bengals, and Dolphins.These athletes have come to value acupuncture as an integral part of their training and maintainance.

Some Commonly Treated Sports Injuries:

• Muscle Pull
• Tennis Elbow
• Lower Back Strain
• Groin Pull
• Hamstring Strain
• Runner's Knee
• Shin Splints
• Ankle Sprain
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Arch Pain
• Muscle contusions
• Knee pain
• Foot and heel pain
• Hip pain/hip flexor strain
• Calf pain/cramps
• Ankle pain/strain
• Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries
• Neck and back pain and sciatica
• Elbow pain
• Wrist strain
• Numbness/ tingling
• Post operative healing
• Prevention of injury

Acupuncture is also helpful for overall performance by reducing performance anxiety, improving balance and agility, and boosting the immune system.  It can help to decrease swelling and inflammation, calm spasms, control pain, increase range of motion, and promote healing.  And it doesn't have any side-effects!

So, whether you're a weekend warrior, or you're training for the S.O.S. Triathlon or the Pfalz Point Trail Challenge, take advantage of this ancient medicine to support your performance, endurance, health, and love for the outdoors.  Come in for some acu, and then go on out and play! 

It's Farmers' Market Time!  

There are many reasons to look forward to summer after a long, cold Northeast winter; one of the best is the abundance of fresh local veggies.  Even if you're not someone who likes - or has time - to garden, you can still enjoy summer's bounty.  We're lucky enough to have several different farmer's markets in our immediate area:   

On Sundays from 10-3, the New Paltz Farmer's Market  is in full swing on lower Main Street in New Paltz, in the parking lot next to Rock and Snow.   

On Saturdays from 11-3, the Gardiner Farmers' Market takes place on the lawn in front of the Gardiner Library, on Rte. 44/55 in, naturally, Gardiner.

The Kingston Farmer's Market is open on Saturdays from 9-2, on Wall Street in Kingston. 

And finally, starting in June, the Rosendale Farmers' Market will be open Saturdays from 9-2, at the Rosendale Community Center on Rte. 32.  

Heck, you've got all summer - check them all out!