East meets West in physiotherapy

As the largest acupuncture organisation in the UK, we represent 6,500 physiotherapists who are interested in integrating Western evidence-based acupuncture into mainstream physiotherapy for the management of pain and systemic conditions. Our members include physiotherapists applying acupuncture within clinical management in both the National Health Service (NHS) and private practice.

On the eve of the Rio Olympics, interest in sports and fitness continues to grow, with increased participation in recreational and organised sports by all ages, often supported by government initiatives such as This Girl Can.

Through an advanced knowledge of myofascial pain and the processes of inflammation and tissue healing, physiotherapists trained in acupuncture can safely and effectively employ a variety of needling techniques for the treatment of acute and chronic sports injuries. Acupuncture is able to safely reduce pain by stimulating the brain and central nervous system to produce natural pain-relieving chemicals such as endorphins, melatonin (which promotes sleep) and serotonin (to promote well-being), to name a few.

The advantage of acupuncture with physiotherapy is that patients benefit from the integration of acupuncture into an holistic treatment of their sports injury, including the development of an appropriate exercise and stretching programme that takes into account tissue trauma, muscle imbalance and normal movement patterns. By managing a patient’s pain, acupuncture can enhance the patient’s ability to engage in physiotherapy treatments, therefore aiding recovery. The aim? To help people of all ages and abilities to become stronger, fitter and happier and enjoy an injury-free active lifestyle, allowing them to conquer their personal sporting and physical goals.

Acupuncture combined with physiotherapy is widely accepted within both the National Health Service (NHS) and private practice.
The Association was founded over 30 years ago and has grown steadily to become the organisation that it is today, not only supporting the growing membership but also providing training to ensure members are kept up to date with the latest research findings and newest techniques. We see ourselves as pioneers in the move towards integrating alternative and western therapies in a highly organised and professional way which allows patients and practitioners to benefit from a safe and evidenced treatment.