Rest and Recovery with Acupuncture - Insights from Muaythai Fighter, Jennie Sung
Growing up in a Chinese household, you might think that I had received acupuncture and herbal medicine every time I scraped my knee or caught a cold. This wasn’t the case: I grew up with the belief that Eastern medicine was outdated and pseudoscientific. However, when I began working in the public health system as a physiotherapist, I quickly became aware of some flaws with Western Medicine: when the focus is on treating only symptoms, it can be easy to forget to treat the whole person in front of you.
This led me to look for new ways to take care of my health. I first experienced Chinese Medicine about 3 months ago when I started seeing Brendan at Village Remedies.
I am a Muay Thai fighter currently preparing for my 13th fight out of PTJ Muaythai Gym. This involves training about 16 hours a week. Add to this a full-time job, trying to maintain a healthy relationship and something resembling a social life, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything I do and wouldn’t change a thing, but I’ve also learnt - the hard way - the importance of rest and recovery.
Brendan has been invaluable in teaching me how my training and busy schedule impact my digestive and hormonal systems, and vice versa. The goals we have for my treatment have not only been to address the injuries inherent to combat sports, but also to aid my recovery and overall health to provide a platform for greater future performance.
One key thing for other female athletes: I was previously told by many doctors that the absence of my menstrual cycle was an unavoidable consequence of a high volume of training, and should be accepted. Chinese Medicine, in conjunction with eating a healthy diet based on my nutritional needs, has proved this to be incorrect. While I’m not thinking of kids yet, it’s comforting to know that every part of me is happy and healthy.
Thank you, Village Remedies!
@jennie.sung @ptjmuaythai (www.ptjmuaythai.com.au)
Jennie Sung is an amateur Muaythai fighter out of PTJ Muaythai Gym in Gladesville, Sydney. Prior to this, she was a nationally competitive long distance swimmer. Jennie is a physiotherapist in a large public hospital. When she’s not training, she enjoys awkwardly ending her biograph-