Top Athletes Who Use Acupuncture

The best athletes in the world share more than talent, work ethic, and access to elite training. Many of them also share a treatment approach that comes from a medical tradition thousands of years old. Acupuncture has moved from the fringes of sports medicine to the standard toolkit at the highest levels of competition. NBA locker rooms have licensed acupuncturists on staff. NFL players fly across the country for specific practitioners. Olympic athletes work acupuncture into their recovery protocols alongside cold plunges and physical therapy. Tennis champions travel with practitioners who specialize in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The reasons are practical. Professional athletes push their bodies past what standard recovery methods can address. The wear and tear of daily training, the impact of games, the mental pressure of competition, and the constant need to be ready for the next performance all create demands that traditional Western medicine alone often cannot meet. Acupuncture fills that gap for many of the top competitors in every major sport.

Here is who uses acupuncture across professional sports, why they use it, and what patients can learn from what the top athletes have figured out.

The NBA Has Embraced Acupuncture

Basketball players face specific demands. The vertical impact of jumping and landing. The lateral movements that stress knees and ankles. The physical contact of the paint. The travel schedule that disrupts sleep. NBA teams have quietly incorporated acupuncture into their training approaches for years.

• Stephen Curry is one of the most public advocates among current players. The Golden State Warriors superstar has spoken openly about how acupuncture fits into his recovery routine alongside cryotherapy and massage. Curry has been quoted saying acupuncture helps him manage the wear and tear on his body across the demanding NBA season. His commitment to integrated recovery is often cited as one of the factors behind his longevity at the top of the sport.
• Draymond Green shares the acupuncture routine on the Warriors. His demanding defensive style produces the muscular tension and recovery needs that acupuncture addresses directly.
• The current NBA acupuncture culture was built on a foundation of legends who paved the way. Kobe Bryant was one of the most influential advocates. In 2013 he posted a widely shared image of himself receiving acupuncture during his recovery from a leg injury. The transparency Kobe brought to his acupuncture use influenced how the next generation of players approached the treatment. His passing in January 2020 was a significant loss for the sport, but his legacy in normalizing acupuncture continues.
• Shaquille O’Neal first tried acupuncture in 2002 when a toe injury threatened his ability to lead the Lakers through the playoffs. He continued using acupuncture throughout his career and became known for his quote about being a connoisseur of ancient medicine.
• Steve Nash was another consistent user during his playing days, particularly for back issues that affected the end of his career. Charles Barkley, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, and Yao Ming all used acupuncture at various points in their careers.
• Chauncey Billups started acupuncture during his recovery from a torn Achilles in 2012. He described how the treatment reduced swelling and pain and became a weekly part of his routine during recovery.

Acupuncture supports recovery from injuries, addresses the physical toll of the season, and provides an alternative to over-reliance on medications.

The NFL Continues to Rely on Acupuncture and Dry Needling

Football produces the most demanding physical toll of any major American sport. The collisions, the repetitive impact, the muscular strain of specific position demands, and the recovery challenges of the weekly game schedule all create needs that standard care alone often cannot meet. NFL players have embraced acupuncture and dry needling as substantial recovery tools.

• Aaron Rodgers remains one of the most notable NFL advocates. His use of acupuncture during the 2015 playoffs when he recovered from a serious muscle strain in days rather than the projected week became a defining story about what integrated recovery can accomplish. Rodgers has continued using complementary treatments throughout his career including through his 2023 Achilles injury and recovery.
• Current NFL players actively using these treatments include Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals who has spoken publicly about his weekly dry needling sessions and plans to continue them despite concerns about safety after high-profile incidents. Drew Dalman of the Chicago Bears uses dry needling five to ten times per year. Lloyd Cushenberry of the Tennessee Titans has used the treatment during his recovery from a 2024 Achilles tendon injury and offseason calf issues. Patrick Queen of the Pittsburgh Steelers prefers traditional acupuncture over dry needling and speaks publicly about the distinction. Jaylin Lane of the Washington Commanders uses the treatment for his legs.
• James Harrison the retired Steelers linebacker famously spent $350,000 per year on a team of recovery specialists including acupuncturists and other Chinese medicine practitioners during his final NFL seasons.

The former NFL players who established acupuncture as a legitimate tool in professional football include Tony Richardson the Jets fullback whose bruised rib recovery through acupuncture before the 2010 playoffs was widely covered, Darrelle Revis, James Farrior, and Chad Pennington. All received treatments from Lisa Ripi, one of the most influential NFL-focused acupuncturists.

Tennis at the Highest Level Runs on Chinese Medicine

Tennis produces its own specific injury patterns. The repetitive shoulder motion of serving. The impact of hard court play on knees and back. The travel demands of the tour. The mental pressure of individual sport. The best tennis players in the world have found acupuncture essential to sustained performance.

• Novak Djokovic is the most public advocate in contemporary tennis and one of the strongest examples across any sport. His entire recovery approach integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine. His personal physiotherapist Ulises Badio has degrees in kinesiology and physiotherapy but also practices manual therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine. Djokovic has posted images of himself receiving traditional moxibustion (herb-tipped needles) treatments describing them as not always pleasant but effective.

At Wimbledon 2026, Djokovic appeared on court with ear seeds visible on his ears. Ear seeding is a form of auriculotherapy from Traditional Chinese Medicine that uses small seeds or beads adhered to specific ear points to provide continuous stimulation. The treatment supports focus, pain management, and nervous system regulation without requiring needles. Djokovic has also used the Taopatch device which combines acupuncture principles with light therapy.

His 24 Grand Slam titles came alongside his commitment to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Whether the treatments are the reason for his sustained excellence or one factor among many, the pattern of his career includes acupuncture at every phase.

Major League Baseball Advocates

Baseball produces the shoulder, elbow, and back demands specific to pitching and hitting, and Major League Baseball has its own history of acupuncture use.

• AJ Burnett the former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher was one of the most vocal MLB advocates during his career. Burnett has stated that when negotiating contracts he insisted on having an acupuncturist available for his health. The repetitive strain on his shoulder, elbow, and arm from pitching responded to regular acupuncture treatment, and he has been direct about the treatment being a vital aspect of his career health.

Olympic Athletes and Global Competition

The Olympic Games showcase athletes from every sport at peak competition. The recovery demands of Olympic training and competition have brought acupuncture into the mainstream of Olympic sports medicine.

• Sarah Sjöström the Swedish swimmer and multiple Olympic medalist has used Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches including cupping therapy for muscle recovery. The circular marks visible on many swimmers at the Paris 2024 Olympics reflected the widespread adoption of these treatments across international swimming.
• Nicolo Martinenghi the Italian swimmer who won gold in the 100m breaststroke at Paris 2024 was spotted with acupuncture treatments as part of his preparation. His success at the Olympics was supported by an integrated recovery approach.

Olympic swimmers as a group have adopted cupping and acupuncture more visibly than perhaps any other group of athletes. The distinctive cupping marks that appear during Olympic broadcasts have become recognizable to viewers as a sign of Traditional Chinese Medicine recovery approaches at the elite level.

Cycling Champions and Endurance Athletes

Cycling produces the specific pain patterns of endurance sport combined with the mechanical stress of long hours on the bike. Vincenzo Nibali the retired Italian cyclist who won the 2014 Tour de France used acupuncture as part of his training and recovery. His team Astana received acupuncture twice a day during the Tour, both on the team bus and at hotels. Nibali attributed part of his Tour de France success to the drug-free pain management that acupuncture provided across the demanding three-week race.

Climbing and Emerging Sports

Newer competitive sports have adopted acupuncture as part of their standard recovery approaches.

• Natalia Grossman the world champion competition climber and 2024 Olympic hopeful includes dry needling as part of her regular recovery and maintenance routine.

The specific muscular demands of competition climbing including grip strength, finger tendons, and shoulder stability respond to acupuncture treatment.

What These Athletes Have in Common

Elite athletes depend on acupuncture because it works for the specific problems their bodies face.

• Recovery from acute injuries ranks first. Muscle strains, tendon issues, and post-injury swelling respond to acupuncture in ways that shorten recovery time.
• Management of chronic wear and tear ranks second. Every professional athlete carries some level of accumulated damage. Acupuncture addresses this ongoing wear that never fully resolves.
• Pain management without medications is a major factor. Professional sports have significant issues with over-reliance on medications for pain management. Acupuncture provides an effective alternative that avoids the dependency issues and side effects.
• Nervous system regulation supports both recovery and performance. The chronic activation of high-level competition responds to the parasympathetic effects of acupuncture.
• Sleep support is critical for athletes whose schedules constantly disrupt normal sleep patterns.
• Anti-inflammatory effects address the inflammation from training and competition.

The Same Benefits Are Available to You

The professional athletes named above have access to elite acupuncturists, custom treatment protocols, and integration with their broader medical care. Most patients do not have that level of access, but the underlying benefits of acupuncture are the same for anyone who receives quality treatment from a licensed practitioner.

For recovery from injuries. For chronic pain that has not responded to standard care. For the accumulated wear and tear of active lifestyles. For nervous system regulation that supports both physical and emotional wellbeing. For pain management without over-reliance on medications. These are the benefits that top athletes access through acupuncture, and they are the same benefits available to any patient who commits to consistent treatment.

The chronic inflammation patterns behind athletic injury and general wear and tear respond to acupuncture through documented anti-inflammatory effects.

Many patients seeking better recovery also deal with anxiety, stress, and depression that overlap with the demands of an active lifestyle.

Above and Beyond Acupuncture offers acupuncture, cupping, and lifestyle coaching at the North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard location in Scottsdale. The same recovery-focused approach that professional athletes rely on is available for patients dealing with their own recovery, pain, or performance needs.

Schedule an appointment online or call us today to start your healing journey.

Schedule Your Visit