Can acupoint S34 influence kick performance in kick- boxers? A prospective study

Kickboxing is a full contact combat sport in which punches, kicks, elbow and knee strikes are allowed. A typical kickboxing tournament has up to eight fights (bouts) on the same day; therefore the ability of an athlete to recover quickly between bouts is very important. Acupuncture might be a safe and substance free way to support kickboxers’ performance, as acupuncture on S34 has been shown to enhance jumping power and improve gait. As the middle kick is the most common movement in kickboxing, we studied the feasibility of objectifying a possible effect of S34 on middle kicks by kinetic and kinematic assessment. To accomplish this work we developed a protocol to study the middle kick, and tested it on 9 kickboxers, divided in to control group (n=4) and experimental group (n=5) using kinematics and kinectics, focusing on the maximum velocity and acceleration of the active leg. We characterized the movement before the maximum effort (ME) exercise, then asked the athletes to perform 60 seconds of burpees (ME exercise), then had the intervention phase, acupuncture on S34, for the athletes in the experimental group and a 2 minute rest phase, for the athletes in the control group, and characterized the middle kick again. In kinematic measurements we registered a tendency towards improvement both in velocity and acceleration of the leg for the athletes in the experimental group after the ME exercise an intervention, with 80% of the athletes improving both parameters but, on the other hand, there was a tendency for reduction in maximum velocity in the control group with 75% of the athletes showing a reduction in maximum velocity after the ME exercise sand rest but no tendency for reduction in the maximum acceleration. As conclusion, the current results indicate that acupuncture on S34 might improve the performance of the middle kick in kickboxing athletes namely enhancing the velocity and acceleration of the leg. So, the first results obtained in this prospective study were not yet statistically significant, but still show a positive tendency and the feasibility of the study if a larger sample is used.