17/11/2025
📆 Yesterday was World Acupuncture Day, and while many people know acupuncture as a trusted support for issues like hay fever, migraines or back pain, fewer realise it’s rapidly becoming a secret weapon in sport.
🏃🏽♂️ Top athletes across the world are turning to acupuncture to sharpen performance, enhance recovery and gain that crucial competitive edge.
🤓💪🏼At BodyMed, we’re fortunate to have someone who’s not only using acupuncture to support athletes — he’s proving its power himself. Ralph Mills, our resident acupuncturist, made headlines on 25 August 2024 when he set a World Record Aquamarathon, completing 1,280 lengths in under 20 hours. As part of his preparation, Ralph used targeted acupuncture points known for boosting endurance.
🏉 His expertise doesn’t stop at personal achievement. As assistant coach to the Clontarf Women’s Rugby Team, Ralph has used acupuncture to help players finish matches with “more gas in the tank” when the game is on the line.
🔬 Now, Ralph is taking this to the next level. In early 2026, he begins a groundbreaking research project with the Department of Health Sciences at DCU to study how TCM acupuncture affects the physiology of athletes and active individuals. Using objective biometric data, this study aims to answer a powerful question:
Can acupuncture truly enhance endurance?
😮This is an incredibly exciting step for the future of integrative Sports Medicine, helping bridge the gap between Eastern acupuncture and Western science.
👀🙋🏼♀️If you’re an endurance athlete interested in taking part — or an acupuncturist/physiotherapist with acupuncture training who would like to contribute — Ralph is currently recruiting participants. The commitment is just six weeks, scheduled entirely around your availability.
📩 To get involved, contact Ralph at: ralphmillstcm@gmail.com
🤩 Help shape the future of sports performance and be part of something pioneering!