Massoterapia

Acupuncture and exercise capacity: a case report Reginaldo Ceolin do NascimentoI; Carlos Alberto Cordeiro HossriI; Otavio BerwangerII; Vitor Oliveira CarvalhoII,III
IHospital do Coração (HCor), Serviço de Reabilitação Cardíaca, Pulmonar e Metabólica, São Paulo/SP, Brazil
IIHospital do Coração (IEP-HCor), Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, São Paulo/SP, Brazil
IIIHospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (InCor HCFMUSP), Unidade de Cirurgia Cardíaca Pediátrica, São Paulo/SP, Brazil

INTRODUCTION
Although acupuncture was once a purely empirical technique; it is now used as a valuable tool in scientific research and health maintenance (1).
The physiological effects of inserting needles into specific body points have inspired studies on the prevention and treatment of various diseases and syndromes. Nevertheless, the effects of acupuncture on sedentary, healthy individuals have not yet been explored.
Acupuncture has been reported to improve endurance during a range of activities, from everyday tasks to several types of sports (1). Many benefits of acupuncture appear to be related to the release of endorphins, decreased sympathetic activity and an increased tolerance to fatigue (1,2). Nevertheless, acupuncture as an adjunct technique for improving physical capacity remains poorly understood.
This case report aims to describe the cardiorespiratory parameters before and after acupuncture/moxibustion in a healthy, sedentary individual. CASE DESCRIPTION
A 30-year-old sedentary, non-smoking male patient without risk factors for cardiovascular disease was referred to our hospital for cardiovascular assessment before an exercise-training program (a program to improve health and well-being). The patient was invited to attend one hour of acupuncture sessions for ten consecutive days. The patient did not participate in exercise training during the time period of these ten acupuncture sessions. To assess his exercise capacity, the