(REMEMBER TO LOG IN AND RECOMMEND THIS STORY)

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.

For David Wright, 2015 was supposed to represent a triumphant comeback. After dealing with a bum shoulder last year, Wright was looking forward to reclaiming his status as the franchise player and face of the New York Mets, but just two weeks into the season, he was back on the shelf again. That time, it was a hamstring strain, just like the one he suffered in 2011. Two weeks later, he was making excellent progress, but then, the road to recovery hit a detour:

If Wright and crippling back pain sound vaguely like a recycled news tidbit, well, that’s because Wright spent time on the DL for the exact same ailment in 2013.

And last week, Wright’s most recent recovery hit the greatest setback to date: a diagnosis of Spinal Stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal canal. In his case, the stenosis is almost certainly what caused his previous bouts of lower back and hamstring issues.

Unfortunately, even when he’s been able to take the field in between missing time in 2011, 2013, and 2014, Wright’s performance has slipped significantly from his career averages. It’s no wonder Mets fans seem to have lost any faith in Wright’s ability to be a productive member of the club ever again:

This year’s iteration of the Mets weren’t necessarily expected to be serious contenders, but the phenomenally spectacular return of Matt Harvey, the age-defying magic of Bartolo Colon, and the emergence of promising young arms like Jacob DeGrom and Noah Syndegaard have keyed a faster-than-expected start for the team.

Unfortunately, the offense has looked lean. New York’s sports radio shows are flooded with fans calling for trades to inject some life into the punchless lineup while Wright’s primary replacement at third, Eric Campbell, is hitting below the Mendoza line. He’s not the only one giving the Mets next to nothing with the stick, either.

Simply put, New York needs the Wright (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) they signed to an eight year, $138M contract that runs through the 2020 season.

Surely, Wright’s medical care is being handled by a world-class team of physicians and rehab doctors. According to Mike Puma, Wright is taking medication for the issue. Per CBS Sports, he will continue to receive treatment next week.

Still, the ace’s future remains cloudy, at best, which is exactly why — given the limited toolbox of traditional western medicine — the Mets (and all professional sports teams, for that matter) should be incorporating alternative therapies when formulating their treatment and rehabilitation protocols.

As an Acupuncturist specializing in Orthopedics, I wonder if Wright’s situation could not have been avoided.

Now, it’s only fair to note that there are several different presentations for Spinal Stenosis, and Wright’s precise diagnosis isn’t public knowledge. That said, a typical Western medical approach for his condition utilizes one of or a combination of, anti-inflammatories, targeted physical therapy, limitation of potentially aggravating activities, epidurals, and, if need be, surgery.

What athletes are not often prescribed, however, is Acupuncture.

Might such an approach improve Wright’s prognosis? Would he stand a better chance to return sooner, at a higher level, and stay on the field for longer if Acupuncture was used to complement the aforementioned treatments?

When we pull back the mystical veil of Acupuncture, we find a simple, yet potent therapy aimed at promoting the body’s innate healing abilities. The human body already fights off infectious pathogens, repairs broken proteins, clears arteries, and fights off cellular destruction. Is it really so hard to believe that Acupuncture can unlock or boost the body’s vast natural arsenal of restorative capabilities?

For Wright, Acupuncture would be helpful in reducing inflammation, improving circulation to damaged tissue, promoting faster and more complete cellular regeneration, reducing spasms, and maintaining optimal muscle function and nerve supply. And, by treating his affected areas as well as the connected pathways of nerves, he would also see improvement in those problematic hamstrings.

Truth is, Acupuncture treatment can mean the difference between playing through an issue or getting shut down entirely; between a four-week recovery time and a eight-week one; between a season lost to the DL and a triumphant return in time for the playoffs.

Again, the detailed results of Wright’s medical examination are not reviewable here, but based on his symptoms, as reported by the media, I can postulate that the causes of his his stenosis can range — in increasing severity — from soft tissue-related narrowing, to ossified bone growth, to structural collapse.

Regardless of the severity/prognosis, Acupuncture can be a potent complement to Western intervention in order to maximize healing, aid in rehabilitation, prepare an area for surgery, recover from post-surgery, and optimize function moving forward.

There have been increasing accounts of individual professionals turning to Acupuncture for injury recovery and maintenance programs. Aaron Rogers used it for his calf injury during the Packers’ 2015 playoff run, but for whatever the reason, Acupuncture isn’t yet being incorporated into the full arsenal of team medicine’s approach. This failure to alter the sports medicine paradigm, especially given the massive sunk cost of injuries to star players, is nothing short of mind blowing.

Acupuncture has been proven effective for thousands of years. It is one of the most commonly relied-upon and enduring medicines in the history of civilization.

Professionally, I have focused on treating those with the most severe neurological and orthopedic issues, as well as elite athletes who need to stay on the field in order to make a living. Regardless of the injury or goals, one thing I no longer question is Acupuncture’s ability to help the human body recover from injury and attain optimal function. Though I cannot guarantee Acupuncture would revive Wright’s career, it is undeniable that the treatment would help optimize his recovery, rehabilitation, and maintenance efforts.

Acupuncturists provide a diverse array of treatment styles and specialties, but for David Wright and other professional athletes, a well-trained professional with experience in Orthopedic rehab and Sports Medicine is a perfect fit. Teams could easily and seamlessly integrate new treatments in concert with their existing protocols, and players would see a significant boost in both recovery times and longevity after the injury has healed.

Sure, when it comes to medicine, we are all programmed to fear, if not question, the unknown, but at this point, failing to incorporate Acupuncture into the professional sports medicine model borders on negligent. And given the stakes, it’s financially irresponsible, to boot.