Ian Armstrong, L.Ac., C.SMA
More than 15 years helping athletes recover and perform — from weekend warriors to Olympians — and over a decade teaching the next generation of sports acupuncturists.
At a glance
Clinical skill, taught through real-world care
Ian Armstrong teaches in both the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification (SMAC) Program and the Treatment of Orthopedic Disorders (TOD) course at Pacific College of Health and Science. His teaching integrates clinical skills with real-world application, so students gain hands-on experience treating athletes with orthopedic and sports-related injuries.
For more than ten years he has supervised acupuncture students at the RIMAC Center at UC San Diego, working alongside athletic trainers to treat UCSD’s collegiate athletes and mentoring interns in a fast-paced, high-performance environment. His clinical work spans rehabilitation and performance for everyone from weekend warriors to Olympians and professional athletes.
Raised in Palo Alto, California, Ian studied at Humboldt State University and the University of New Orleans, where he pursued jazz music and performance, before earning his M.S. in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine from Pacific College in San Diego in 2009, with a focus on sports and orthopedic injuries.
A lifelong learner, he continues to deepen his expertise in movement, biomechanics and rehabilitation through Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), Postural Respiration with the PRI Institute, the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and the Eldoa Method by Guy Voyer.
From jazz to sports acupuncture
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Early
Humboldt State & University of New Orleans
Outdoor studies at Humboldt, then jazz music and performance in New Orleans.
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2009
M.S., Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Pacific College of Health and Science, San Diego, with a focus on sports and orthopedic injuries.
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2011
Certified Sports Medicine Acupuncturist
Completed the SMAC Program and earned the C.SMA credential.
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10+ yrs
Clinic Supervisor, UCSD RIMAC Center
Supervising acupuncture interns treating collegiate athletes alongside athletic trainers.
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Today
SMAC and TOD instructor
Teaching in the SMAC Program and Pacific College’s Treatment of Orthopedic Disorders course.