This time of year, with the buzz of the holiday season and the colder weather approaching, keeping your workout on track can become as difficult as fitting into last year’s pants. The last thing you need is a sports- or exercise-related injury to stop you in your tracks altogether. Fortunately, there is a way around this Achilles heel. Thien Nhon Duong, a Chinese herb store that specializes in traditional Chinese medicine, boasts being able to turn what could otherwise be a long-run injury into a, well, short sprint of a setback.

Thien Nhon Duong is run and owned by the Chung family. Their business was the very first Chinese herb store to open in Austin. Hoa Chung, however, has been involved in Chinese medicine for more than 40 years. Daughter, Thanh Chung, who will be taking over the store and introducing acupuncture to the store’s repertoire of services, speaks proudly of her father’s accomplishments.

“My father has treated and cured people who have had cancer, many women having difficulty conceiving, as well as people with sexual disfunctions,” she says. “He also has a really good formula for women going through hormonal changes due to menopause. Many women go to him for that and they love it!”

Hoa totes an amazing sports-injury cure — for anything from sprains, to falls, to general muscle and joint aches and pains, he guarantees a cure for all. That’s right: he guarantees a cure! The cure is one that originated in Vietnam. Hoa’s father, Diec Chung, who also owned his own business, taught Hoa the technique when he turned 17 years old and became his father’s apprentice.

To be cured from sports ailments, patients are first treated to a therapeutic massage, performed by Hoa. This involves rubbing a special ointment on the infected area for about 15 to 20 minutes. Sorry folks, the ointment is top-secret (not even this journalist could unlock the secret!).

The massage, if done properly, can be done at home, but it’s provided by Hoa Chung in the store. Afterwards, he applies a medicated patch to the pained area. The patch is brought in from China and made of medicated plaster called Jako Kokotsu. Afterwards, the patient is to take three pills by name of San Uyu Wan. These pills, which are 100 percent natural and made from crushed herbs, are actually made by Hoa himself.

This process is to be repeated for three days. The possibility of a day or two more is there but, typically the injured party will be back on the running trail, bike or stair climber before the week’s end. Thanh believes in the magic of this procedure.

“It is successful because it works very quickly and effectively without requiring the client to take any chemically induced medicine; everything is natural. The success rate is 100 percent if done correctly,” she says.

A complete three-day supply of the treatment, which includes ointment, the initial massage and the pills is $45.

The store, located at 7801 North Lamar Blvd., Ste. B-152, is open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Christmas Day and Chinese New Year. For more information, or to set a consultation, call (512) 467-8888 or e-mail lady_t1976@yahoo.com.

*The owners of Thien Nhon Duong welcome practicing or potential acupuncturists and guarantee a good price on supply purchases. Also, mention this article and receive a free gift.