Effects of Complementary and Integrated Therapies on Performance and Recovery in Mountain Ultra-Endurance Running: A Case Study.

Mountain ultra-endurance running represents one of the most physiologically demanding sports, combining biomechanical stress, cardiorespiratory demands, metabolic strain, and psy-chological resilience. This study provides a comprehensive case analysis of a 44-year-old male athlete specialising in races exceeding 100 km, with a competitive history including distances up to 308 km. The investigation integrates Western physiological insights with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnostic frameworks and therapeutic approaches. Biomechanical and physio-logical mechanisms underlying performance and injury risk are described, followed by a longi-tudinal clinical assessment of recurrent musculoskeletal complaints, systemic imbalances, and therapeutic interventions. Treatments included acupuncture, auriculotherapy, moxibustion, manual therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine, combined with modern supplementation strate-gies. Results suggest that integration of TCM-based interventions with conventional physiological understanding may support endurance athletes in injury prevention, recovery, and performance stability.