[Faline]

As a world-class judoka, Kim Ribble-Orr weathered an extraordinary amount of adversity – not to mention battered limbs — to achieve her dream of competing in the Olympics.

When a massage therapist tried to treat the headaches she suffered after a 2006 car crash with acupuncture, however, he set off a cascade of health problems that would shatter Ms. Ribble-Orr’s sports-centred life — and raise questions about the popular needle therapy.

The therapist accidentally pierced Ms. Ribble-Orr’s left lung during acupuncture treatment that was later deemed unnecessary and ill-advised, causing the organ to collapse and leaving it permanently damaged. An Ontario court has just upheld the one-year disciplinary suspension imposed on therapist Scott Spurrell, rejecting his appeal in a case that highlights a rare but well-documented side effect of acupuncture.

[LadyCPlum]

OK, not Asian holistic remedies for me anytime soon!

[Spiffyfable]

That must have been one hell of a needle

[Wardead]

Wow thats fucking shitty horrible luck and maybe a bad practitioner

[Milieu]

Had to have been a bad practitioner ... you're not supposed to put needles in that deep for acupuncture.

I used to get acupuncture on a weekly basis for headaches and back pain, and they used only my arms from the elbow down, my legs from the knee down, and my scalp. Obviously there are points on the torso, but no need to even use them, let alone jab needles that deep. Acupuncture is relatively safe if it's not an idiot doing it.

[MisterX]

I've had acupuncture a bunch of times and the needles do not go that deep and the needles are so tiny like 40gauge maybe she forgot about the needles on her back and tried to lay down and that forced the needles deeper?

[HeadlessHorseman]

What size needle was this person using. Maybe one of these?

[Cassius]

She must have torn the pleural sack as well with the way they cut her open. Agreed - no needles for me in the near future.

[wallville]

she looks like Willem Defoe...