By Zhao Rui (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-05 10:05

China's NBA sensation Yao Ming believes traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could help speed up the recovery of his foot injury.

The 2.28-m all-star center arrived in Beijing on Thursday night and will undergo a series of TCM examinations in Beijing in the coming two weeks before returning to the US for further rehabilitation.

Injured Yao Ming arrives at Beijing International Airport on Thursday night. ]Xinhua]

Yao's going ahead with TCM treatment, despite criticism from American hoop fans who claim there is no scientific basis for the practice.

"There is no reason to dismiss it," Yao told a packed press conference in Beijing on Friday. "The reason I'm returning to China this time is because I want to try some TCM rehab methods.

"It's been used in our country for thousands of years - I don't think it's short on science."

The Houston Rockets' top scorer was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot on February 27 and underwent surgery in early March. The Rockets have confirmed the center player can return to the game before the start of the Beijing Olympics in August.

Rockets team physician Tom Clanton, who performed the surgery, said Yao must undergo four months of rehabilitation.

He is now able to lift weights to improve his strength and fitness for the Olympics.

"I don't think I will miss the Games," he said. "I've started to do some workouts at the gym and everything is going OK for me. I'm not feeling any pain in my left leg.

"The rehab is more like a psychological thing I think. I was a little bored after a month of recovery time in Houston, so I decided to come back to Beijing to relax."

On Thursday, another Chinese player Yi Jianlian sprained his left knee during Milwaukee Bucks' 110-109 victory over the Washington Wizards.

But Yao said injury wouldn't dampen the Chinese team's determination at the Games.

"This is not a good season for us," he said. "Injuries are a huge blow for China - I'm injured, Yi has some troubles with a twisted knee, also Wang Zhizhi isn't in good condition due to a knee injury. But there's no reason to drop the Olympics just because of the injuries."

Yao averaged 22 points and 10.8 rebounds this season and led the team to 12 consecutive wins before the injury, which became a winning streak of 22 despite his absence.

He is crucial to China's hopes of making the top six at the Olympics, and is also considered a favorite to be the country's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.

At the Athens Games in 2004, Yao guided China to a top eight finish, which equaled the country's best showing at the Olympics.

Yao missed 32 games last season with a fractured right tibia and 21 games during the 2005-06 season, with a toe infection that required surgery. He also missed four games at the end of that season with a broken foot.