Follow Dr. Tony
Follow Dr. Tony
Clinical experience is the foundation of exceptional patient care — and Dr. Tony Willcox brings a rare depth of it to Acupuncture Zen every single day.
With over 20 years of clinical experience, more than 6 million acupuncture needles inserted across a career dedicated to patient healing, and advanced doctoral-level training spanning Australia, the United States, and China, Dr. Tony Willcox’s background is virtually unmatched in South Florida.
That diploma opened the door to two very different chapters of training in China. Dr. Willcox went on to study under Professor Yang Jun during his PhD work at Anhui University, then later received personal, hands-on certification from Professor Shi Xue Min — recognized as a National Treasure of the People’s Republic of China — in a neurological acupuncture protocol reserved for a small number of practitioners worldwide. Two mentors, two distinct lineages of Chinese medicine, each shaping a different piece of his clinical approach. That breadth is part of what patients feel in the treatment room, whether they’re recovering from an injury or managing a more complex neurological condition.
A Practice Built for Your Healing — Acupuncture Zen is purpose-built for patient comfort, privacy, and clinical effectiveness. The practice features seven fully equipped treatment rooms, each designed to provide a calm, professional, and deeply therapeutic environment from the moment you arrive.
Every detail, from the lighting to the layout, has been considered with intention — because healing begins the moment a patient walks through the door, not just once treatment starts. Whether you’re visiting for your very first session or your hundredth, the goal is always the same: a space that feels as unhurried and attentive as the care itself.
Dr. Tony Willcox is the only acupuncturist on Newsmax Health’s Top 100 Physicians Who Embrace Integrative Medicine — a list that includes Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Dr. Andrew Weil. The recognition sits alongside physicians from conventional and integrative medicine alike, singling out practitioners whose work has shaped how patients approach healing beyond the standard clinical model.
For an acupuncture physician to earn a place on that list — the only one in the country to do so — reflects a career built on rare depth: eight years on an NHL medical staff, five years with a UFC fight team, a rare double doctorate spanning the U.S. and China, and published clinical research on acupuncture’s role in cognitive health.
When elite athletes need fast recovery and peak performance, they turn to Dr. Tony Willcox of Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach. As the Official Acupuncturist for the NHL’s Florida Panthers Medical Team for eight years, he became the first acupuncture physician ever added to an NHL medical staff — and his work spans professional sport, from five years with the Blackzilians MMA camp to NFL players, PGA Tour golfers, and international soccer players. The same standard of care he brings to professional athletes is the standard every patient at his Delray Beach clinic receives.
Dr. Tony Willcox (third row, far right) served on the Florida Panthers medical team for eight years — the first acupuncture physician added to an NHL medical staff.
During his time with the Panthers, Dr. Tony’s care extended well beyond the walls of Acupuncture Zen. Players regularly came to his Delray Beach office for treatment, and Dr. Tony traveled to the team as well — providing care at the stadium and the Panthers’ training facility, then known as IncredibleICE. Whether at the rink, the practice facility, or in his own treatment rooms, Dr. Tony became a consistent, trusted presence in the players’ recovery routines throughout the season.
Acupuncture Zen’s partnership with the Florida Panthers went beyond the treatment room and onto the big screen. During moments of on-ice tension — when tempers flared and players squared off in a scuffle — the jumbotron would light up with the Acupuncture Zen logo and a simple, well-timed message: “Under Pressure? Need Stress Relief? Acupuncture Zen.” It was a fitting bit of advertising for a night at the rink: even in the most intense moments of the game, thousands of fans were reminded that relief was just down the road in Delray Beach. Season after season, that same logo appeared to a packed house at BB&T Center, quietly building recognition for Acupuncture Zen among some of South Florida’s most passionate sports fans.
Long after his tenure with the Panthers, his care has become a trusted resource for elite competitors far beyond the rink. UFC fighters, NFL, NBA & PGA Tour players, and professional athletes across a range of sports rely on Acupuncture Zen for laser therapy, NovoTHOR® Red Light Therapy, acupuncture, dry needling and fully integrative care — turning to Dr. Tony to recover from the full spectrum of sports-related musculoskeletal conditions.
Two of the NHL’s brightest talents stopped by for some well-earned recovery and relaxation. Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov joined Dr. Tony Willcox for some restorative “Zen Time” — proof that even elite athletes need to slow down, reset, and recharge. Surrounded by sacred geometry and a calming atmosphere, these world-class competitors took a moment to focus on the bodywork and mindful recovery that keep them performing at the top of their game.
For NHL players, recovery isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of the job. Back-to-back games, cross-country travel, and the physical toll of eighty-two-plus games a season demand more than rest alone. That’s where sessions like these come in: a quiet hour away from the rink, surrounded by an environment built specifically for stillness, where the nervous system can finally exhale. It’s a small window in an otherwise relentless schedule, but for the athletes who make the trip to Acupuncture Zen, it’s often exactly what their bodies have been asking for.
Dmitry Kulikov (veteran defenseman, Florida Panthers), Dr. Tony Willcox (Acupuncture Zen), and Kirill Kaprizov (superstar left wing and alternate captain, Minnesota Wild)
Dr. Tony Willcox & Dr. Shí Xuémǐn 医生石学敏 holding Professor Shi’s own acupuncture textbook during a personalized acupuncture training session.
Dr. Tony Willcox demonstrating acupuncture technique with Dr. Shí Xuémǐn, one of China’s most respected acupuncture physicians
Dr. Tony Willcox received personal certification directly from Professor Shi Xue Min of Tianjin, China — one of the most celebrated figures in modern acupuncture history. Recognized as a National Treasure by the People’s Republic of China, Professor Shi is renowned for developing Xing Nao Kai Qiao (XNKQ) — translated as “Activating the Brain and Opening the Orifices” — a groundbreaking neurological acupuncture protocol that has transformed the treatment of stroke and complex neurological conditions globally. His work gained international attention through the award-winning documentary 9000 Needles.
XNKQ works to restore neurological function and promote deep healing by raising clear Qi and opening the orifices. Originally developed for stroke recovery, it has since been applied to a range of complex neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Bell’s palsy, facial paralysis, tremors, neuralgia, and dementia.
Professor Shi’s stature in Chinese medicine extends well beyond XNKQ itself. Over nearly fifty years of practice, he built the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from a 200-bed facility into a 2,000-bed institution, authored more than forty books, and published dozens of research papers — earning fifteen state, ministerial, and municipal honors along the way. He was also among the first researchers in China to study quantitative needling manipulation: the precise relationship between a needle’s retention time, rotation, and frequency, and the outcomes it produces. Professor Shi traveled to the United States each year to teach XNKQ to a small, select group of practitioners, and Dr. Willcox trained directly under his personal tutelage — earning certification in the same protocol Professor Shi had spent decades refining in China.
Professor Shi and his team were the clinic featured in 9000 Needles, the documentary that followed an American stroke survivor’s journey to Tianjin in search of XNKQ treatment. By then, the protocol had already been used on an extraordinary scale — published research on XNKQ, including peer-reviewed studies of its use following acute ischemic stroke, has reported favorable results for many patients treated across four decades of clinical use. As with any approach to a serious neurological condition, XNKQ acupuncture is best understood as a complement to a patient’s ongoing medical care, not a replacement for it.
Dr. Tony also had the rare privilege of personally administering acupuncture to Professor Shi himself — a profound gesture of mutual respect. Being certified directly by the technique’s originator himself places Dr. Tony among an extraordinarily rare group of Western practitioners. Professor Shi passed away in May 2025 at the age of 86, making this direct lineage of certification an irreplaceable and historic distinction — and that authentic transmission is available to patients at Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach today.
Dr. Tony Willcox initiated the first clinical acupuncture research study at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, focused on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) — the culmination of his doctoral research. This groundbreaking pilot study, titled Effects of Acupuncture on Mild Cognitive Impairment, was co-authored with world-renowned neurologist, researcher, and professor James E. Galvin, MD, MPH — a leading expert in Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body dementia (LBD), and cognitive aging — and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinsonism in September 2019. Dr. Galvin now serves as Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
The study explored how acupuncture may support individuals experiencing early cognitive decline, with results suggesting potential benefits in:
This research established an early scientific foundation for acupuncture as a complementary therapy for MCI and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease — supporting the case for further research into acupuncture as part of neurological and cognitive care.
Dr. Tony Willcox, Professor Yang Jun (Anhui, China), Dr. Amie Rosenfeld & Professor James Galvin at Florida Atlantic University discussing the first Acupuncture Study on Mild Cognitive Impairment at FAU.
Pictured beside UFC Hall of Famer Vitor Belfort, Dr. Tony Willcox stands as a trusted leader in sports recovery and performance care at Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach, Florida. Drawing on his eight years with the NHL’s Florida Panthers Medical Team, Dr. Tony brings deep expertise in rapid injury recovery, pain relief, and peak athletic performance. From NHL stars to UFC fighters, elite athletes rely on Dr. Willcox’s advanced integrative approach. His double doctorate credentials — including a PhD in Acupuncture from China and D.A.O.M. from the U.S. — combined with over 20 years of experience, deliver comprehensive, integrative care trusted by champions.
UFC superstar Gilbert “Durinho” Burns has relied on Dr. Tony Willcox for over ten years to support his elite performance, rapid recovery, injury healing, and overall wellness. From grueling training camps to post-fight rehabilitation, Dr. Willcox’s expert treatments have helped the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt stay at the top of his game in the highly competitive UFC welterweight division. “Thanks, Dr. Tony, for all the treatments over ten years. Appreciate that!” – Gilbert Burns.
At Acupuncture Zen, discover the healing power of acupuncture and cutting-edge therapies tailored for athletes and active individuals: Fire Cupping, Micro Current Therapy, Infrared Therapy, K-Laser & THOR Laser, Traditional Acupuncture & Dry Needling, Trigger Point Release, Gentle Japanese-Style Acupuncture, Strong Chinese-Style Therapeutic Treatments, and NovoTHOR® Red Light Therapy.
Among the many elite athletes who have trusted Dr. Tony Willcox with their care, few relationships speak louder than that with UFC welterweight Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque. One of the most prolific finishers in the division’s history, Luque has accumulated 13 stoppages and earned eight post-fight bonuses throughout a decorated career that has seen him defeat former champions and top-ranked contenders on the world stage. Vicente first came to Acupuncture Zen as a member of the Blackzilians fight team during The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 — where Dr. Tony served as the official acupuncturist for the entire Blackzilians roster throughout the competition. That relationship has endured, and Vicente’s personal endorsement says it best — autographing his fight photo to Dr. Tony with the words: “Your Acupuncture ROCKS!” When a fighter of Vicente Luque’s caliber trusts you with his body before and after the biggest fights of his career, that is not just a testimonial — it is a professional endorsement earned through results.
That trust extends well beyond the octagon. From the ice of the NHL to the fight camps of the UFC and the fairways of the PGA Tour, elite competitors across every kind of sport turn to Dr. Tony when staying healthy and performing at their peak is non-negotiable.
Few endorsements carry the weight of a major champion’s. PGA Tour star and 2019 U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland has trusted Dr. Tony Willcox at Acupuncture Zen for years, relying on his integrative care to recover from golf injuries, manage pain, and support performance through the demands of a full tour schedule. For an athlete whose career depends on precision, mobility, and staying healthy week after week, that kind of consistent, dedicated recovery support is invaluable. Woodland puts it simply: “This is my place of ZEN — where I go to relax, letting the body recover through acupuncture.” From tournament prep to post-round recovery, Dr. Tony’s blend of acupuncture, laser therapy, and integrative treatment helps support one of golf’s elite competitors at the top of his game.
Whether you’re recovering from injury, reducing inflammation, or optimizing performance, Dr. Tony Willcox and Acupuncture Zen provide comprehensive, integrative care that professionals trust. Experience why top athletes choose us — book your appointment today and find your Zen.
Billy Andrade — a PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfer now in his 38th year of professional golf — recently discovered Dr. Tony Willcox while working through a facet joint issue in his lower back. After just a few sessions of acupuncture and cupping at Acupuncture Zen, Andrade was quick to share his enthusiasm: “Acupuncture Zen is the place to go,” he says. “Tony’s done an unbelievable job with me.”
Fellow PGA Tour veteran David Frost has echoed the same sentiment, writing simply: “Tony! Great relief after acupuncture!” Even for golfers with decades of experience on tour, it doesn’t take long to feel the difference — for both Andrade and Frost, a few visits to Acupuncture Zen were all it took to become believers.
Golf asks a lot of the body. The swing is a repetitive, high-torque rotation loaded through the same side again and again, and over a season — or a 38-year career like Andrade’s — that pattern tends to concentrate stress in predictable places: the lower back, the hips, the shoulders, and the elbows. Acupuncture and cupping are used by many tour players as part of their recovery routine —not as a replacement for physical therapy or medical care, but alongside them— as a way to help manage pain, ease muscle tension, and support the range of motion that a consistent swing depends on.
That’s part of why Dr. Willcox’s work has carried over so naturally from the ice to the fairway. The same approach that supported NHL players through a demanding season — frequent, targeted sessions built around whatever the body needs that week — translates directly to a golfer’s schedule of travel, practice rounds, and tournament play. Morgan Pressel knows that rhythm well: now a broadcaster for Golf Channel and NBC Sports, she moves between tournament weeks with little downtime in between, and has turned to Acupuncture Zen for care along the way. “Thanks for the help and relief,” she wrote after a visit — for golfers managing chronic tightness or recovering between events, treatment here is designed to complement the care they’re already receiving, helping them show up to the next round feeling like themselves.
