Using Cupping in Modern Physical Therapy

During the 2016 Olympic Games, an ancient therapeutic practice was brought into the spotlight by Michael Phelps. If you watched any coverage of the games, you probably saw the weird, perfectly round, red circles all over Phelps’ back and shoulders. The spots were the result of “cupping”, a practice that dates back to ancient Greece and traditional Chinese medicine as well.2

The act of cupping is defined as the use of “cups applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction as a way of stimulating the flow of energy.” 1 The most interesting thing about the world's top athletes using cupping in their therapy is that although it is an ancient practice, the results of cupping have not been largely studied or published.  

Modern cupping tools

The benefit from cupping is thought to come from the tensile stress the cups exert on the area of the body where they are placed, causing capillaries to rupture and activating blood flow to the area and creating a type of “counter irritation” effect.3 The counter irritation produced by the cups is thought to increase the metabolic activity in the affected area and temporarily relieve pain, allowing athletes a quick-fix for when they are trying to play through an injury.

If you are an elite athlete or just a regular person looking for a natural pain management remedy, cupping may be the right option for you. Combined with regular physical therapy, cupping is believed to decrease pain by stimulating inhibitory neural pathways and promote healing in the affected area through increased blood flow and metabolic activity.

Although the effects of cupping are essentially speculation at this point, it is an alternative medicine practice that has been used for generations and generations before us. But, as with any new exercise regimen or treatment plan you should speak with your doctor or therapist about cupping before adding it to your routine. If you are suffering from muscle pain and looking for a natural remedy, give cupping a try and you may be surprised by what this ancient practice can do for you.

Resources:

1Cobian, D., & Heiderscheit, B. (2016, August 15). Cupping: Why We're All Seeing Spots. Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.apta.org/Blogs/PTTransforms/2016/8/15/SeeingSpots/

2Cupping. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cupping

Definition

3Cupping Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy#2