Remember when Michael Phelps showed up to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics with round bruises covering his back? That was the start of a mainstream conversation around the practice of cupping – which actually has roots in ancient Chinese and Egyptian medicine. 

Years after Phelps kicked off the global phenomenon, cupping has remained a treatment technique of interest for patients from all walks of life. While the heightened requests for cupping might be relatively new, physical therapists and healers have relied on the benefits of cupping for ages. Cupping is a useful treatment utilized to help our patients and athletes move better, feel better, and perform better!

What is cupping? 

Special silicone cups are placed on your skin to create a negative pressure “suction” effect. Cupping can either be static—where the cups are left into place for about 10 minutes—or dynamic, where a suction is created and then the cups are slowly moved over the target treatment area. 

Every patient responds differently to cupping. For example, some bruise more than others. Some report a tingling sensation after a few minutes, under where the silicone cup rests on their skin. Some patients feel better almost immediately whereas others need several weeks of treatment to experience a difference. For most patients though, cupping is completely safe and can be used to complement an existing treatment plan. 

So, how does it work? 

Unlike massage, which works to manipulate your muscle tissues by compressing the muscle, cupping creates a lift effect, increasing blood flow and triggering the body’s natural healing response. Once a slight lift is created, the goal is to loosen and soften tight muscles, and bring movement and flexibility to areas that may be recovering from injury or causing you pain. 

In general, cupping is almost never an exclusive therapy technique leveraged by a Spooner therapist. Instead, cupping is just one tool in our large toolbox of services and techniques, allowing us to approach a patient’s condition with as many resources as possible! 

Cupping, one of the many tools for your health 

Over the years, cupping has dipped in and out of being somewhat of a fad. Sure, you can go to many places to get cupping – a naturopathic healer; a cupping specialist; even a salon. But when you receive cupping this way, it’s a transactional experience. You get what you sign up for. 

At Spooner, we use every resource available under our roof to treat your condition. This means that throughout the course of treatment, you may experience cupping, soft-tissue massage, strength and mobility exercises, and functional movement all incorporated into your plan of care. Physical therapists are specialists in full-body movement. Rather than relying upon one strategy, such as cupping, we like to get granular, utilizing numerous solutions and techniques to find what works best for you!

If you’re interested in learning more about cupping and how it can help you, a Spooner physical therapist would be happy to discuss your needs and goals! Schedule an appointment or complimentary assessment here.