myofascial decompression
What is Cupping?
Traditional Cupping can be traced back thousands of years ago in Chinese, Egyptian and Greek traditional medicine. Often times, traditional cupping was performed with heated glass to draw out blood, toxins, “evil spirits”, or restore the flow of Qi.
Cupping has steadily been gaining traction in Western Medicine, including in sports recovery and sports performance. Some of the most iconic moments came when Micheal Phelps used cupping during his gold medal events. Other notable athletes that have utilized cupping in their recovery include Bryce Harper and Connor McGregor.
On the surface, cupping looks like purple dots. But what does this treatment method actually do?
Cupping provides myofascial decompression (ie: the top layers of the skin being pulled upward into the cup), which offers numerous health benefits.
Connective Tissue Change.
With inactivity or injury, fascia can become “sticky”. The sliding and gliding of tissue becomes impaired and movement dysfunction eventually follows. Think of a stack of papers and there is a piece of gum stuck in between some of the papers. In this case, it doesn’t glide at all! By providing a decompression, the tissue is able to regain proper movement.
Reduces Trigger Points.
Trigger points often create referral pain patterns above and below the region. These areas have decreased blood supply and higher levels of calcium leading to shortening of the muscle tissue and hyper-awareness. Cupping can help to improve blood flow to these regions for nutrient exchange and improve pain perception.
Sensory/Neurophysiological Pain Response.
Cupping can provide a neural distraction through the gate theory response. They help by stimulating stretch/tension receptors which lie below the surface of the skin and regain normal response to change in tissue length.
Inhibit or Up-Regulate Muscle Activation.
Cupping can either be used to decompress hyperactive muscles or provide stimulus to a region that was previously detuned. Muscles do not “turn off”, but there is a sense of muscle amnesia that can be improved with cupping therapy.
Common FAQ’s
Does it hurt? No, cupping is tolerated by most individuals and is a safe, effective means of tissue release.
Why does my skin turn purple? The skin is turning purple due to micro-capillary response to pressure. The pressure build up causes the capillary to “burst”, releasing blood into circulation. The deeper the purple, the more stagnant the flow of blood is!
What kind of conditions is cupping effective in treating? Cupping is effective in many conditions including chronic pain such as myofascial pain syndrome, muscle injuries such as hamstring or quad strains, post-operatively, or for sports performance.
How long does each treatment take? Each session of cupping lasts between 6-10 mintues in duration depending on the application.
If you would like to improve your movement quality, recover from a recent injury, or find relief from chronic pain, cupping may be just the adjunct treatment to take you to the next level!
References:
Dinallo A. A reflection on cupping therapy and historical medical dominance. Int JComplement Alt Med. 2019;12(2):66-68 DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2019.12.00450
Wang YT, Qi Y, Tang FY, et al. The effect of cupping therapy for low back pain: Ameta-analysis based on existing randomized controlled trials. J Back MusculoskeletRehabil. 2017;30(6):1187-1195. doi:10.3233/BMR-169736
Moura CC, Chaves ÉCL, Cardoso ACLR, Nogueira DA, Corrêa HP, Chianca TCM. Cuppingtherapy and chronic back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Lat AmEnfermagem. 2018;26:e3094. Published 2018 Nov 14. doi:10.1590/1518-8345.2888.3094