What the Heck Is Cupping?
It was during the 2016 Rio Olympics that Michael Phelps won six Olympic medals, five of them gold. Alongside the medal count, viewers noticed something else — strange circular marks across his shoulders and back — and started asking what they were. That curiosity is what brought a very old treatment, cupping, back into the spotlight.
What Is Cupping?
Cupping is an ancient method of treatment popular among elite athletes as well as anyone dealing with everyday muscle aches and pains. Also known as myofascial decompression, it traces back to ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and Middle Eastern cultures.
How Does Cupping Work?
Cupping is typically used alongside massage to create a suction, or decompression, of the muscle tissue underneath. That decompression increases blood flow from the deeper layers of tissue up to the skin's surface, bringing oxygen and nutrients that support the healing process. The negative pressure can also help lift muscular adhesions, or "knots," and ease tension by targeting the peripheral nervous system — the same "rest and digest" response that makes massage effective in the first place.
What Are the Benefits?
Cupping can improve muscle function by releasing the fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscle. That release increases range of motion and makes muscle more pliable for sport and everyday physical activity.
Our massage therapist, Aaron Thomas, LMT, is trained not only in massage but holds a degree in exercise science. Whether you're an elite athlete or someone dealing with everyday aches and pains, he can help — keeping you in the game of life.