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Have you ever watched professional athletes on TV and noticed that some of them had large red circles all over their backs?

You’ve probably wondered what the heck was going on.  Maybe you were even a little concerned.

Well, no need to worry.  Those scary circles aren’t the result of some illness or injury, but from an ancient Chinese remedy called cupping, which is a form of myofascial release.

I’ll wait while you breathe your collective sigh of relief.

Anyway, cupping has been practiced for thousands of years.  You’ve probably heard me talk about massage or foam rolling when it comes to myofascial release, but instead of pressing and compressing like they do, cupping involves decompressing and creating space.  While there are a few different methods to cupping, the most common involves placing an alcohol-soaked cotton ball that’s been lit on fire into a glass cup, which removes the air and creates a vacuum.  The cotton ball is then removed and the cup is replaced on the skin, lifting up the skin. 

Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.

The lifting creates space between the skin and the connective tissue encasing the muscles (fascia).  This supposedly helps boost blood flow and relieve muscle soreness and tension.  And the scary red circles come from the cupping lifting out stagnant blood, cellular debris, and uncleared lymph, however the cupping marks are usually lighter red and caused by broken capillaries, which is harmless and painless.

“I don’t know, Lindsey, that sounds pretty weird to me.”

Here’s the thing:  There’s some debate about the actual science behind cupping.  A few studies don’t support cupping for anything beyond conditions like shingles or acne.  Another study concluded that it might be effective for reducing some pain conditions.  Basically, more testing needs to be done for a concrete answer.

That being said, Olympians and other pro athletes swear by cupping and it’s been practiced for thousands of years.  Moreover, it’s relatively safe.  Some have likened the sensation of cupping to a deep tissue massage.  There have been reports of people getting blisters because the edge of the glass cups gets too hot, burning your skin, but again, this can be avoided by choosing a good practitioner.

If you do decide to give cupping a try, avoid doing it if you are sick, if you have bleeding issues, or if you’re pregnant.  And be sure to go to a licensed practitioner.  Just like with any other kind of therapy like massage or acupuncture, you’ll want to make sure the person you’re working with knows what they’re doing.

So, what do you think?  Would you give cupping a try?

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