The Method of Cupping: Is the Recovery Technique Beneficial?
As the 2016 campaign progressed, there was no shortage of storylines in the sport. Michael Phelps’ last dance. Katie Ledecky’s dominance. Anthony Ervin with a title surge in the 50 freestyle, 16 years after his initial Olympic gold.
But one of the biggest developments was unexpected, and it was on display at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro: the newfound popularity of an ancient medical technique known as cupping. The world’s best, including Phelps, were plastered with large circles shaped like bruises. In subsequent years,the healing method has become popularized, appearing everywhere in 2024, from Paris to your local club meet. But how did this method come about? What is it actually doing? And is it truly an effective recovery method? The answer is more complex than you may expect.
How It’s Done
Photo Courtesy: cuppingtherapy.org
While sports science continues to modernize and evolve, the process of cupping is quite simple. There are two types: wet cupping and dry cupping, as well as various types of cups which can be used. “There’s a lot of different ways to cup, which can create different effects,” explained Liz Schiel, a massage therapist. The most commonly seen method with swimmers is dry cupping, featuring the use of plastic cups, due to their accessibility. The cup is generally placed on a “vacuum” device, with pressure then applied to “suction” the cup to one’s skin. Once attached to the skin, the cup sits for multiple minutes, with the suction lifting the skin. The process is recognized for enhancing blood flow, reduces pain and inflammation and decreases muscle tightness.
Origins
Cupping’s origins are difficult to track down, largely because they trace back to ancient times. The earliest documented usage comes from 168 B.C, according to researcher Ilkay K. Chirali, as a technique used by common people to reduce pain. The method has been used in modern medicine as a way to increase blood flow and, therefore, mobility in various areas of the body. However, the method has grown in popularity in the U.S in recent years, with athletes looking to replicate the success of greats like Phelps.
“The technique has really taken off since those 2016 Olympics,” noted North Carolina State Head Swimming and Diving Trainer Jeff Kuelling. Kuelling cited how “the accessibility and the ease to which cups can be found” has made them “incredibly popular” in the scope of treatment. Cupping “kits” and even self-used devices are available everywhere, giving swimmers the ability to try the method themselves. But to Schiel, a massage therapist who specializes in cupping and a member of the “International Cupping Therapy Association,” these methods should be met with caution. “These are devices that can cause trauma without education and training,” said Schiel, who recommends help from a licensed professional when utilizing the method.
Does Cupping Work?
While cupping has shown to be popular and accessible, the question remains: is it successful? Opinions vary. Kuelling pointed to a lack of research surrounding the method’s efficacy with athletes, especially the dry method.
“There’s not a lot of solid research in support of it,” Kuelling stated. “It wouldn’t be my first choice of treatment.”
Kuelling raised an important issue: the lack of proven results behind the most commonly used form of cupping. A study from March 2018 in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine by Rhianna Bridget (et al) goes hand-in-hand with the trainer’s statement. In an attempt to review the major studies on cupping at the time, the peer-reviewed study found no evidence that the method could be inherently beneficial, due to the “paucity of data and methodological flaws of the included studies.”
Where Kuelling was lukewarm on cupping, he was steadfast in his support of an alternative: massage therapy. “We’re much more gravitating towards hands-on, manual therapy, I would say in the swimming world,” said the trainer. “Most teams have shifted towards traveling with multiple therapists; it’s become the dominant treatment.”
Can Cupping Be Effective?
On the other hand, Schiel believes cupping is a worthy extension of massage therapy. Licensed in both methods, the therapist described cupping as a way to “reduce pressure on the body” from a practitioner perspective which comes with massage therapy, while possibly “receiving better results.”
“Cupping can bring more oxygen and nutrients to the cells,” said Schiel. “The method allows for the reduction of inflammation, and, therefore, more localized blood flow.”
Some studies have shown quality results in cupping in recent years, although the sample size with athletes isn’t incredibly large. A review from 2023 of 2212 studies published in the National Library of Medicine by Aryan A. Muhammed (et al) states that although the evidence of effects of cupping had “low to moderate evidence in musculoskeletal and sports rehabilitation,” the process could be useful in a different way. It can “decrease pain level” and improve blood flow, making it a “useful intervention.” Improving blood flow before a race could allow a swimmer greater muscular mobility, a key to success in the water.
Cupping Takeaways
While opinions differ, experts emphasized the method was worth a try. “There’s no risks in trying cupping,” offered Kuelling. “I have many athletes who feel comfortable with the method and so I use it.” However, Kuelling and Schiel recommended not diving headfirst into the habit heavily so close to championship season.
“I’m not going to do a deep cupping session on an athlete on their first time,” said Schiel. “It’s important to ease the athlete into it.”
