You may have heard of a friend of a friend getting “Cupping” and you’re thinking… what the heck is that?!
Although cupping may be a new buzz word in the health & wellness community, it’s practice isn’t new. Cupping therapy aka (myofascial decompression) can be traced back to ancient Chinese, Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures. The technique is actually found in one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world.
So what exactly is it?
The therapist places cups, which can be made of glass, bamboo or silicone on the skin and applies suction, which draws the tissue into the cups.
Why?
Cupping removes obstruction and stagnation in order to remove pain and encourage healing & regeneration.
This practice actually:
Increases a limited range of motion
Increases oxygen in local areas from increased local blood flow
Reduces inflammation
Increases blood flow.
Alleviates pain
Reduces muscle tightness
Maybe you remember back to 2016 when swimmer Michael Phelps visible bruises on camera from his cupping treatments drew a lot of attention to the practice.
Not to worry, these bruises go away within 7-10 days.
Cupping therapy actually isn’t that painful and can be described as light to medium pressure.
Whether you’re experiencing muscle pain & tightness, or you’re an athlete who trained a little too hard or an executive who may need stress relief, cupping may optimize athletic performance, speed up recovery, stretch muscles & connective tissue as well as improve overall well being and much more!
Interested in Cupping? Have further questions? We’d love to hear from you: info@knotsrmt.ca