Evidence suggests that cupping methods are effective for low back pain, shoulder pain, muscle strains, and chronic neck pain. It has even been shown to release trigger points, relax muscles, increase local circulation, release scar tissue adhesion, and enhance lymphatic flow.
If your are experiencing any of these, reach out to Built to Move to get started!
Active Cupping Therapy
What is active cupping therapy?
Cupping has been around for 3000 years as an alternative therapy where a physical therapist places special cups on your skin to create suction, typically for a few minutes, while you engage in active movements to boost the effects.
People choose cupping for various reasons, including pain relief, improved blood flow, reduced inflammation, overall wellness, and relaxation. Some even view active cupping as a form of deep-tissue massage.
Cupping therapy for athletes and sports cupping therapy is also quite popular. Several athletes from the 2016 Olympics used cupping.
How does cupping work?
Cups are placed on skin in the area of of pain or tension with gentle suction. This suction helps to stimulate new blood flow to an injured area, enhance hydration to body tissues, rid excess fluids and ease up adhesions to promote healing at the cellular level.
In essence, cupping is a diverse treatment that can be adapted from lymphatic drainage to deep tissue release. This technique is often used in medical massage and physical therapy.
At Built to Move, we utilize active cupping which means we often slide cups across the skin to enhance results as well as perform exercises with a specific type of cup on for maximal effectiveness.
What to expect after cupping?
Non-glass cupping typically has very few side effects. Any side effects that do occur are usually felt during or immediately after the treatment.
The skin around the edge of the cup may become irritated or show circular marks.
Discoloration or tenderness in the cupping area can also happen, lasting up to a week, especially for fair-skinned individuals or those who bruise easily. Additionally, there is a very low risk of infection after cupping.