So how does cupping work? Either heat or air is used to create a suction in special cups that are placed on the body. The vacuum that’s created pulls the skin and blood vessels in toward the cup, which is why they can leave marks on the skin. Cupping is thought to pull blood to a certain area, and improve circulation and loosen up muscles and joints.

In addition, the fascia that lies below the skin is given more room from the tenting effect of the cup which in turn improves blood flow to that layer. There’s also some suggestion that it has anti-inflammatory effects.

Cupping Therapy is not simply a “hickey” meant to “bruise” the person and magically “heal” someone. In the United States it is most often associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine, however, it has deep roots throughout Asia and Eastern Europe. At South West Health, we also employ a cupping technique where we gently move and slide the cups over the skin during the therapy. This helps facilitate blood flow and often prevents the “hickey” effect. This would also be considered another form of soft tissue manipulation.
It is difficult to fully recover from an injury when the muscle, tendons and connective tissue are “vacuum packed” to your bone? Cupping helps to loosen it up so we can activate, strengthen, or stretch it.
Cupping Therapy has helped lead Sports Medicine into another generation of managing injury for Elite Athletes and everyday people.