A few weeks ago I showed a very simple cupping session for chest congestion on Instagram. Now you’ll see a video there of Angela Simon, master massage therapist and soon-to-be acupuncturist, using sliding cups to work out tight and knotted muscles and reduce back pain.
Stationary cups alone can be very helpful for this, but sliding that suction across tight muscles is a whole other level of relief (and in my experience, BLISS).
Studies show that “negative pressure [suction] causes stretching of the skin and underlying tissue and dilation of the capillaries”. Simply put, cupping provides better blood flow and breaks up tight fascia and muscle fibers.
And that bruise you see afterwards? It activates the immune response in what’s known as the HQ-1 system. This has shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and neuromodularity effects in humans.
References:
Lowe DT. Cupping therapy: An analysis of the effects of suction on skin and the possible influence on human health. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2017 Nov;29:162-168. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.09.008. Epub 2017 Sep 14. PMID: 29122256