Elite Chiropractic & Sport is located in Columbia, Howard County happily serving all of Maryland
By Jay Patel
If you have been watching the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, then you have probably noticed the circular “bruises” on athletes competing at this year’s games. These “bruises” are a result from a form of therapy called cupping. Cupping is an ancient form of therapy that has been used in Asian and Middle Eastern countries for hundreds of years. Cupping is when round glass cups are warmed and placed on areas of the body which are believed to be sore and a vacuum is created to stimulate muscles and create blood flow to speed up recovery and relieve pain. So those “bruises” you see are the capillaries bursting where the cupping is occurring.
While there is a lack of scientific evidence to say cupping is effective, athletes from around the world swear by this method of therapy. Cupping not only for athletes with sore muscles but also may help a variety of ailments: muscle issues, arthritis, pain relief, etc. Pulling, tight, and pressure are the words typically used to describe cupping.
What are those red circles?
What is Cupping?