How cupping works and why Olympic athletes use it
Josh Peter, USA TODAY Sports 5:48 p.m. EDT August 8, 2016
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps practices cupping, an ancient Chinese therapy that uses suction to help circulate blood and relieve muscle tension. KPNX
(Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Turns out Michael Phelps and his pals at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre aren’t the only ones who use “cupping” therapy that leaves large purple dots on the body and has created curiosity among fans.
The therapy also is popular among members of the USA track and field team, according to Ralph Reiff, a sports performance expert who said he has worked with more than 100 members of the current U.S. Olympic team.
Reiff, executive director of the St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, said the cupping advocates include LaShawn Merritt, who has recorded the top time in the world this year in the 400 meters.
“It’s very much common in our practice,’’ Reiff said. “We’ve found it to be an effective alternative therapy to add to our toolkit of resources.’’
Reiff said his staff learned about the technique while traveling in China and studying the work of their Chinese counterparts. And how does it work?
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“Think of a traditional suction cup that you might put on a wet window,’’ Reiff said. “It stays there and it creates suction underneath it. It’s the same principle of what the cupping does. It creates a vacuum and lifts the skin up in that space and therefore creates a lift of all the soft tissue.
“Depending on how long you leave it on one particular of place, you get an infusion of fluid in that one area. That’s why you see the marks on some of the athletes. There’s an increase in blood flow to that area.
“Sometimes it actually it breaks up some of the capallaries on the surface of the skin. So that’s why you see the discoloration.’’
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The objective?
“What we’re doing is sort of flossing the soft tissue as we glide up and down and across the muscle tissue,’’ Reiff said. “It really increases motion and gets rid of what we call subtle tissue lesions within certain areas of the body.’’
He said the discoloration can last a week and that reported benefits include speedier recovery and improved muscle movement.
“There’s always a level of a responsibility that we have as practitioners to do what’s ethical and safe,’’ Reiff said, “and this certainly gets very high marks in both of those areas.”
Josh Peter, USA TODAY Sports 5:48 p.m. EDT August 8, 2016
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps practices cupping, an ancient Chinese therapy that uses suction to help circulate blood and relieve muscle tension. KPNX
(Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Turns out Michael Phelps and his pals at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre aren’t the only ones who use “cupping” therapy that leaves large purple dots on the body and has created curiosity among fans.
The therapy also is popular among members of the USA track and field team, according to Ralph Reiff, a sports performance expert who said he has worked with more than 100 members of the current U.S. Olympic team.
Reiff, executive director of the St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, said the cupping advocates include LaShawn Merritt, who has recorded the top time in the world this year in the 400 meters.
“It’s very much common in our practice,’’ Reiff said. “We’ve found it to be an effective alternative therapy to add to our toolkit of resources.’’
Reiff said his staff learned about the technique while traveling in China and studying the work of their Chinese counterparts. And how does it work?
USA TODAY
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“Think of a traditional suction cup that you might put on a wet window,’’ Reiff said. “It stays there and it creates suction underneath it. It’s the same principle of what the cupping does. It creates a vacuum and lifts the skin up in that space and therefore creates a lift of all the soft tissue.
“Depending on how long you leave it on one particular of place, you get an infusion of fluid in that one area. That’s why you see the marks on some of the athletes. There’s an increase in blood flow to that area.
“Sometimes it actually it breaks up some of the capallaries on the surface of the skin. So that’s why you see the discoloration.’’
USA TODAY
Cupping helps heal the USA men's Olympic gymnastics team
The objective?
“What we’re doing is sort of flossing the soft tissue as we glide up and down and across the muscle tissue,’’ Reiff said. “It really increases motion and gets rid of what we call subtle tissue lesions within certain areas of the body.’’
He said the discoloration can last a week and that reported benefits include speedier recovery and improved muscle movement.
“There’s always a level of a responsibility that we have as practitioners to do what’s ethical and safe,’’ Reiff said, “and this certainly gets very high marks in both of those areas.”