What Is Cupping?
Cupping is an age-old practice that has been used in the treatment of many ailments and diseases related to muscle and bones, like backache, neck pain, and shoulder pain, as well as conditions like high blood pressure. Cupping dates back to 1550 BC, which is also known as Al-Hijamah, meaning "to restore back to original form and size," and was widely used by ancient Arabs for high blood pressure, drug intoxication, and headaches. Cupping is an economical and non-surgical option that acts as an adjunct treatment for physicians who treat muscular and skeletal injuries and ailments.
Today, cupping is mostly used by Eastern medicine practitioners and is accepted as an official medicinal practice in China and Korea. Numerous techniques have evolved with time. However, the technique of creating a negative-pressure vaccine using a cup remains the most common of all. Generally, small round cups of thick glass with rolled rims to ensure uniform and airtight contact with the skin are used. Negative pressure is induced by either a hand-held pump or warming it using a direct flame. Lubricants are also applied to include a greater surface area of skin inside the small cups. Cupping is mainly of two types -
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Dry Cupping -This type of cupping pulls out the skin without scarifications or incisions.
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Wet Cupping- In this type, the blood is drawn out using a laceration to draw the blood into the cup.
The most common sites for cupping are the trunk, chest, stomach, and hips. Disinfectants are used before making the incision and after the cupping is finished. This is done to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
How Is Cupping Therapy Useful In Sports?
In recent years, cupping has gained popularity in healthcare as well as sports. Athletes from various disciplines, including basketball, track and field, swimming, and cycling, have incorporated cupping into their training as well as rehabilitation during the recovery. The suction or negative pressure vacuum created by cupping helps relax and heal the ill or painful area, which relieves muscle tension. Following are some of the benefits sportsmen and athletes can derive from cupping therapy.
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Effective Muscle Recovery- Sports athletes often push their bodies to an extreme extent, resulting in muscle soreness and tiredness. Cupping therapy helps to initiate blood flow and lymphatic circulation, which speeds up the process of recovery. By increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to muscles, cupping can help discard the waste products that act as toxins like lactic acid, which is the main culprit of muscle stiffness. Hence, cupping allows athletes to recover faster and reduce muscle rigidity.
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Pain Relief- Athletes very often experience muscle and joint pain as a result of intense training and competition. Cupping therapy helps to lessen the pain by reducing inflammation and enhancing the release of endorphins, which are natural pain-relieving substances that are made by the body itself. The suction created by cups also helps to loosen the rigid muscles and improve the range of motion, providing relief from aches caused by stiff muscles or trigger points.
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Injury Prevention- Cupping therapy can be used as a proactive practice to reduce the risk of injury. Cupping improves blood circulation and reduces the stress on muscles, and the therapy helps athletes maintain good muscle function and flexibility. When muscles are in a relaxed state, they are less prone to strain or tear due to overexertion during physical activity, reducing the risk of injury.
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Stress Reduction- Participating in sports at a higher level can be mentally and emotionally taxing. Cupping therapy provides athletes with a means of relaxation and stress relief. The suction effects activate the mechanism in the body that is responsible for maintaining calmness and a state of relaxation. This helps the sportsman to manage the stress and anxiety before and after a competition, facilitating better focus and performance.
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Performance Enhancement- Cupping therapy can potentially enhance an athlete’s performance by improving blood circulation and oxygen uptake. The increased supply of oxygen to muscles can enhance endurance and stamina, enabling athletes to train harder and perform better. Improved muscle recovery also allows athletes to maintain optimal performance over a longer period, leading to better results in competitions.
Cupping is safe but needs good training along with strict sterilization of the armamentarium. The procedure leaves temporary marks on the skin. The origin of these red, erythematous popped-up marks should be explained to the patient as well as the health care physician so that they would be taken as a sign of any injury or abuse. Cupping can cause a persistent skin rash and discoloration, scars, and burns. It can lead to a deterioration of acne or psoriasis i.e. the inflammation of skin. Although rare, severe side effects such as bleeding inside the skull (cupping done on the scalp) and extreme loss of blood causing anemia, which mostly happens after wet cupping, are also seen if any underlying condition is prevalent with the patient. The major and common drawback of cupping arises from poor sterilization, which leads to infection due to cross-contamination. Using the same equipment on more than a single person without sterilization between the two patients results in the spread of bloodborne diseases such as Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Conclusion:
While cupping therapy has shown promising benefits for sports athletes, it is important to note that it should be performed by a trained and licensed professional. Cupping should be tailored to an individual athlete’s need and integrated into a comprehensive training and recovery program. As with any treatment modality, it is essential to consult with a specialist physician before including cupping therapy into an athlete's routine. Cupping therapy offers numerous benefits to sports athletes, including effective muscle recovery, pain relief, injury prevention, stress reduction, and potentially enhanced performance. With its growing popularity and positive results reported by professional athletes, cupping therapy has become an increasingly attractive option for sports seeking an edge in training and recovery strategies.
