Cupping, an ancient technique aimed at stimulating blood flow, has attracted attention for its striking markings.
When the Italian nadador Nicolo Martinenghi won on sunday the 100 meter breaststrokeshowed off some very striking marks on his body. He is not the first athlete to show off these spots that almost look like bruises..
He swimmer Michael Phelps He also had them during several competitions, like the football player Karim Benzema and the boxeador Floyd Mayweather. It is not only common among athletes, famous as Justin Bieber, Jennifer Aniston y Gwyneth Paltrow They have also shown the same brands.
But what exactly are they?
It is the result of the cupping therapya ancient chinese technique It is often used to relieve pain and inflammation in specific parts of the body.
The traditional method consists of putting a substance such as alcohol, herbs or paper into a cup and set it on fire. When the fire stops, the cup is placed on the skin face down creating a vacuum. The more modern version uses a rubber bomb instead of fire. The vacuum causes the skin to rise and helps dilate blood vesselswhich lasts between 5 and 10 minutes.
This technique It has been used for many years in China, Egypt and other Middle Eastern cultures to treat various conditions, such as pain, vertigo and menstrual discomfort. It is even one of the “best remedies“recommended by the prophet Muhammad.
Although the treatment is often advertised as offering detoxification of the body, relieving muscle pain and even helping with stress and anxiety, the medical community is divided over its effectiveness.
Currently, there are little scientific evidence of its benefits. In 2023, a study evaluated the effects of cupping therapy on musculoskeletal and sports rehabilitation analyzing case series studies published between 1990 and 2019.
He concluded that while “cupping therapy has low to moderate evidence in musculoskeletal and sports rehabilitation, it could be used as a useful intervention because It reduces the level of pain and improves blood flow to the affected area with low adverse effects.“
The report showed that the incidence of adverse effects is very low; the most common are the marks left on the body, which can last up to seven days after treatment. However, as is often the case with unconventional medical practices, not all scientists agree.
In France, host country of the Olympic Gamesthe national association of massage therapists and physical therapists banned the practice in 2021 after considering that the demonstrated benefits do not outweigh the risks.
