What the cup? Cupping/Myofascial Cupping
- Lukas Vojnar
- May 16, 2024
- 2 min read
You've heard about it and seen it, yet you have no idea what it does or why...you are not alone. Let's dive in.
Integrating Cupping Therapy into Massage Practice for Myofascial Release
Cupping therapy, especially myofascial cupping, has become popular as a complementary therapeutic method to massage therapy. I want to talk about the use of cupping therapy, mostly myofascial cupping, in massage practice to improve myofascial release, relieve musculoskeletal tension, and promote overall well-being.
What Is Cupping?
Cupping therapy is a very ancient (1550 B.C.) therapeutic practice, that involves placing cups on the skin to produce suction. This suction helps to lift and separate tissue layers, resulting in improved blood flow, lymphatic drainage, and tissue mobilisation. Myofascial cupping focuses on the fascial system, releasing limitations and adhesions to increase mobility and alleviate pain.
Techniques of Myofascial Cupping:
Myofascial cupping involves the application of plastic or glass cups onto the skin. The cups are moved around or left in place to produce a mild pulling sensation that helps release tension and adhesions in the fascial tissue. Depending on the client's needs and goals, the therapist might use a variety of cupping techniques, such as stationary cupping, gliding cupping, or dynamic cupping.
Integrating myofascial cupping into massage practice offers several potential benefits for clients:
Improved Circulation: Myofascial cupping increases blood flow to the treated area, letting numerous nutrients and oxygen to reach the tissues while also helping the removal of metabolic waste products ( Lactic acid, CO2, Urea)
Improved Myofascial Release and increased tissue mobility: The cups' gentle pulling motion aids in the release of tension and adhesions within the fascia, resulting in better mobility and flexibility.
Pain Relief: Myofascial cupping can help clients with chronic pain or musculoskeletal injuries by releasing muscular tension, reducing pain, and improving range of motion.
Relaxation and stress reduction: Myofascial cupping's calming sensation can induce relaxation and reduce tension, producing a sense of calm and overall relaxation.
Integration into Massage Practice
Therapists can incorporate myofascial cupping into their massage practice as part treatment. Cupping therapy can be performed alone or in combination with other massage techniques, such as Sports massage, deep tissue massage, Dry needling and trigger point therapy, to meet the individuals needs.
Conclusion
To summarise, myofascial cupping is a beneficial addition to massage therapy, providing a non-invasive and effective method of myofascial release and pain treatment. Adding cupping therapy to massage sessions can help therapists better address musculoskeletal concerns, relieve tension, and increase the general well-being of their clients. With adequate training and expert application, myofascial cupping has the potential to become a crucial instrument in massage therapists' toolkits, giving a holistic approach to healing and recovery.
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