Why cupping therapy is so popular among celebs and athletes and whether it’s right for you – Insider

If you watched the Olympics or even a red carpet event recently, you might be wondering why some athletes and celebrities are donning giant reddish-purple bruises on their backs.

Those bruises are side effects of a type of sports therapy called "cupping." To figure out what cupping therapy really does, we spoke to two sports medicine doctors about the science behind the practice.

Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine commonly used to treat muscle pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. It may be beneficial to anyone experiencing muscle tension or tightness, not just athletes. During cupping therapy, multiple suction cups, made of glass or plastic, are applied to certain areas of your body.

Cupping therapy is actually just a nickname for the practice the medical term for it is myofascial decompression. Myofascia is the connective tissue that binds muscles to the skin. As the name suggests, cupping helps relieve pressure when connective tissues become tight. The tightness can happen for many reasons including:

"When connective tissue becomes adhered and restricted, it prevents us from moving smoothly and can lead to tightness," says Aaron Arreola, a physical therapist and assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Management at Texas Tech University. "We want to separate those tissue layers to let them slide past one another more freely."

Cupping therapy tends to cost around $30 to $80 per treatment. Part of the cost may be covered by some insurance providers. These services must also be conducted by a licensed healthcare professional.

The best way to find out if your health insurance plan covers cupping therapy or other types of alternative medical practices is to contact your insurance provider.

Cupping therapy can relieve muscle tension and help athletes, in particular, recover by increasing blood flow to certain areas of the body which can decrease stiffness and improve mobility, says J.P Bramhall, MD, the director of Sports Medicine at Texas A&M University.

There are many purported benefits of cupping therapy that haven't been confirmed by research. These include:

Additionally, some research about cupping therapy explains that perceived muscle relief could be due to the placebo effect. This means although it may feel like the treatment worked, there are no physical effects.

There are, however, some benefits of cupping therapy that have been backed by scientific research:

It's important to communicate openly with your provider so they can help you decide what type of treatment is the best fit for your needs and health goals, says Arreola.

Sometimes, your provider may recommend cupping therapy in conjunction with other alternative medical treatments to relieve muscle tension. These include:

When done correctly, cupping therapy is generally safe and won't cause major side effects, says Arreola. Some side effects that can occur after cupping include:

Medical term: Cupping marks are circular bruises that appear where the cups were placed and can last for a few days or up to a few weeks. The severity or color of the bruises does not indicate how well the treatment may or may not have worked, says Arreola.

You may also experience some pain during the treatment, explains Arreola. While it may be uncomfortable, it shouldn't be intolerable.

Although the side effects of cupping therapy are minimal, it can cause adverse effects, like burns or skin infections, in people with specific health conditions, says Bramhall.

People with the following health conditions may want to avoid cupping therapy:

While some people experience muscle relief from cupping, others may not. "The results are really variable so it is difficult to know who will respond," says Bramhall.

While you can order a cupping set online, you should always seek a professional to do the treatment, says Arreola. "There are specific protocols and techniques to treat various conditions and tissue limitations that most untrained people don't know about."

Cupping therapy can alleviate muscle pain and aid in sports recovery. It's generally safe for everyone, but you might not need it; before booking an appointment, talk to a health professional about whether this type of therapy will be beneficial for your specific needs. It's also important to remember that cupping therapy results vary from person to person, so be open to other treatment options if cupping doesn't work for you.

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Why cupping therapy is so popular among celebs and athletes and whether it's right for you - Insider