What is cupping therapy, and does it work?

You’ve probably seen the circular marks on swimmers and other athletes and wondered what happened to them. That’s cupping — and as a cupping-certified therapist, I get a lot of questions about it. Here’s a straight explanation of what it is and whether it’s worth your time.

What cupping actually is

Most massage works by pressing into tissue. Cupping does the opposite — it uses suction cups to gently lift and decompress the tissue underneath. That change in direction can reach things compression sometimes can’t, helping release tight areas and create a bit of space in stuck tissue.

There are a couple of common approaches:

• Static cupping — cups are placed and left in one spot for a few minutes.
• Sliding (or moving) cupping — cups are glided across an area with a little oil, almost like a reverse massage stroke.

I’ll often fold cupping into a session as one tool among several, based on what your tissue needs.

What it feels like — and those marks

Cupping feels like a firm pulling or stretching sensation — different from regular massage pressure, but not painful when done well. Many people find it oddly relaxing.

About the marks: they’re not bruises in the usual sense, and they don’t mean you were injured. They’re a normal response to the suction, they’re painless, and they typically fade within a few days to about a week. If marks aren’t your thing, just tell me — we can keep it light or skip it.

Does it work?

Here’s my honest take. Many people — including plenty of athletes — find cupping genuinely helpful for tension, mobility, and recovery, and it’s a low-risk technique. That said, the formal research is still limited and mixed, so I won’t oversell it as a miracle. I treat it as a useful tool that works well for some people and some issues, not a cure for everything.

Who should be cautious

Cupping isn’t for everyone. It’s generally avoided over broken or irritated skin, and people with certain conditions (like bleeding disorders) or who are pregnant should check with me — and their doctor — first. I’ll always screen for this before we use it.

Curious whether cupping might help what you’re dealing with? Book a session and we can try it as part of your work and see how your body responds.