Football players, bodybuilders, rowers, gymnasts; sooner or later, they all deal with back pain. Is the type of issue that can compromise performance, seasons, and even careers. That’s why cupping therapy has become a go-to recovery treatment for an athlete’s back.
The hype really took off when the world saw those now-iconic circular marks on Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Since then, cupping therapy has gone from ancient tradition to mainstream solution, used by athletes at every level, from CrossFit to the UFC.
Today, it’s trusted for back pain in the lumbar spine, thoracic spine, and even up into the cervical neck area. Sounds like a solid plan: apply some suction cups to boost mobility, balance, and strength.
Is it better than a massage or a soak in a hot tub? And just as important, do those cupping therapy marks hurt?
Welcome to our cupping therapy 101 guide, we are just getting started.
What is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy is a pain relief technique that uses suction cups to improve blood flow, relax muscles, and support joint mobility. It’s safe and trusted by athletes for everything from muscle recovery to sports injury relief.
The method comes from traditional Chinese medicine, designed to trigger the body’s natural healing response. But how does it actually work?
When the cup creates suction, it gently pulls on your skin, fascia, and underlying tissues. This deep stretch helps reduce inflammation, ease muscle tension, and boost circulation in the area.
Here’s what a typical cupping therapy session looks like at P1:
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The therapist cleans and prepares the treatment area
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Places the cup over the muscle or tight spot
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Creates suction using a pump
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Leaves the cup in place, or glides it with oil
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Removes the cup and checks skin response
That’s how you get those famous circular cupping therapy marks. They are sometimes dark, and totally normal. They don’t hurt and usually fade within a week. No pain, just a visible sign of your body kicking into recovery mode.
The cups can be made of silicone, plastic, or glass. You’ll also find traditional bamboo or ceramic versions. Suction is created either with a manual pump or heat, like in fire cupping.
Types of Cupping Therapy
There are three main types of cupping therapy, using different suction methods and cups. Each one is useful for back pain relief and muscle recovery.
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Dry Cupping Therapy: The most common method. The therapist creates suction and leaves the cup in place. Great for targeting a specific muscle or tight spot.
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Gliding Massage Cupping: This is like combining cupping with massage. The therapist glides the cup across the skin using oil. This covers more surface area and feels smooth, relaxing, and effective.
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Wet Cupping Therapy: This method is less popular, as it requires small incisions to draw out blood. Still, it may be used in some traditional healing settings.
So, is one cupping method better than the others for back pain? Not really. Medical research suggests that all three types of cupping offer similar results when it comes to easing pain, increasing mobility, and aiding recovery.
Benefits of Cupping for Back Pain
Why has cupping therapy become so popular among athletes? Because it works and it’s simple. As a passive recovery technique, cupping helps speed up healing, ease tension, and support mobility so you can get back to full strength.
Athletes often deal with compression, flexion, or traction stress on the spine. Whether it’s from lifting, sprinting, or just grinding through training, back pain can creep in anywhere.
The good thing is that cupping can help you heal from the low back to the cervical neck.
The benefits of cupping work at 3 different levels:
Helps To Release Muscle Tension
The suction you feel with cupping? That is gentle pulling on the skin, working deep into the tissue. Cupping therapy helps release muscle knots, loosen fascia, and reduce tightness in the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and joints.
Cupping is like a deep, passive stretch. No effort required. No pain. Just a gentle pull that helps unlock the area, relieve tension, and promote movement and healing.
Improves Blood Circulation
The second great benefit of cupping is that it improves blood circulation. The vacuum effect draws blood to the area, delivering fresh oxygen and nutrients to tired or damaged tissues.
Better blood flow means faster recovery. That’s a big win for athletes who want to repair, restore, and train again. Cupping helps revitalize the muscles and joints, so you come back feeling fresh.
Stimulates the Immune System
Cupping therapy also activates the lymphatic system, which is part of your body’s natural immune and drainage network. This helps reduce inflammation, flush out toxins, and support tissue repair at a deeper level.
Cupping vs. Other Back Pain Treatments
Of course, in the world of sports, we have plenty of options to speed up recovery. Cupping therapy is one of the most popular alternatives but other techniques like deep tissue massage, dry needling, and HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) have also earned a solid spot in many athletes’ routines.
So how about we run a quick comparison?
Let’s start with deep tissue massage vs cupping. Massage works by applying pressure to break up tension from the outside in. In that sense, cupping does the opposite: it uses suction to lift tissue and stretch from the inside out.
Both massage and cupping work deep in the tissue. So really, it comes down to preference: compression or suction?
Now let’s talk about dry needling vs cupping. Dry needling uses a thin needle to go straight into muscle trigger points and release tension. It’s more precise and can feel intense, especially in tight or injured areas. Cupping therapy, by contrast, covers more surface area and works without piercing the skin.
As we explained in our dry needling vs acupuncture guide, cupping is a great option for anyone who’s not into needles but still wants deep tissue relief.
And then we have HBOT vs cupping. HBOT delivers concentrated oxygen in a pressurized chamber to promote internal healing. You lie back, breathe deeply, and let the oxygen do the work. It’s a full-body recovery experience.
Meanwhile, cupping targets specific problem areas like the upper back or lumbar spine. These two therapies actually work great together: one supports full-system recovery, the other zooms in on muscle relief.
But enough with comparisons. Let’s talk about some real athletes' experiences with cupping.
Why Is Cupping Therapy Preferred by Athletes
What sport doesn’t demand a strong, healthy back? It’s literally your body’s support system on the field, in the gym, and in everyday life.
As an athlete, your body is constantly under pressure. Low back injuries, shoulder pain, knee pain; it adds up. Cupping therapy can help with many of these issues, something both health experts and elite athletes are quick to confirm.
Michael Phelps made cupping mainstream during the 2016 Olympics. When photos of those bold circular marks on his back surfaced, many people had no clue what they were looking at. Was he hurt? Far from it.
He was recovering, healing, and getting stronger.
Cupping was part of his recovery strategy, and it clearly worked. Phelps remains the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 23 gold medals to prove it.
Since then, other big names in football, UFC, and fitness have followed suit.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has posted proudly about his cupping sessions. His verdict? All gain, no pain. As he said:
“Looks more gnarly than it feels… We only get one body, so we gotta take care of it.”
But The Rock is not the only one.
Conor McGregor, former UFC champion, has also spoken openly about using cupping for recovery. And James Harrison, two-time Super Bowl champion and former NFL linebacker, has repeatedly credited both cupping and dry needling for helping him bounce back between brutal matchups.
So as you can see, some of the world’s most respected athletes swear by it. Do they look worried about the marks? They are not. They are smiling and getting ready for the next big game.
Is Cupping Therapy Safe?
At this point, “does cupping therapy work?” isn’t the question anymore. What matters is making sure it’s performed by sports medicine practitioners and physical therapists.
The biggest concern for most people are the cupping marks. Yes, those dark circular spots are real, but they are not traditional bruises. They are simply the result of increased blood flow under the skin.
These cupping therapy marks are painless and usually fade within a few days to a week. They don’t hurt during or after your session, and they don’t leave any lasting effects.
Still, like with any recovery treatment, there are a few minor and rare side effects to be aware of. Some people may feel mild soreness or temporary skin sensitivity after their first session. In very rare cases, if not done correctly, cupping can cause broken capillaries or slight skin irritation.
This is another reason why it’s important to go to a licensed pro.
Where to Get Professional Cupping Therapy
There’s plenty of evidence showing how cupping therapy helps relieve back pain. Even more, you can get it for your knees, shoulders, arms, or anywhere your body needs to heal. It’s pain-free, effective, and trusted by champions.
As one of Utah’s top fitness and wellness centers, we offer professional cupping therapy alongside a full lineup of recovery services. For more than 10 years, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and individuals managing chronic pain have come to P1 to move better, feel stronger, and recover faster.
So why choose cupping therapy at P1? Because we have cutting-edge equipment and the best team of physical therapists and personal trainers in the state, we help you take care of your body the right way.
Try The Best Cupping Therapy for Athletes at P1
If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s the time. Book a 20-minute Cupping Massage right here at P1 and experience it for yourself.
Want to feel stronger? We’ve got your back.