Could "cupping" help you too?
LOS ANGELES, CA - Should you try cupping? You might not be an Olympian, but who doesn't have an achy back or a sore shoulder? Cupping could be for you! Everyone is talking about the round, bruised-looking marks suddenly popping up on our favorite competitors at the Olympics.
It's actually nothing new- and we don't mean that because the mark have also been spotted on celebs on the red carpet. Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy that the athletes are using for pain treatment and to help speed recovery. With fire cupping, briefly heated cups are placed on the skin to create a vacuum. The suction pulls blood circulation into knotted, tense muscles, which helps them to release.
It's been been described as "a reverse massage." But does it hurt? People who’ve tried it say it’s actually, very relaxing.
A relaxing massage? We could get into that, even if we aren't competing in the 100m freestyle and pushing our bodies to the limit everyday. Our jobs don't require us to wear Speedos- so the marks - which usually last 4 to 10 days- wouldn't even show.
If it’s good enough for Michael Phelps, it’s good enough for us.