Sports
Does Cupping Therapy Work? What the Science Says
Rafael Tambascia evaluates the risk-benefit ratio of the ancient practice and explains how to check for quality scientific evidence.
Popularized by elite athletes, cupping therapy divides opinions between reported relief and scientific evidence. Physical therapist Rafael Tambascia analyzes the real effects of the technique and explains how to filter health information online.
The circular purple marks on the backs of elite swimmers captured global attention at the Olympic Games, most notably on Michael Phelps. Since then, cupping therapy has spread across gyms, training groups, and clinics as a supposed essential tool for muscle recovery. But behind the visual appeal and the ancient roots of traditional Chinese medicine, what does sports science actually prove about the practice?
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Risk, benefit, and the perception of relief
In an episode of Stemma Performance dedicated to sports recovery myths alongside Bruna Mahn, physical therapist Rafael Tambascia emphasized the importance of weighing the technique's risk-benefit ratio. To create suction, cupping causes ruptured capillaries, bruising, and minor superficial tissue damage. Compared to conservative alternatives—such as gentle manual manipulation, massage, or functional taping—the procedure inflicts greater tissue trauma.
Even so, many athletes report immediate pain relief. According to Tambascia, this subjective feeling of relief is real for both the practitioner and the recipient, but it should not be confused with the mechanical resolution of injuries or accelerated recovery supported by high-quality literature.
How to validate information in the era of misinformation
With the proliferation of social media content, where simply wearing a lab coat can convey instant authority, sports consumers must strengthen their filters. Rafael Tambascia suggests that athletes and active individuals use modern tools, including artificial intelligence, to verify the level of evidence behind common clinical claims—such as using cupping for lower back pain or spinal issues.
The specialist's recommendation is to conduct searches with rigorous criteria, demanding methodologically sound studies published in high-impact journals rather than accepting isolated studies or biased, predatory reviews. At the same time, he cautions that technology is meant for critical inquiry, not for diagnosing, prescribing treatments, or replacing an individualized assessment by a healthcare professional.
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