At first glance, it looks like Michael Phelps is competing in Rio for the red, white and bruised.
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“I’ve been doing it for a while”, Phelps said after cruising into the semifinal of the 200-meter butterfly, a race he hasn’t lost at the Olympics since 2000.
“I don’t remember almost as much of 2012 as I thought I did”, she said. “Michael put his arm around me and was like, ‘Hey man, take it easy, you’re going to make me cry”. However, while the therapy dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures, it has been less popular among more skeptical Western medical societies.
This is done in an effort to increase blood flow to certain areas as a means to alleviate soreness.
Pressurised cups are placed on the skin and the suction causes capillaries just beneath the surface to rupture. It last only a few minutes and can result in golf ball-sized bruises.
But he added: “It’s just another recovery modality”.
You can catch a glimpse of the cupping marks in the video below, after Phelps and the rest of the USA 4×100 team captures the gold.
Celebrities have embraced the cupping craze, however, with Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston all spotted with the tell-tale marks on their bodies. Another gold medal around Phelps’ neck is a pretty good way to divert the eyes.
Four years ago in London, Franklin claimed five medals – four gold – and became a darling of the Games.
If there’s a lot of tension or toxins in the muscles, dark hickeys could be left behind. “It depends on the reaction of the body and the condition that we’re treating”, Mitchell said.
“A massage heals by pushing in to the muscles and cupping helps by pulling muscles, separating the layers and allowing for circulation”, Clark said.
“There is a psychological component”, admitted Robinson.
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Reiff, executive director of the St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, said the cupping advocates include LaShawn Merritt, who has recorded the top time in the world this year in the 400 meters. It doesn’t hurt. Eric adds, “No it doesn’t hurt, feels good actually”. But if you believe it works, you’re likely to perceive that it’s beneficial.
