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Cupping Therapy
Reviewed by Andrew Macdonald, Senior Physiotherapist — AHPRA registered, APA member
What is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping uses specialised cups placed on the skin to create gentle suction, drawing the underlying tissue upward. This has an almost opposite effect to typical hands-on pressure — instead of pressing down into tight tissue, cupping lifts and decompresses it, which can help release tension and restrictions in the muscle and fascia that are harder to reach with other techniques.
What It Helps With
Cupping is generally used as a complement to manual therapy and dry needling for muscle tightness, restricted movement, and areas of persistent tension — commonly through the back, shoulders and neck.
What to Expect
You’ll feel a pulling or suction sensation while the cups are in place, which is generally well tolerated. Cupping commonly leaves temporary circular marks on the skin, ranging from mild redness to more noticeable discolouration depending on how much tension was in the tissue — these aren’t bruises in the traditional sense and typically fade within a few days to a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is cupping therapy used for?
Cupping is used to release tight, restricted fascia and muscle tissue — commonly through the back, shoulders and neck — as part of a broader manual therapy treatment plan, rather than as a standalone treatment.
Does cupping leave marks or bruises?
Yes, temporary circular marks are common and expected — they range from mild redness to more noticeable discolouration depending on how tight the underlying tissue was. They're not harmful and typically fade within a few days to a week.
Is cupping painful?
Most people find cupping comfortable — you'll feel a pulling or suction sensation rather than pain. Any soreness afterward is usually mild and similar to how tissue feels after other manual therapy techniques.
How is cupping different from other manual therapy?
Most manual therapy techniques apply pressure into the tissue, while cupping uses suction to lift and decompress it — a different mechanism that can reach tension in a way pressure-based techniques don't. Andrew uses it alongside other manual therapy rather than in isolation.
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