Cupping cure Did Cupping help Michael Phelps achieve his gold medal?

US swimming star wins one gold medal after another - thanks cupping?
The US swimmer Michael Phelps was repeatedly seen at the Olympic Games in Rio with strange spots. It is now known that the circles came from cupping. The most successful Olympian has long relied on the ancient healing method.

Olympic champion with strange spots
The American Michael Phelps is considered the most successful participant in the Summer Olympics so far. In the last few days, the swimmer won further gold medals at the Rio Games. The world public saw him with strange circular bruises spread over his upper body. Meanwhile, it is known how it came to the colored circles. The athlete had let himself be cupped.

US swimmer Michael Phelps won several gold medals at the Rio Olympics. It could be cupped before the competitions. (Image: sylv1rob1 / fotolia.com)

Ancient therapy method
Cupping (Cupping) is an ancient method of therapy that dates back to the 3300 BC. Goes back. It has been widely used in India, Egypt and Greece. Also in Chinese medicine, the cupping process established itself. The method is probably the most well-known diversion method that can help against numerous complaints.

Bloodless and bloody cupping
Often cupping glasses made of glass or plastic are used, which are provided with a rubber ball. These vessels are applied to the area to be treated and by squeezing the rubber ball, they suck on the skin. Sometimes it works with an electric vacuum pump, with which a cupping massage is possible. The bloody cupping is scratched the skin.

The vacuum created during cupping usually leaves stains, sometimes bruises. According to media reports, Phelps should have kept the suckers on their skin for about five minutes.

Together with other forms of therapy
The areas of application of the cupping are manifold. The method is used among other things in lumbago or tension, or in low blood pressure, high blood pressure, stomach problems and many other complaints. Cupping is usually not used alone, but with other forms of therapy.

Evidence of effectiveness
Although it is often criticized that there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the method, in various studies cupping has been credited with positive effects. Berlin researchers reported several years ago that cupping can relieve knee pain. And according to a review of 135 studies on cupping, the therapy could have a positive effect on some diseases, such as herpes zoster.

Gold medalist can be cupped before race
With Michael Phelps, the method seems to have very positive effects. At the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro alone he won five gold medals. According to media reports, the swimmer said that he has been using the "cupping" method for some time before races. He looked for the method apparently with the US swimmer Natalie Coughlin from California.

The athlete, who has also won several gold medals at the Olympics in the past, said in an interview with the British Daily Mail that she introduced Phelps to the lawsuit some ten years ago. She said swimmers would see stains as "badges of honor" because they were signs of aching muscles, hard workouts, and long periods in the pool. (Ad)