The Healing Power of Cupping Therapy: How It Enhances Massage and Recovery

Here at Sakalya Massage & Wellness, one of my favorite tools to enhance the healing effects of massage is cupping therapy. This ancient practice has been used for thousands of years in many cultures, and today, it has gained popularity among athletes, bodybuilders, and really anyone who beats up their body. So, if you're looking to relieve deep muscle tension and support recovery this might be the modality for you.

What Is Cupping Therapy?

Cupping therapy uses specialized cups (Glass, silicone, or plastic) that create negative pressure on the muscles and connective tissues. Instead of pressing down like traditional massage, cupping lifts the tissues upward. This unique approach draws blood and lymphatic fluid toward the surface, helping to stimulate circulation, release muscle tension, and support the body’s natural detoxification processes.

When combined with massage therapy, cupping helps the body relax on an even deeper level. The negative pressure created by the cups helps to:

• Calm the nervous system: The suction encourages a parasympathetic response—the body’s “rest and restore” mode—helping you to not only feel grounded and peaceful, but allows the body to heal.

• Hold and release tension and muscle spasms: The cups “hold” tight muscles in place until the nervous system let's go, making it an excellent complement to deep tissue work. I think of it like a tantruming muscle that gets held until it's ready to release all that pent up tension.

• Target trigger points: Cupping can reach those stubborn knots that resist traditional massage, gently coaxing them to release.

• Improve lymphatic and blood flow: This increase in circulation helps move stagnant fluids and supports healing in overworked muscles.

• Effects the deep tissue: MRI's show that cups effect up to three inches down (when using a stationary cup with a pump), effectively giving you a deep tissue massage.

Stationary Cups

Dynamic Cups

Who is this for?

Cupping therapy is especially beneficial for athletes and bodybuilders, but anyone who has overused certain areas or has old injuries would benefit.

For those who are active, during intense training, tiny micro-tears occur in muscle fibers. this is part of how muscles grow stronger. Cupping helps bring old, stagnant blood to the surface and encourages fresh, oxygen-rich blood to flow in, which can speed up recovery and reduce soreness.

If you “beat up” your body through training, sports, or simply living an active lifestyle, cupping offers a powerful way to repair, rejuvenate, and restore.

For those who are doing repetitive motion (typing, playing an instrument, driving, etc) cupping can break up any stuck connective tissue and give the area more space to move. For range of motion issues related to stuck tissues or scar tissue this can be a game changer.

Whether you have a physically demanding job or hobbies that make your body work you'll find cupping can provide relief to old injuries and those areas that just don't move like they used to.

What to Expect with Cupping Therapy at Sakalya Massage & Wellness

I use two different methods of cupping in my office:

• Stationary cupping - available as a cupping add-on. this is done with plastic cups that require a pump to achieve suction. These cups reach up to three inches down and make the round cupping marks you typically see on athletes (think Michael Phelps). they hold the muscle and allow it to soften, often achieving double the work as these can be applied and left while other areas are being worked.

• Dynamic cupping - included with any massage if needed. I utilize this often during fix it massages. Done with silicone cups that are squeezed to get suction. they are moved across the body to break up scar tissue and improve range of motion. They break up all the little adhesions that our sticky connective tissue makes and allows muscles to glide and interstitial fluid to flow better.

Both of these forms of cupping bring blood and lymph to the surface and may give you a "cupping mark" or petechiae. These marks are part of the detox and renew process. They may be tender to the touch for a few days after treatment, but will fade within a few days to a week or two depending on the darkness of the marks brought up.

I am often asked if cupping hurts. While cupping should never be painful, it's not always a comfortable massage method. Dynamic cupping can feel wonderful and can also pinch if it's too much pressure. let me know and I can adjust. Stationary cupping can feel satisfying and can also feel tight uncomfortable. While this feeling doesn't last long with stationary cupping, always let me know if it's beyond your threshold. your treatment won't be better if you're in pain.

Whether you’re looking to recover from workouts or from old injuries, or simply release deep-seated tension, cupping therapy can be a transformative addition to your massage session.

At Sakalya Massage & Wellness, I offer personalized cupping treatments designed to meet your specific needs—so your body can feel balanced, strong, and at ease again.

Curious to experience the effects for yourself? Book a session today at my office in Provo, and discover how cupping can help your body heal from the inside out.