Myofascial Cupping

The Benefits of Myofascial Cupping Massage

Deep Muscle Tension

Your fascia is a system of many smooth, wavy bands of connective tissue wrapping around your muscles, organs, and skeletal system. The surrounding connective tissue is also affected when you experience an injury or feel tension along your fascia. Myofascial cupping effectively targets the tense area and smooths the surrounding tissue.  

Rapid Healing

Myofascial cupping uses a combination of multiple cups to apply suction and one cup at a time to glide over your muscles. Once the massage cup is in place, your registered massage therapist will move the cup along your body, loosening the soft tissues underneath. This technique separates the sticky fascia making it easier to massage away tension and improve the rate at which your muscles can heal. 

Pain Relief

Myofascial cupping massage is also a great way to treat chronic pain in muscle tissues. The gliding technique gets to the core of your discomfort, breaking up adhesions and stimulating deep healing. The full effects from the therapy generally take a day or two to be fully felt, but you’ll notice a difference in pain relief. 

What Is Myofascial Massage?

What Is Cupping?

Cupping helps separate the soft tissues, massaging and softening them. The practice of cupping involves placing a series of silicone or plastic cups along your body. When the cups are in place, the air is removed, creating negative pressure (or suction) against your skin. The process is repeated all over your body and limbs, focusing on your points of greatest tension.

What to Expect During the Appointment

When you sustain an injury to your muscles and fascia layer, it’s essential to treat the location of the damage and the surrounding tissues. Fascia is a system of ribbon-like soft tissue that connects and surrounds your muscles. In myofascial cupping, the cups are placed on your body, then glided up and down your skin to loosen up the tissue and smooth out tension. While other cupping methods use glass cups, myofascial cupping uses plastic or silicone cups. 

The Results of Myofascial Cupping Massage

The movement of massage cups along your body and the negative pressure they impose on the skin helps reach the soft fascia tissue to break up knots. Your muscles might feel sore for a day or two after the procedure as your soft tissues heal and repair themselves, but after that, you’ll feel great. Most patients feel an increased range of motion and less overall pain after a myofascial cupping appointment.

Myofascial Cupping Massage in St. Albert

Whole-Body Healing

Myofascial cupping massage does more than heal tense muscles. Fascia can pull joints out of place, causing strain, pain, and limited mobility. Treating your tight fascia also helps to improve joint motion, especially in your knees, hips, and elbows. 

Boost Your Immunity

Cupping techniques draw blood up to the skin to increase circulation and blood flow and help stimulate the lymph. This provides a boost to your lymph system and your immunity, helping to detoxify your body and support overall good health. 

Sleep Better

Massage therapy releases serotonin, the hormone responsible for feeling calm. When your tense muscles heal and your range of motion improves, you’ll feel less discomfort in your body. Fewer aches and pains lead to better sleep management.  

What You Should Know Before You Book an Appointment

The Benefits of Myofascial Cupping

We recommend myofascial cupping for clients seeking relief from deep muscle pain or who have sensitive trigger points. Myofascial cupping can also reduce digestive discomfort, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. The treatment is also beneficial for stimulating circulation. Myofascial cupping can be paired with other massage therapies for better results. 

Results Are Not Immediate

The results of myofascial cupping are not immediate. It generally requires a few days for the muscles and soft tissues to repair themselves and feel less tense. The day or two following your treatment may cause your tension and discomfort to increase as the fascia loosens. This is a completely normal progression and should be expected.

Relieve Chronic Pain

Suffering from chronic muscle pain can cause a chain of other health concerns, such as interrupted sleep patterns, limited mobility, and increased stress levels. The relief provided by the suction effect of myofascial cupping releases the built-up muscle tensions. A day or two after your appointment, you’ll feel the results, making it easier to sleep.

Safety and Risks

Myofascial cupping massage is a low-risk massage treatment suitable for most people seeking relief from muscle tension. However, cupping therapy is not recommended if you have a bleeding disorder, blood clotting problems, epilepsy, or certain skin conditions. If you’re concerned, you should consult your physician before making an appointment. 

Myofascial Cupping Massage FAQs 

Will the cups bruise my skin?
Myofascial cupping does not bruise but can leave red and purple circular marks on the skin. You will likely have some redness to your skin along the treated areas, but these will clear up a day or so after the appointment. 

How long does the redness last?
The redness on your skin left by the cups will last a day or two, depending on your sensitivity. We recommend planning ahead and not booking myofascial cupping right before a beach vacation or important event if you’re concerned about marks showing on your skin.

Does cupping hurt?
While cupping should never hurt, the procedure can feel odd if it is your first time. The cups are secured to your skin using negative pressure or suction. You may even feel a slight discomfort over the areas with the most tension. Our registered massage therapists will check in with you throughout the session to see how you are feeling. If you have questions during the treatment or feel discomfort, we welcome you to let us know at any time.

Enjoy the Benefits of Myofascial Cupping Massage

If you’re looking for an effective massage treatment for muscle tension, chronic pain, or deep trigger spots, we recommend giving myofascial cupping a try. Ask one of our experienced therapists about the benefits of myofascial cupping and how cupping can help improve your massage experience.