With the Olympics underway this year, all eyes are on the competitors.
A wide variety of sports, including archery, shooting, athletics, and gymnastics, are currently being played around Paris, France.
Swimming is a popular activity among spectators, and this year there are an astounding 854 competitors representing 187 different nations.
You may have noticed a recurring feature among some of the swimmers, though, and that is the peculiar dark red circles they wear on their backs.
Even though it appears as though they lost a battle with an octopus, the strange markings have a completely different explanation.
It turns out that the huge blotches are the result of cupping therapy, an age-old medicinal method in which cups are applied to the skin to induce suction and improve blood flow.
The non-traditional technique is applied as a form of deep tissue massage and is intended to aid with muscle repair.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, some competitors were seen sporting bruises from cupping therapy, and it appears that popularity has continued to this day.
In 2016, gymnast Alexander Naddour claimed to USA Today that cupping was the “secret” to his good health.
“It’s been better than any money I’ve spent on anything else,” he continued.
Basketball player Kyle Singler has also lauded cupping therapy outside of the Games.
He had earlier insisted, “The bruises do look more intense than what they actually feel like, but the benefit from it is really great.”
“You’re not necessarily getting the immediate response that you might want, but over time it does help with recovery and loosening tissue and stuff like that,” Singler went on to say to Sports Illustrated.
But do professionals believe that cupping therapy is effective? It appears that more work needs to be done.
Studies have suggested that cupping may offer some treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal and sports-related ailments, according to Harvard Health. But this evidence’s quality was “limited.”
Another review from 2022 discovered that wet cupping, as opposed to dry cupping, was beneficial for treating lower back pain.
Even though cupping causes some rather painful bruising, the technique is widely accepted as safe to use, even though opinions on its efficacy are divided.
Most professionals concur that cupping is secure. According to Harvard Health, adverse effects are often restricted to the pinch felt during skin suction, as long as the patient is okay with the circular discolorations (which go away over a few days or weeks).
“Skin infections have been reported, but it’s highly unlikely that cupping causes any serious issues.”
