Cupping & Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Therapeutic Cupping
Cupping is a traditional therapy that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. In physical therapy, cupping involves placing cups on the skin and creating a vacuum to stimulate blood flow and promote healing in the affected area.
Cupping is believed to help reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle tension by bringing increased blood flow to the area and providing a light stretch to the skin, fascia, tendons, and muscle underneath the cup.
I often describe the other main feature of cupping as the opposite of a massage. With massage techniques, we are most often pressing down into the tissue. Moving in the opposite direction, lifting the tissue up, can feel just as nice and help give a different sensation and stretch to the tissue. It can be an effective treatment option for conditions such as back pain, arthritis, tendon injuries and more.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Instrument assisted soft tissue work is a unique way to mobilize, massage, or desensitize injured or unhappy muscles and tendons. By using a metal tool that doesn’t have any give to it (like my hands), I am able to grade my pressure and angle to work deeper or more tissue. I have found great results in various tendon injuries such as plantar fasciitis, tennis/golfers elbow, and achilles tendon injuries. Another particular benefit is providing a novel, or unique stimulus to the area. Often times the nervous system needs an external stimulus to help hit the reset button, and instrument assisted techniques can be perfect for this situation.
Cupping is a traditional therapy that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. In physical therapy, cupping involves placing cups on the skin and creating a vacuum to stimulate blood flow and promote healing in the affected area.
Cupping is believed to help reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle tension by bringing increased blood flow to the area and providing a light stretch to the skin, fascia, tendons, and muscle underneath the cup.
I often describe the other main feature of cupping as the opposite of a massage. With massage techniques, we are most often pressing down into the tissue. Moving in the opposite direction, lifting the tissue up, can feel just as nice and help give a different sensation and stretch to the tissue. It can be an effective treatment option for conditions such as back pain, arthritis, tendon injuries and more.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Instrument assisted soft tissue work is a unique way to mobilize, massage, or desensitize injured or unhappy muscles and tendons. By using a metal tool that doesn’t have any give to it (like my hands), I am able to grade my pressure and angle to work deeper or more tissue. I have found great results in various tendon injuries such as plantar fasciitis, tennis/golfers elbow, and achilles tendon injuries. Another particular benefit is providing a novel, or unique stimulus to the area. Often times the nervous system needs an external stimulus to help hit the reset button, and instrument assisted techniques can be perfect for this situation.
