Two of our favourite techniques to incorporate into massage therapy are myofascial release and cupping therapy. Both techniques have an effect on fascia. We're going to focus on cupping therapy in this post but before we do that, let's briefly talk about what fascia is.

Fascia and Cupping Therapy

Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds all of your muscles and is continuous throughout the entire body. Like with muscles, dysfunction can arise and cause limited range of motion, pain and stiffness. Both myofascial release and cupping therapy work to reduce fascial restrictions and realign the fibres. Cupping therapy also assists in reducing muscle adhesion and increasing blood flow to the area being treated.

Cupping Therapy at Energize Health

We offer several types of cupping therapy at the clinic: fire (in acupuncture), suction cupping and vacutherapy. Both suction cupping and vacutherapy are techniques used in massage therapy at our clinic; in suction cupping, an air pump is used to remove the air and create a suction effect on the skin and tissue whereas in vacutherapy, we use a powered suction device and are able to customize the level of suction pressure and whether we want the suction to be continuous or interval. When we incorporate cupping into our patients’ appointments, we first apply lotion to the area being treated to reduce friction discomfort and we tend to keep the cups moving over the skin instead of leaving them stationary. Moving the cups while they are suctioned creates a massage-like effect and this has many benefits: it promotes the flow of blood to the muscles and tissues by decompressing the area, and relaxes tight muscles. Moving the cups also reduces the circular markings that can appear after cupping is performed but some marking and reddening of the skin is expected.

Conditions Treated A variety of conditions can be treated with cupping therapy including:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Tendonitis
• migraines/headaches
• Trigger Points (“knots”)
• muscle aches
• chronic pain
• low back pain
• IT Band Syndrome

What to Expect from a Cupping Therapy Appointment

Depending on the area being treated, cupping can cause moderate discomfort and, despite moving the cups during treatment, it can leave markings on the skin post-treatment that usually last a few hours to a few days. Much like deep tissue massage, tenderness in the area treated is possible but usually only lasts as long as the markings remain. Incorporating cupping therapy into massage treatments often helps reduce restrictions and adhesion faster than therapeutic or deep tissue massage alone. It is very effective in the treatment of stubborn and chronic conditions, and has helped many of our patients feel better, faster. Are you curious about cupping and want to learn more? You can find more information on our cupping page. If you would like to book an appointment or have any questions, please contact us at 403-455-8220 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Massage Therapists offering Suction Cupping Therapy: - Nicole Schultz - Alice Kamba - Josh Shaw Josh also offers vacutherapy, a form of cupping therapy using a powered suction device with customizable suction pressure