A new form of soft tissue mobilization that we now offer at Carousel Physical Therapy is Cupping and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM).
Cupping has been used for many years in ancient Chinese medicine. It has become more popular in the past 10 years for its proven effects on increasing circulation and alleviating pain. By applying a suction effect, cupping pulls the skin and top layer of fascia into a cup away from the muscles bringing blood to areas, and allows them to move without restrictions allowing increased healing of the tissue. Studies in the past 10 years have shown that cupping can be a good, conservative treatment to increase blood flow and oxygen to tissues to reduce pain.
By using stainless steel tools that have various angles, we can address painful spots, decrease tone in the muscle, and work areas that have what we call ‘grit’ freeing the tissue.
There are no side effects from cupping or instruments used during therapy except for perfectly circular bruises that Michael Phelps, and many other athletes made famous at the 2016 Rio Olympics. They only last a few days, are rarely tender, and makes for a great show and tell!
So if you have limitations in flexibility and, or, having pain ask your doctor about physical therapy. Free consultations are available at our Kilmarnock clinic.
