Article reposted from WDTN.com
Author: Katie Ussin
Many people have noticed and commented on the dark, red circles on the bodies of some Olympians, like U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps. The marks are from a therapy method called “cupping”. It is supposed to stimulate blood flow and help muscles recover faster.
“It’s not the end-all and be-all treatment, but it’s just another tool in the tool box that we can use,” said Brad Muse, assistant athletic trainer for Wright State University.
He demonstrated how it works on WSU swimmer Mitchell Stover.