Study review: The effects of cupping on thoracic outlet sYndrome

This is a single-participant study. The goal of the study was to test the effectiveness of dry cupping on a 20-year-old collegiate baseball pitcher diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). Caused by overdevelopment of surrounding musculature. The patient’s TOS was at an early stage when he was diagnosed.

The study describes dry cupping as “an ancient therapeutic modality that utilizes various means of suction with the goal of decompressing myofascial layers”.

Patient was treated in two weeks, with treatments every other day. Dry cupping was performed in 15-minute sessions focusing primarily on the sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, clavicular attachment site of the pectoralis major and scalenes (see full study for placement images). A combination of stationary and moving cupping were used. After the two weeks of treatment (three weeks from initial diagnosis), the patient was cleared by his specialist to return to full activities WHILE continuing treatment. The study reports that “his return to play time is in contrast with previously reported timelines, in which return to play was stated to have taken anywhere from five to 12 weeks”.

The conclusion of this study was that “cupping therapy may be a viable treatment option when seeking to diminish the compression of myofascial structures”, but that “further research needs to be conducted to determine optimal parameters for cupping therapy as a therapeutic modality”.

View the full article here: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1105&context=jsmahs