Why are so many Olympians turning to cupping?

Evidence of cupping can be seenon American swimmer Michael Phelps's arm. Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

Prominent '˜bruises' on some of the athletes compete in Rio has put an age old therapy in the spotlight Sophie McCandlish reports.

Photographs of Olympic athletes sporting round red marks on their skin has put the age old technique of cupping under the spotlight.

A form of acupuncture which has been used in Chinese Medicine for around 3,000 years, the athletes, it is particularly popular with teams from the US, say it helps to ease the aches and pains in their hardworking bodies.

Cupping is often practised alongside traditional acupunture but it can also be a treatment in its own right, used to stimulate acupuncture points or larger areas of the body.

Teresa Jane Sayed a registered practitioner with the British Acupuncture Council is based at L1 Sports Medicine in L1 Performance on Wellington Place, Leeds, she said traditional acupunture and cupping works to help the smooth flow of energy, known in traditional Chinese medicine as ‘qi’, around the body, and rebalance its equilibrium.

“Blood is a dense form of qi and when we are in pain or unwell then we have an inbalanceof qi.

“Pain is blocked energy and in acupunture we are looking to identify where the energy flow is disrupted and then bring about a smooth, harmonious flow to re-establish balance.”

The Olympic athletes use the technique to help the muscles recover from their punishing performance regimes as it helps increase the oxygen flow to the affected area. Teresa said moving the qi and blood would also bring nourishment to the muscles, tissues and tendons helping recovery.

Traditionally cupping technique involves lighting flammable liquid in a round cup usually made from glass or rubber. Once the flame goes out, the drop in temperature creates the suction which sticks the cups to the body, although many practitioners now use self suction cups.

Several cups are usually used for each treatment.

It is not only athletes who are fans of the treatment, celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Justin Beiber and Victoria Beckham have all been photographed with what look like cupping marks.

But it isn’t just for high performance athletes or A-list celebrities, acupuncture and cupping can be beneficial to general wellbeing.

“Cupping takes tension out of the muscles,” Teresa said.