Dual Interview: Cupping Therapy for Collegiate Athletes

This was for my Nontraditional Practices in Healthcare Class. It was an informal discussion board promoting the use of cupping therapy through two interviews. I condensed the information to fit onto the discussion board, and I really enjoyed this assignment.

Cupping therapy has grown in popularity amongst athletes as a method for enhancing the recovery process and the improvement in performance. This alternative therapy is placing cups on the outer skin in order to reduce tension in one’s muscles and support the overall recovery of the user. To better understand this therapy, I interviewed my athletic trainer Amy Moser. Amy is a certified trainer and nutrition professor who works with athletes at Anderson University. I also interviewed a competitive Trojan cheerleader, Anna Flannery, who regularly utilizes cupping therapy. Cupping therapy is an effective method that athletes can use to enhance their recovery because it is a therapy that reduces muscle soreness, and it is supported by both professional expertise as well as athlete experience. 

Moser explained that she is qualified to administer this particular type of therapy through her credentials as a Licensed Athletic Trainer (LAT), Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), and her Master of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition (MSACN). Her athletic training background as well as her background in nutrition, allowed her to approach recovery from both performance and a health perspective. She attended both Liberty University and Northeast College, where she developed skills that allowed for her to work with athletes in a clinical and performance driven and based setting. Her education provided her in gaining knowledge about recovery techniques like cupping therapy, which enables her to safely execute this treatment on athletes. 

When asked as to why Moser chose this particular career path to follow, she explained that she always had a strong passion to aid athletes to perform at the highest level their bodies would allow while also prioritizing their health in the long run. She states that she believes that cupping therapy is indeed a valuable tool. Moser has been practicing athletic training at Anderson University for three years now, and she has always incorporated cupping therapy into her treatment plans for the two sports she acts as athletic trainer for: cheerleading and lacrosse. She shared that she has seen cupping work successfully on all her athletes. She says that cupping has successfully allowed for her athletes to receiver faster and says that all cheerleaders and lacrosse team members see a huge decrease in muscle soreness. These benefits of cupping are important for athletes as they are always practicing and moving their bodies. In terms of cost, Moser says that cupping therapy is free to all Trojan athletes seeking to aid a quicker recovery. Student-athletes at Anderson University do not have to pay any additional fees for this treatment. She did note that for non-athletes they could go to a private practice setting, but that the cost would vary depending on the provider. Moser also kept saying that cupping therapy is more readily available and can be found in physical therapy offices and chiropractic practices. 

Anna Flannery also allowed insight into the experience of receiving cupping therapy. She is a competitive cheerleader on the Trojan cheer team, and she stated that she used this type of therapy to aid in relieving soreness and to quicken recovery. According to Flannery, cupping has positively impacted her athletic career since it helps her feel less tight and more flexible, which allows for her to perform her cheer skills to their full potential. She mentioned that she especially utilizes cupping therapy during the most physically demanding times of the cheer season like preparing for nationals. Flannery says that cupping leaves a sensation of pulling on the skin, but it is not painful. She said that it does leave visible marks, but she explained that they are temporary and definitely worth it for the results. Flannery said she highly recommends cupping to all athletes, since it has helped her to stay consistent in her own personal performance. 

Overall, these two interviews provided insight into how cupping therapy does aid in the recovery of athletes. Moser’s professional experience highlights the importance of proper knowledge when administering this therapy, while Flannery’s personal experience clearly demonstrates the power and real benefits that athletes can gain from utilizing this therapy. Together, Moser and Flannery’s responses show how cupping is indeed an effective recovery method for anyone in the athletic realm.