Swimming is in full swing at the Paris Olympics and sports fans have the opportunity to enjoy the action – and catch a glimpse of the dark red circles on the athletes’ bodies.
This trend is partly due to legendary swimmer Michael Phelps, who was seen with these spots in 2016. Since then, Australian swimmer Kyle Chalmers was also seen with the dark red circles on his skin at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as he was on his way to winning silver in the 100m freestyle.
And in Paris 2024, US endurance runner Katie Ledecky won bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle.
On Sunday evening, it was the turn of Italian Nicolo Martinenghi to win the final of the men’s 100-meter breaststroke with red circle markings on his back.
But despite the obvious success that athletes have achieved with these markings, it is neither an illegal nor unethical practice. Nor is it new; rather, it is an ancient practice that is being revived thanks to the benefits that swimmers are said to have experienced.
That’s what it all means.
What are the red markings?
These are neither artfully applied war paint nor the result of a paintball injury – they are the result of a Chinese practice called cupping, which involves placing heated cups on the skin.
How is cupping performed?
The therapy can be performed in various ways, but traditionally a burning cotton swab is placed in a glass bowl.
As soon as the flame goes out, the drop in temperature creates a suction that causes the cupping heads to stick to the patient’s skin when placed on an area of the body.
The suction, which usually lasts a few minutes, increases blood flow by pulling the skin away from the body, leaving large red marks. These marks are likely to last for two to three days.
What are the benefits of cupping?
Cupping is believed to direct blood to the affected area, relieve pain and speed up the healing of overworked muscles – hence its popularity among athletes. It is also thought to prevent injuries and speed up recovery.
US gymnast Alexander Naddour told USA Today it was “the secret I’ve kept this year that’s kept me healthy,” adding, “It’s been better than any money I’ve spent on anything else.”
However, there is limited scientific research to back up the purported benefits of this alternative therapy. The technique that Michael Phelps praised on Instagram has not been clinically tested, so there is no real way to know whether the positive reports about it are due to a placebo effect.
Dr. Rachel Vreeman, director of research at Indiana University’s Center for Global Health and co-author of a number of books on medical myths, told Health.com that we should be skeptical.
She said: “There are no health benefits of cupping documented in the scientific literature.”
“The only study I have seen … that found any effect associated with cupping examined various therapies for back pain in detail and concluded that any effect of cupping was probably due to a placebo effect.”
Does it hurt?
Although cupping creates small incisions in the surface of the skin that can be a little uncomfortable, the sensation is short-lived and minimal – it often looks worse than it feels.
Does it really work?
David Colquhoun, professor of pharmacology at University College London, told the Independent that cupping does not give athletes an advantage over their opponents.
He said, “Not at all. If anything, they are at a slight disadvantage because they are wasting time cupping.”
Essentially, there is no medical evidence to support the benefits of cupping, but if it has helped Olympians over the years, there’s no harm in trying it out before your next swim session.
