Journal of Novel Physiotherapies
Open Access

Abstract

The practice of cupping is believed to date back as far as 5000 years ago and continues to be a common medical intervention in traditional Chinese medicine. The latest systematic review on cupping concludes that to date there is only low quality evidence indicating that cupping may be effective for reducing musculoskeletal pain. However, studies to date have only investigated static cupping techniques where the cups are passively left on for 3 to 30 minutes. Conversely, the novel cupping technique of TDR-WM involves the gliding of the cups in various directions while the patient simultaneously actively moves the relevant joint and tissues underneath the cup. During TDR-WM, the negative pressure inside the cup literally lifts and separates the tissue underneath the cup; the addition of active movement of the tissues while the cup is on may further assist the release of the interfaces between the soft-tissues such as skin, fascia, neural tissues, muscles, ligaments and tendons. TDR-WM techniques has been clinically observed to be particularly effective in conditions such as â�?�?ITB syndromeâ�?, â�?�?Piriformis syndromeâ�? and â�?�?upper trapezius trigger pointsâ�?, where physical therapy treatments have classically focused on tissue compression. Since TDR-WM is a novel concept, no studies have yet been performed on this approach for the management of myofascial pain. However, based on two years of clinical experience, patients with persistent myofascial conditions have shown resolution of their symptoms following only a single session of TDR-WM.

Biography

Email: bjam@aptei.com