P4R4W4: Cupping therapy in Physiotherapy practice.

This was my third week on my community placement. 

The week at sports therapy was pretty standard, so I thought I'd show you my work environment at Sports Physiotherapy, pretty cool!

I had a box of Cadbury's Favourite's chocolate in a little blue bag waiting from me at the Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic on Tuesday when I came in for the session with Michael. The note said "To Phil (Student Physio) from x These are for all your help in my recovery". The chocolates were shared around to the other physios and left in the Outpatient Clinic. I felt very grateful to be a part of that client's recovery.

Brought myself a cheap cupping therapy set (~$13NZD incl. postage).

Cupping Therapy... There are quite a few different ways to apply cupping. The top three ways to do cupping is dry, wet or movement cupping. Dry cupping just means to stick the cups on your body, movement cupping is done by moving the dry cupping around (use massage oil). Wet cupping is a bit odd... you stick the cup on, get a nice read mark of burst capillaries, then remove the cup to slice some small holes in the skin, put the cup back on and bleed into the cup (I told you it was odd!). There are other ways to do cupping which may involve needles, medication (ointments) or combinations of things. I've brought a manual suction cupping set, but there are glass cups that you burn alcohol inside of then quickly place them on the patient's skin - the same effect, but one's a lot safer.

My community project will look at cupping therapy used in MSK and sports physiotherapy practice, in particular the treatment parameters of different cupping techniques, in addition I will also compare cupping therapy to myofascial release. Myofascial release is a technique that doesn't require cups, but targets the same soft tissue... fascia.

More relevant posts about cupping therapy.

• https://www.facebook.com/evidencedbasedexerciseandtherapy/posts/935474026561174:0

•  https://thesportsphysio.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/do-no-harm-do-nothing/

It was my birthday mid-week and my flatmate gave me my own medal for reaching 25yrs! And a play-dough cake (she's a kindergarten teacher... makes sense now, doesn't it?!)

The weekend was a great opportunity to go and explore Wharariki Beach, near the top of the South Island. This is probably my favourite beach in New Zealand.