Is Cupping Safe for Seniors?
Cupping therapy uses gentle suction to lift the skin and underlying tissues. Many people describe it as a “decompressing massage.” For adults 60 and older, the right question is: Is it safe and worth trying?
Short answer: Yes, when it’s dry (no skin breaks), gentle, and performed by a trained professional. Most side effects are mild and temporary (circular marks and light soreness).
Why Seniors Consider Cupping
Cupping can be a helpful adjunct to your mobility and strength plan. It may:
Ease Muscle Tension - so movement feels more comfortable (neck, upper back, hips).
Improve Movement Comfort - before mobility or strength work, making exercises easier to perform.
Support Post-Activity Recovery - after golf, pickleball, walking, or yardwork.
Encourage Better Posture Awareness - when paired with mid-back mobility and scapular strength drills.
It’s important to stress that cupping is not a stand-alone cure. You’ll get the best results when it’s combined with targeted mobility, strength, and balance work.
Common Signs
Pain focused on the outside of the knee (not deep inside the joint).
Flare-ups with stairs, getting out of a chair, squatting, or after playing.
Tender to the touch on the outside of the knee.
Get checked sooner if you notice locking/catching, joint swelling, night pain, or pain after a fall.
Special Considerations For Seniors
Older adults can benefit from decreased muscle tension and improved movement comfort, but a few factors deserve extra care:
Delicate skin and easy bruising: Aging skin is thinner, and capillaries are fragile, so expect visible marks that can last 3–10 days. Your clinician should use lighter suction and shorter durations. (This is one reason many seniors do better with dry/moving cupping.)
Blood thinners and bleeding risk: If you take anticoagulants or have a bleeding disorder, avoid wet cupping and be cautious with strong suction.
Diabetes or neuropathy: Reduced sensation and slower healing can increase the risk of skin damage; use gentle techniques and check the skin after each session.
Dry vs. Wet Cupping
Dry/Moving Cupping: Suction only; generally the safer choice for seniors. Typical effects: circular marks, mild soreness.
Wet Cupping: Suction plus superficial skin pricks to draw a small amount of blood. May have similar pain-relief benefits in some studies, but adds infection and bleeding risk; requires medical-grade sterile technique and careful screening.
Who Should Skip Cupping (Or Get Medical Clearance)
Uncontrolled bleeding disorders or on strong anticoagulation (especially for wet cupping)
Active skin infection, open wounds, or severe skin fragility at the treatment site
Fever/systemic illness, or medical conditions your clinician flags during screening
Any history that makes infection risk unacceptable (particularly for wet cupping)
Where Cupping Can Help Most
Neck and Upper-Back Tension - Supports posture exercises for desk time or reading.
Mid-Back (Thoracic) Stiffness - It can make rotation work feel smoother, useful for a golf backswing.
Hips/Glutes - Often paired with glute activation to improve walking endurance, stairs, and balance.
Post-Round Recovery for Golfers - Light cupping with mobility and hydration to reduce next-day stiffness.
What A Safe Session Looks Like
Screening: Medications, medical history, skin check, and goals.
Hygiene: Clean skin, clean cups; sterile technique if skin is broken (wet cupping).
Light to Moderate Suction: Start conservatively (especially first visit and for adults 60 and older).
Short Exposure: 3–8 minutes per area for dry cupping is common in studies; the technician adjusts based on your response.
Aftercare: Expect circular marks; hydrate, keep the area clean, and avoid intense heat or heavy friction that day. Report unusual pain, blistering, or signs of infection.
How We Use Cupping At PerformanceAbove
We primarily use dry/moving cupping as a complement to your session, paired with mobility and strength work. For example, we might use gentle cupping on the upper back to ease postural tension, then reinforce with thoracic mobility and scapular strength drills; or apply light cupping at the hips, followed by glute activation. This “relief and retrain” approach aims for results that last beyond the treatment table. (If you’re a golfer, this can support more comfortable rotation and post-round recovery.)
For most seniors, dry cupping is reasonably safe when performed by a trained professional who properly screens. Expect temporary marks; serious problems are rare. You’ll get the best results when cupping is one small piece of a program that also builds mobility, strength, and balance.
Curious if cupping is for you? Book a session, and we’ll tailor a safe, effective approach for your goals.
Blog References
Wang L, et al. Efficacy of cupping therapy on pain outcomes: an evidence mapping. 2023.
Teut M, et al. Pulsatile dry cupping in chronic low back pain: randomized trial. 2018.
de Castro Moura C, et al. Cupping therapy and chronic back pain: review. 2018.
Bartsch KM, et al. Expert consensus on contraindications and cautions in cupping therapy. 2021.
