Use of cupping therapy in musculoskeletal disorders: A cross-sectional study on the profile, training, and practice of Brazilian physical therapists.

INTRODUCTION: Cupping therapy is a widely used technique in Brazilian physical therapy for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the profile, training, clinical practice, and scientific updates of Brazilian Physical Therapists who use cupping therapy as a therapeutic resource for musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire, including 646 Physical Therapists who use cupping therapy in their practice. All data were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: Cupping therapy is a technique that has been widely adopted in clinical practice by Physical Therapists, particularly among young, female professionals who have recently graduated from private universities. The primary reason for interest in this technique among these Physical Therapists is the high demand from patients. Additionally, it is often used in conjunction with other manual therapeutic techniques. They identified easy access, low cost, and ease of use as the key factors that make cupping therapy an attractive option. However, a lack of high-quality scientific evidence, as described in the literature, was identified as a major barrier to its use. CONCLUSION: The Physical Therapists included in this study use cupping therapy in their clinical practice, relying heavily on their own experience and the preferences of their patients, rather than utilizing the third pillar of evidence-based practice, which is to rely on the best available evidence. This study suggests that these Physical Therapists are currently implementing a technique without current scientific recommendations for its use in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

Effects of dry cupping on pain, function and quality of life in women with knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for a sham-controlled randomised trial.

INTRODUCTION: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common cause of pain and disability worldwide. Dry cupping has been used as non-pharmacological approach to control pain and improve physical function. However, there is a lack of high-quality scientific evidence regarding its effects on this condition. This protocol describes a sham-controlled, randomised and simple blind study that aims to evaluate the effect of dry cupping on pain, function and quality of life in women with KOA. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Sixty-two women diagnosed with KOA, based on American College of Rheumatology clinical criteria, and aged from 50 to 75 years, will be randomly distributed into two groups (31 per group): real and sham dry cupping. Both applications will occur with acrylic cups around the knee. The intervention will last 15 min, two times a week over six consecutive weeks, for a total of 12 sessions. Both groups will be assessed at four different times: before the intervention (T0), after 3 weeks intervention (T3), at the end of the protocol (T6) and 4 weeks after the interventions (follow-up: T10). The primary outcome will be pain intensity (Numerical Pain Rating Scale), and secondary outcomes will be knee-related health status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), functional capacity (8-step stair climb test, 40-metre fast-paced walk test and 30-second chair stand test), quality of life (Short-Form 36) and global perceived effect. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol was approved by the UFRN/FACISA Ethics Committee (number 3.737.688). The study results will be disseminated to the participants and submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and scientific meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04331158.