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.