07/06/2026
If you've seen athletes on social media covered in dark purple circles, you might think dry cupping has to be intense, heavy, or leave you looking like a dartboard.
At Bristol Physio, we do things a bit differently. We treat cupping as a modern, non-invasive extension of our expert soft tissue work and it is completely customisable to how you feel.
There are actually two ways Charlotte and our massage team use this therapy to get you moving better:
Static Cupping: The cups are placed on specific tight knots and left in place to create a vacuum. This pulls underlying tissue upwards, drastically increasing localised blood flow and speeding up muscle recovery. (Yes, this is the one that leaves temporary circular marks!).
Sliding/Dynamic Cupping: We apply specialized massage cream and gently slide the cups across your skin. This acts like a "reverse massage"—instead of pushing down on tight fascia, it lifts it up and stretches it out. This method rarely leaves those round marks and is incredible for releasing stubborn neck and back tension.
What to expect at our Bristol clinics:
We always combine dry cupping seamlessly with targeted sports or holistic massage. It shouldn’t be painful. If a sensation feels too strong, we simply adjust the vacuum pump for a lighter suction or shift back to traditional hands-on massage.
Whether you are looking to recover from a tough training session, shake off desk-bound posture stiffness, or increase your range of motion, we adapt the treatment entirely to your goals.
Appointments are available throughout the week including late evenings across our Clifton and Long Ashton locations.
👉 Click the link in our bio to book your session with our expert team today or visit our website below.
www.bristolphysio.com
