Sports Therapy vs Myofascial Dry Cupping: What’s the Difference and How Do They Help Your Body?

If you’ve been dealing with aches, injuries, or tight muscles, you’ve probably heard about Sports Therapy and Myofascial Dry Cupping.

Both are effective, hands-on treatments we offer here at Berkshire Fitness & Wellbeing but they serve different purposes and can benefit your body in unique ways.

Let’s explore how they work, what they do, and which one might be right for you.

🏋️‍♂️ What is Sports Therapy?

Sports Therapy focuses on the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries—especially those caused by physical activity or repetitive movement.

Whether you’re a regular gym-goer, an athlete, or just dealing with work-related strain, Sports Therapy helps reduce pain, restore mobility, and improve physical performance.

💡 Techniques commonly used:

Soft tissue massage
Joint mobilisations
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Postural and movement assessments
Injury rehab programmes

It's a hands-on, movement-based approach that gets your body back to working at its best.

🔴 What is Myofascial Dry Cupping?

Myofascial Dry Cupping is a modern twist on traditional cupping therapy. Using suction cups, we gently lift the skin and underlying muscle layers to:

Improve blood flow
Release tight fascia
Reduce muscular pain
Speed up recovery
Improve flexibility

Those temporary circular marks you might’ve seen on athletes? They’re not bruises—just a sign that circulation has been activated in the treated area. Most marks fade within a few days.

Cupping is a gentle but powerful way to help your body recover, especially from general tightness, soreness, or heavy training.

🔍 Comparison Chart

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison to help you decide:

Feature	Sports Therapy	Myofascial Dry Cupping
Primary Goal	Treat and rehabilitate injury, improve movement & performance	Relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, release fascia
Main Techniques	Massage, mobilisations, rehab exercises, stretching	Suction cups applied to skin to create negative pressure
Approach	Hands-on and active (involving movement & rehab)	Mostly passive or used with light movement
Pain Relief	Yes – targets muscle tension and joint function	Yes – releases deep muscular tension and knots
Circulation Boost	Moderate – from massage and mobility	High – powerful blood flow stimulation via suction
Fascial Release	Indirect – through manual techniques	Direct – lifts and separates fascia
Injury Rehab & Prevention	Yes – core focus of treatment	Supportive – ideal for maintenance and recovery
Best For	Injury recovery, posture, sports performance	Muscle tightness, soreness, stress relief
Treatment Length	30–60 minutes	15–30 minutes or paired with massage
Aftereffects	Mild soreness after deep tissue work	Possible temporary cup marks

🧩 Which One Should You Choose?

It depends on what your body needs:

Recovering from an injury or movement issue? → Try Sports Therapy
Feeling tense, tight, or sore after training or work? → Book a Cupping session
Want the best of both worlds? → Go for our Massage & Dry Cupping Combo

✅ Book Your Session Today

At Berkshire Fitness & Wellbeing, you’ll receive personalised care in a friendly, professional setting at Newbury Better Health.

We make it easy to book online at a time that suits you.

👉 Click here to book now