The “Reverse Massage” People Are Turning to for Muscle Tension

This article includes affiliate links, which may earn us a commission, to support truthful and independent journalism (at no extra cost to you).

Your back is sore after sitting at a desk all day, shoulders feeling permanently tense. Muscles aching after a workout, or even after spending too much time on your feet. Somehow even after stretching, using a heating pad, or a massage, those same areas keep getting tight again.

What if there’s another way to approach stubborn muscle tension? Often described as a kind of “reverse massage,” cupping has long been used to relieve pain, promote circulation, and speed up muscle recovery.

Why You Might Need a Different Approach

We typically massage by pushing down, rolling, or stretching the places that hurt. It can provide relief, but oftentimes the same area becomes sore again.

Cupping takes a different approach. Instead of pushing down into the body, it pulls up. That suction lifts the skin and underlying tissue, increases blood flow to the area, and loosens knots in the muscles beneath it. The results can give you improved circulation while drawing out toxins and reducing inflammation.

It might sound like a new wellness trend, but forms of this practice have been documented thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and other countries. Although it has always been common in some cultures, it gained more traction after Olympic athletes and celebrities were seen practicing cupping.

Traditionally, a professional cupping practitioner would use heat or a hand pump to create a suction that would typically be applied in a hard-to-reach area like the back. But now, newer methods make it possible to do it at home by yourself.

Try Cupping Without an Appointment

The Revo Smart Cupper was designed to give people professional-level cupping in the comfort of their home. It combines dynamic-suction technology, therapeutic heat, and collagen-boosting red light therapy into one easy-to-use device for targeted relief and recovery.

Outside of muscle recovery, the Revo smart cupper can also be used as part of a body-care routine to help reduce appearance of cellulite and scar tissue in targeted areas. Simply switch the cup attachment and glide it across the skin. This gives the device another use beyond just regular cupping.

The suction and heat intensity are both adjustable with 12 levels, and the release button has a handy tactile bump that lets you easily identify it by feel when using it on an area you can’t easily see, such as your back or shoulders.

Revo Smart Cupper

Relieve muscle tension and pain with a rechargeable cupping device with heat and red light therapy.

$215$88 from Revomadic

You save $127 (59%)

$99 from Amazon

Right now, Revo has a deal on Smart Cupper bundles that come with free gifts for a limited time if you buy from their website.

Who Does Cupping Benefit?

You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to try cupping. Anyone who regularly deals with sore or tense muscles, to people who get stiff legs from sitting or standing all day may benefit from cupping.

It’s not limited to those looking for muscle relief, either. The Revo Smart Cupper can also be part of a body-care routine to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

If you’ve been dealing with the same stubborn areas over and over, it can be easy to think you just need to stretch more or massage harder. Sometimes, you just need to try a different approach.

The Revo Smart Cupper offers an easy way to try cupping at home or on-the-go, whether you’re looking for another option for muscle recovery or are simply curious about the practice.