What are the dark circles on athlete’s bodies? Swimmers left with marks on back after undergoing special therapy
While watching swimming at the Olympics, many will have noticed that some of the biggest stars have a collection of circle bruises.
Nicolo Martinenghi beat Adam Peaty to gold in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday and while celebrating, the marks were clear to see.
The Italian had dark circles all over him and that raised questions as to why, but it’s actually a common practice and one that swimming icon Michael Phelps also used.
So here, marvelbet369.com takes a look at why athletes have the marks…
What are the dark circles on athlete's bodies?
The dark circles come from cupping.
Cupping is a massage therapy that is common for athletes at the highest level.
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It has been around for a long time and its roots are from Asian and Middle Eastern culture.
The therapy includes plastic, ceramic, bamboo or glass cups being pressed against the body and creating a suction against the skin.
Pressure is then created inside the cup and the skin is pulled up to promote blood flow to that certain area.
It is done to relieve muscle tension, increase blood circulation, enhance the immune system and eliminate toxins in the body.
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Due to the pressure and fluid build-up in the area, the dark marks are left behind because of broken blood vessels, similar to a bruise.
As blood flow is increased in the area being cupped, blood vessels expand but it creates a haematoma, which means blood swells in the muscle tissue.
And that leaves a brown or red spot in the area for three to four days.
This is the main side effect of the massage therapy while it can also be slightly uncomfortable for athletes when they are undergoing the process.
There isn’t any scientific evidence that cupping actually has any performance or recovery benefits yet.
However, athletes must feel a benefit and many continue to do so before competing.
The greatest swimmer ever in 23-time Olympic gold medalist Phelps underwent the therapy, so it must do something positive!
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