Recovery and rest are crucial parts of a sportsperson’s schedule.
All the work and the hard yards put on the training ground can come undone if proper rest is not given to the body.
The downtime spent recovering aids muscle development and improves overall conditioning.
Done incorrectly or insufficiently, the bodies can break down, resulting in injuries that would otherwise be avoidable with proper care.
There are several techniques, therapies and massages available to people, and there is no one correct way to do it.
One of the more famous ones is the cryogenic bath.
Another form of therapy is cupping therapy.
Cupping therapy has been gaining popularity in recent years, and it’s not just among the general public.
Many professional athletes are also turning to this ancient healing practice to help them perform at their best.
Ronaldo, often called the pinnacle of fitness at least when it comes to footballers, maybe the latest in a long line of players who have given in to this form of recovery, as spotted by one eagle-eyed Twitter user.
So what is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine that originated in China over 2,000 years ago.
It involves the use of cups placed on the skin to create suction, which is said to improve circulation and alleviate pain and tension in the muscles.
The cups can be made of glass, plastic, or silicone and are placed on the skin using heat or suction.
The suction created by the cups helps to loosen tight muscles and fascia, which can lead to an improved range of motion, reduced pain, and increased athletic performance.
Over the years, many players like Benzema, Neymar, Mahrez and now CR7, have used this to aid their body muscles.
Why is Cupping Therapy so popular?
One of the reasons that cupping therapy is so popular among athletes is that it can help to speed up recovery time.
After intense physical activity, the muscles can become tight and sore, which can impede athletic performance.
Cupping therapy can help to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow to the affected areas, which can speed up the healing process.
Additionally, this therapy can help to improve flexibility, which can also enhance athletic performance.
Another reason that athletes are using cupping therapy is that it can help to prevent injuries.
Tight and fatigued muscles are more prone to injury, and cupping therapy can help to prevent these types of problems by keeping the muscles loose and relaxed.
In addition, the increased circulation and reduced inflammation that results from cupping therapy can help to keep the muscles healthy and functioning optimally.
Is it just footballers?
Far from it. This form of therapy is extremely popular with other sportspeople as well.
Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps is one of the more prominent personalities who have used “hijama”, another name for Cupping Therapy.
Others include Anthony Joshua and Connor McGregor.
Fans have a wild theory
It is no secret that CR7 is a fitness freak. So his looking for ways to keep his body in pristine condition comes as no surprise.
At 38 and still going strong, the Portuguese has repeatedly sought out ways to keep going and very rarely has the player spent time in the medical room.
But the usage of this technique comes with an asterisk.
Ronaldo is now playing in Saudi Arabia, a gulf country.
And Cupping Therapy also finds its mention in the Sunnah, which is an Arabic term for the prophet Muhammad’s way of life and legal precedent.
The importance of the therapy is clearly stated in the Sunnah, with the exact words being “Indeed there is a cure in it (in Hijama)”.
This has caused some to think if Ronaldo could be converting to Islamism.
Sure, it is a very big leap to make, from cupping therapy to converting to a religion, but it is not entirely unrealistic.
Will these deductions be true? Or are they just assumptions based on one picture?
Only time will tell.