These Red Bruises on Rio’s Olympic Athletes Are Not from a Khena2a, They’re ‘Cupping’
![cupping](https://scoopempire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cupping.jpg)
If you’ve been watching the Olympic games, you might have seen a couple of athletes (or more) with circular bruises – that look like they just had a big khena2a with someone. Worry not, they are a result of cupping, a process that is undergone using hot cups that suck on your flesh until it reddens. Ironically, as brutal as it looks, its purpose is actually the complete opposite – killing the pain.
![Via Men's Health](https://scoopempire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cupping-therapy.jpg)
This practice has been going around in celebrity circles since 2004, but it only made it to the Olympics this year. It is said that cupping has a faster and stronger effect of recovering. “That [cupping] has been the secret that I have had through this year that kept me healthy. It’s been better than any money I’ve spent on anything else. It has saved me from a lot of pain.” said Alex Naddour, the US gymnast currently competing in Rio.
![631390957CH00243_Gymnastics](https://scoopempire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/cup-one-08aug16.jpg)
Also, Belarusian swimmer, Pavel Sankovich, posted about how much cupping is helping him out during exercise.
WE SAID THIS: Do you think we’ll see this phenomenon reflected on our Egyptian athletes? We’ll see.