Michael Phelps’ first gold medal of the Rio Olympic Games was momentarily overshadowed by widespread interest in the red circles across his back and shoulders.
While the guesses as to their origin offered on social media ranged from crop circles to tattoos to a symptom of the Zika virus, the real answer is they are the result of “cupping” therapy — a suction-based massage popular in the US Olympic team.
In the ancient form of the therapy, believed to originate in China or Egypt, the air inside the cup is heated before being placed on the skin, creating suction in that cupped area. The modern form of the therapy, and the one that Phelps has been photographed receiving, uses cups attached to suction pumps.
Photo: Reuters
照片：路透
The cup stays in place for between five and 15 minutes and is thought to draw blood to the treated area, allowing overworked muscles to heal more quickly, although there is some doubt about the efficacy of the treatment.
(Guardian)
泳將麥可菲爾普斯在里約奧運得到首面金牌的光芒，一度不敵他的背部和肩膀上的紅色圓形印記所引發的關注。
社群媒體上對於那些印記起因的猜測五花八門，有人說他們像神秘的麥田圈、刺青，或茲卡病毒的病徵。但答案卻是「拔罐」療法的結果！而這種以抽吸為主的按摩法，在美國奧運代表隊大受歡迎。
這種古老的治療形式，據說是源自於中國或埃及，先將罐中的空氣加熱後，再將罐子放置於皮膚上，便能在該區域產生吸力。現代版本的療法，就像菲爾普斯被拍攝到的那樣，則是將罐子連接到抽吸的幫浦。
雖然此一療法的功效仍有些疑慮，將罐子放置於患處約五至十五分鐘，據說可以促進體內血液流動至該處，讓過度疲勞的肌肉能迅速恢復健康。（台北時報張聖恩編譯）
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