Muscle DamageNCT06900556
Dry Cupping for Recovery From Muscle Damage
A study testing Dry cupping with suction and Dry cupping without suction in people with Muscle Damage, run by University of Saskatchewan at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
This study compares the effect of dry cupping to placebo cupping after muscle-damaging exercise on recovery of muscle strength, muscle swelling, and muscle soreness. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Muscle Damage
- What is being tested?
- Dry cupping with suction and Dry cupping without suction
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 10 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 24 Mar 2025to 30 May 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male or female
- 18-35 years old
- Experienced with upper arm resistance training for at least 3 months
Who cannot join
- Conditions that might make exercise dangerous (determined by "yes" answers to the "Get Active Questionnaire")
- Open wounds, scars, eczema, or other skin sensitivities on the biceps area
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Canada1 site
College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N5B2
About this study
Official title: Effect of Post-exercise Dry Cupping Therapy on Muscle Recovery
This study compares the effect of dry cupping to placebo cupping after muscle-damaging exercise on recovery of muscle strength, muscle swelling, and muscle soreness.
Read the detailed description
Dry cupping is a technique where cups are placed on the skin and a suction device is used to remove air from the cups. This study aims to investigate whether dry cupping therapy can enhance muscle recovery following exercise by measuring muscle soreness, swelling, and strength in the biceps. Six sets of biceps curls (emphasizing concentric and eccentric overload) will be performed on each arm, followed by dry cupping with suction applied to one arm (experimental) and dry cupping without suction (placebo) applied to the opposite arm. Experimental and placebo arms for each participant will be randomized. Before exercise and immediately, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours after exercise, muscle strength, muscle swelling (ultrasound), and muscle soreness (visual analog scale) will be assessed.
- Conditions
- Muscle Damage
- Being tested
- Dry cupping with suction, Dry cupping without suction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dry cupping with suctionProcedure or surgery
Dry cupping with suction applied to the biceps
Dry cupping without suctionProcedure or surgery
Dry cupping without suction applied to the biceps
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cupping with suction | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Dry cupping with suction |
| Dry cupping without suction | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Procedure: Dry cupping without suction |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Biceps isometric strength measured by dynamometry (Nm)
Measured: Change over 72 hours
Secondary outcomes (2)
Biceps swelling (muscle thickness) measured with ultrasound (cm)
Measured: Change over 24 hours
Biceps muscle soreness measured with a visual analog scale from 0 (no soreness) to 10 (maximal soreness)
Measured: Change over 72 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Mar 2025
- Study start24 Mar 2025
- Primary completion30 Apr 2025
- Study completion30 May 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Muscle DamageStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Saskatchewan
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Phil Chilibeck, University of Saskatchewan
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06900556
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024_25_04
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Post-exercise Dry Cupping Therapy on Muscle Recovery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06900556
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2024_25_04
- Conditions
- Muscle Damage
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 10 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of SaskatchewanUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 24 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 May 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study compares the effect of dry cupping to placebo cupping after muscle-damaging exercise on recovery of muscle strength, muscle swelling, and muscle soreness.
Detailed description
Dry cupping is a technique where cups are placed on the skin and a suction device is used to remove air from the cups. This study aims to investigate whether dry cupping therapy can enhance muscle recovery following exercise by measuring muscle soreness, swelling, and strength in the biceps. Six sets of biceps curls (emphasizing concentric and eccentric overload) will be performed on each arm, followed by dry cupping with suction applied to one arm (experimental) and dry cupping without suction (placebo) applied to the opposite arm. Experimental and placebo arms for each participant will be randomized. Before exercise and immediately, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours after exercise, muscle strength, muscle swelling (ultrasound), and muscle soreness (visual analog scale) will be assessed.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cupping with suction | Experimental | Procedure: Dry cupping with suction |
| Dry cupping without suction | Sham comparator | Procedure: Dry cupping without suction |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Male or female
- 18-35 years old
- Experienced with upper arm resistance training for at least 3 months
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Conditions that might make exercise dangerous (determined by "yes" answers to the "Get Active Questionnaire")
- Open wounds, scars, eczema, or other skin sensitivities on the biceps area
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Dry cupping with suctionDry cupping with suction applied to the biceps | Procedure or surgery | Dry cupping with suction |
| Dry cupping without suctionDry cupping without suction applied to the biceps | Procedure or surgery | Dry cupping without suction |
Primary outcome
Biceps isometric strength measured by dynamometry (Nm)
Time frame: Change over 72 hours
2 secondary outcomes
Biceps swelling (muscle thickness) measured with ultrasound (cm)
Time frame: Change over 24 hours
Biceps muscle soreness measured with a visual analog scale from 0 (no soreness) to 10 (maximal soreness)
Time frame: Change over 72 hours
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dry cupping with suction and Dry cupping without suction in people with Muscle Damage, run by University of Saskatchewan at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Biceps isometric strength measured by dynamometry (Nm) (time frame: Change over 72 hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Feb 2026.