The effect of cupping therapy combined with high-intensity interval exercise on selected blood parameters of football players

Cupping therapy is a centuries-old and worldwide method that may be found in both the East and the West. The aim of this study was to find out how wet cupping therapy combined with high-intensity interval training affects blood markers and athletic performance in football players. A two-arms, pre- and post-test, parallel randomized controlled trial was carried out. Forty male football players were chosen from Wadi Degla Football Club and were divided into two equal groups (group A and group B) using computerized randomization. Twenty players were assigned to Group A (wet cupping group), which received cupping therapy once a month for three months and high-intensity interval training, including Fifa 11+ protocol six days a week for three months, while twenty other players were assigned to Group B (control group), which received only high-intensity interval training, including Fifa 11+ protocol six days a week for three months. At baseline and after the training program, hematological analysis, blood lactate, and the Yo-Yo level 2 test were performed. Compared with the MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin), PLt (platelet count), and total distance values of the control group after treatment, the wet cupping therapy group showed statistically significant improvement in lactic acid (p = 0.005), MCHC (p = 0.026), PLt (p = 0.014), lymphocytes (p = 0.047), and distance (meter) (p = 0.007). In football players, the mixed technique of using wet cupping with high-intensity interval training has resulted in clinically crystal-clear improvements in lactic acid, MCHC, PLt, and total distance covered.