Sport massage vs cupping: which one is more effective in improving blood oxygen level and reducing lactic acid?

Athletes often face challenges in maintaining optimal blood oxygen levels and reducing lactic acid levels after intense exercise, which can affect their performance and recovery. Existing approaches are often not effective enough in addressing these issues, so innovative strategies that are more efficient are needed. This study aimed to explore the impact of sport massage and dry cupping on blood oxygen levels and lactic acid levels in athletes performing submaximal exercise. The study used a quasi-experimental design involving 45 randomly selected volleyball athletes aged 15–24 years. The participants were divided into three groups: a sport massage group, a dry cupping group, and a control group that received conventional treatment without sport massage or cupping intervention. Data collection procedures included a standardized intensive training session for all athletes before the start of the intervention, the administration of sport massage and cupping to the intervention groups after the training session, and the measurement of blood oxygen levels and lactic acid levels before, during, and after the intensive training session. Measurements were made using a pulse oximeter and a lactic acid meter to obtain accurate data. Data were analyzed using the statistical approach of analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess differences between the three groups. The results showed a significant difference between the sport massage and cupping groups compared to the control group, with Sig. < 0.05. The mean increase in oxygen levels was higher in the sport massage and cupping groups (F = 5.42, Sig. = 0.008) than in the control, indicating the effectiveness of both methods in increasing post-exercise oxygen levels. For lactic acid, there was a significant decrease in the sport massage and cupping groups (F = 4.82, Sig. = 0.013), with a greater average decrease compared to the control. These findings suggest that both recovery methods are effective in accelerating athletes' physical recovery after intensive training.