Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran.
School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Complement Ther Med. 2021 Jan;56:102611. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102611. Epub 2020 Nov 5.
The aim of the present study was to investigate potential anti-inflammatory effects of wet-cupping prior to a moderate-to-vigorous exercise test among martial arts athletes.
Twenty-one male karate athletes voluntarily participated in this study and were randomly divided into 3 groups: vigorous exercise (VE, n = 7), cupping (CT, n = 7) and cupping plus vigorous exercise (VECT, n = 7). Participants in exercise groups performed an exercise test while participants in CT received cupping therapy, and participants in VECT received cupping therapy plus exercise. Inflammatory markers (i.e., interlukin-6, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, TNF-α) were assessed prior to, immediately, 30 min, and 24 h after cupping therapy, vigorous exercise test, and their combination.
IL-6 values were significantly lower immediately after cupping intervention in CT as compared to baseline (P < 0.025). IL-6 significantly increased immediately and 30 min post-exercise in VE in comparison with baseline (P < 0.025). IL-6 was also significantly higher at 24 h post-exercise in CTVE as compared to baseline (P < 0.025). TNF-α values were significantly lower in CT as compared to VE and CTVE at immediately and 30 min post-exercise (P < 0.01). TNF-α significantly decreased immediately and 30 min after cupping intervention in CT as compared to baseline (P < 0.01). Conversely, TNF-α significantly increased immediately after exercise in VE as compared to baseline (P < 0.025). TNF-α also significantly increased at 30 min and 24 h post-exercise in CTVE in comparison with baseline (P < 0.025).
Our findings showed that exercise-induced augmentation in inflammatory markers were lower in athletes who received cupping therapy, suggesting such therapy may be an avenue to mitigate the inflammatory response to vigorous exercise among martial arts athletes. A large-scale clinical study is needed to confirm the findings of the present study.
本研究旨在探讨在剧烈运动测试前进行湿拔罐对武术运动员的潜在抗炎作用。
21 名男性空手道运动员自愿参加了这项研究，并被随机分为 3 组：剧烈运动（VE，n=7）、拔罐（CT，n=7）和拔罐加剧烈运动（VECT，n=7）。运动组的参与者进行运动测试，而 CT 组的参与者接受拔罐治疗，VECT 组的参与者接受拔罐治疗加运动。在拔罐治疗、剧烈运动测试及其组合后即刻、30 分钟和 24 小时评估炎症标志物（即白细胞介素-6、IL-6 和肿瘤坏死因子-α、TNF-α）。
与基线相比，CT 组拔罐干预后即刻的 IL-6 值显著降低（P<0.025）。VE 组运动后即刻和 30 分钟的 IL-6 值与基线相比显著升高（P<0.025）。与基线相比，CTVECT 组运动后 24 小时的 IL-6 值也显著升高（P<0.025）。与 VE 和 CTVECT 相比，CT 组即刻和运动后 30 分钟的 TNF-α 值明显降低（P<0.01）。与基线相比，CT 组拔罐干预后即刻和 30 分钟的 TNF-α 值显著降低（P<0.01）。相反，VE 组运动后即刻的 TNF-α 值与基线相比显著升高（P<0.025）。与基线相比，CTVECT 组在运动后 30 分钟和 24 小时的 TNF-α 值也显著升高（P<0.025）。
我们的研究结果表明，接受拔罐治疗的运动员运动引起的炎症标志物增加较低，这表明这种治疗可能是减轻武术运动员剧烈运动引起的炎症反应的一种途径。需要进行大规模的临床研究来证实本研究的结果。
