Author, Expert Board Member
Bio:
Alex Stone is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA). He currently practices orthopedics in Bellevue, Washington, and manages an online health coaching business via social media (@dr.alexstone). He is passionate about health science education and general health/wellness optimization.
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Welcome to this Therabody TheraCup review.
Therabody was busy last year; they released 8 new products – the most in a year. What were those? Did we review them? Maybe not all, but we sure mentioned some, or we will get to them eventually.
We enjoyed reviewing their massage guns (5th gen Pro and 2nd gen mini), but today we’ll discuss their smart cupping device – the TheraCup.
Is this the first smart cupper? Not really. We reviewed the Smart Cupper by Achedaway about a year ago. We got a hold of Therabody’s cupper, used it, and we are ready to tell you about it. Perhaps we will compare it to Achedaway’s device, or not.
We’ll see!
So what’s cupping? If you were part of the folk that was taken aback by Michael Phelps’s “gory-looking” marks on his back at the Olympics in Rio 2016, you are probably already familiar with cupping.
The Background
It’s an ancient Chinese treatment used to loosen up fascia around your muscle. It is sort of the reverse of massage therapy in that it works by pulling on the skin rather than pressing against it. Multiple cups are placed on the patient’s back, shoulders, or neck and left for a short while. The medical name for cupping is myofascial decompression.
If you don’t know what fascia is, it’s the connective tissue that holds muscles to the skin. The fascia tends to stiffen when the muscle is overworked (from exercise) or underworked (from a sedentary lifestyle).
Cupping can help release the pressure within these connective tissues.
There is a reason celebrity athletes love cupping. They are top-level performers that need to be in tip-top form to do what they do best. Apart from Phelps, we saw Conor McGregor with cupping marks early last year.
We’ve also seen the peculiar cupping marks on NBA players like Stephen Curry, Steven Adams, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. We also saw former New England Patriots linebacker James Harrison using the cupping method for his recovery routine.
This tells you just how popular (and definitely effective) the cupping therapy method is.
Cupping Therapy Benefits
These are just a few areas people have reported relief in after using cupping. But there are more proven benefits (backed by scientific studies) of cupping, including;
You can also check out more cupping benefits from our Achedaway Smart Cupper Review.
There are different types of cupping techniques used today. Some of these techniques may be new because of new technology. Some, however, are as old as the treatment itself.
Let us look at some of them.
This method uses negative pressure. One example is when a flame is lit inside the cup to suck out the oxygen. The cup is then quickly placed on the skin, creating a vacuum.
Another non-flame method (also negative pressure) is when pump cups are used; a pump is attached to the cup that sucks the air out.
This method incorporates both negative pressure and movements. It can take different forms.
For example, you can use rubber cuppers that create weak suction allowing you to glide the cup over the skin (usually the skin is oiled).
Or you can use the more advanced smart suppers that dynamically change pressure. The Achedaway Cupper utilizes this technique.
All these methods represent a type of cupping known as “Dry Cupping.” This type of cupping is non-aggressive. There is also “Wet Cupping,” where incisions are made over the Dry Cupping areas, and new cups are placed over the cuttings.
The TheraCup promises vacuum cupping therapy via suction combined with heat to create a versatile portable smart cupper.
However, it’s not just the heat and the suction; they have added vibrations for a soothing effect or to enhance tension release within the tissues.
In theory, it looks like a robust device – but is it?
| Features | TheraCup |
|---|---|
| Suction Intensity | 3 levels: 30 kPa, 40 kPa, 50 kPa |
| Heat Levels | 3 levels: 41°C (106°F), 43°C (109°F), 45°C (113°F) |
| Vibrations | 3 levels: 1800 / 2400 / 3000rpm |
| Battery Life | up to 120 min |
| Cup Attachments | 3 |
| Weight | 8 ounces (228 grams) |
| Dimensions | 3.7×3.7×2.83 inches |
| Pros | High Quality Powerful suction Heating and Vibrations built in Compact and Lightweight Reasonable Price |
| Cons | No Bluetooth or App Control |
| Warranty | One year |
| Retail Price | $149.00 |
| Where to Buy & Discount Code | X8YZF10 – 10% off at therabody.com HEALTH5 – 5% off at recoveryforathletes.com* (*FSA/HSA cards accepted) |
The device comes in a tiny package – a small box measuring 6 x 6 inches. We noticed the new approach to packaging by Therabody; they reduced the plastic.
The device comes in a neoprene carrying pouch. Everything is inside.
The device already has a cup attached to it.
There are two extra cups – all different sizes. But the cups have the same height and the same outer diameter. The inside diameter, though, is different for each cup. These cups are meant to work on different muscles.
The cup diameters (inner) are as follows:
Apart from the device and the cups, there is also a USB-C cable for charging the device and a basic manual in different languages.
It’s a very compact device measuring 4 inches tall, and 2.3 inches wide with the cup mounted. It’s also very light, weighing just 8 ounces (228 grams) according to our scale. It has a quality feel, as you’d expect from Therabody.
The cups are all made of transparent, tinted plastic, but they all look slick with nice rounded edges. The device feels nice to the touch. Even though it’s mostly plastic, it has rubber around it.
Therabody chose a simple minimalist approach here – nothing feels overdone. The blue rubber ring on top adds to the overall visual appeal.
Our Take
We like how compact this TheraCup is. The quality is great, and we feel it will serve us for a while. What’s even better, it doesn’t look fragile. When we first got a hold of the Achedaway Cupper, we feared what might happen if we dropped it. It’s not the case with TheraCup by Therabody – it feels sturdy.
But we missed a few things that the Achedaway Cupper gave us. For instance, we miss the lanyard. The lanyard would’ve been great to keep the device in place and prevent it from falling when it automatically turns off (it may happen when the device is on your back).
Compared to the Achedaway Cupper, the TheraCup is taller, which doesn’t help to keep it stuck on the body at different angles.
That said, we still like what we see with this device. We just wish they had added a few more accessories. It’s not just the lanyard, we’d hoped they’d include a sample of their CBD-based lotion.
Here’s how to use this essential device:
Therabody promises three therapies in one device: suction, heat, and vibration. Let’s see how does it performs then.
You’re probably wondering, how well does this thing perform? To give a straight answer, we’d say it performs pretty well. Here’s how the suction works.
There are 3 suction levels, as we just saw above. They are measured by strength as 30kPa, 40kPa, and 50kPa – or you can read them as 4.35psi (0.2 bar) to 7.54psi (0.5 bar).
What’s with the numbers? Do they mean anything?
Simply put, you’re getting a pretty powerful suction out of this thing. Even at first level the suction is pretty robust. No chance the device falls off once you’ve hooked it onto your body.
The last level can be pretty intense for ordinary folks – unless you are a demanding user, we advise sticking to the first two levels.
But can you do gliding cupping with the TheraCup?
Yes, we tried gliding the cup on the skin, but it’s quite a hassle. The suction is pretty tight, even at the first level, to allow the cup to glide smoothly.
But when we put some oil on the application area, the process was still sticky, but we had better success gliding the cup.
TIP Just a heads up – it feels slightly painful when you try to force-glide the cup on the skin.
But we are aware of people who love gliding the cup along the application area. We know that ladies especially love doing it to get rid of cellulite. In that case, we believe there is room for an upgrade here – maybe even a new device with the same concept but slightly less suction to allow for gliding cupping?
There are 3 levels for the heating setting: 41 degrees Celsius, 43 degrees Celsius, and 45 degrees Celsius (106F, 109F, and 113F).
When the skin gets sucked into the cup, it touches the ceramic lining inside the cupper, which gets warm. It heats up pretty quickly too – it takes about 10 to 20 seconds.
The feeling is fantastic – we have to praise Therabody’s execution here.
But the heating isn’t just to warm you up and keep you comfortable, it greatly affects the cupping process. Heating hastens the loosening of the fascia in the muscle and boosts blood flow to the tissues.
The combination of cupping and heating brings back the good old flame cuppers. Unlike the Achedaway Cupper, the TheraCup by Therabody doesn’t utilize red light therapy; but the heating component works great.
Vibrations also add to the effectiveness of the cupping therapy. They penetrate deep into the tissue and help to relieve tension.
But you’d need high-tempo vibrations for even better effectiveness, which the TheraCup doesn’t seem to have. Granted, they advertise 1800 to 3000 shakes per minute in the manual, but somehow, the vibrations are gentle (even to the 3rd setting). They are not quite as effective compared to the suction-heating combo.
We are assuming Therabody only included the vibrations to provide a soothing effect to help you relax.
But maybe Therabody really did want the vibrations to add to the intensity of the cupping therapy. But then, why make the vibrations so gentle?
If that’s the case, then we believe the intensity is lost along the cup – the vibrations have to travel from the top to the bottom where the cup meets your skin. We are guessing that’s where the vibrations may be lost.
Our Take
This is definitely a different device from the Achedaway Cupper we reviewed a while back. It’s not as robust as Achedaway’s concept, but we’ll give credit where it’s due; it’s a well-thought-out device.
Even though it doesn’t have dynamic suction or color-light therapy, it does what it’s meant to do well. The strong suction and the heating element stand out on this thing. It’s well-suited for sports recovery. However, it’s also great for routine body care.
The vibrations aren’t great enough to influence the therapy, but they provide a soothing feeling, which is nice.
It’s amazing the number of safety features Therabody chose to include here.
They include:
Well, this may be somewhat surprising, but Achedaway beats Therabody here. This TheraCup doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity.
The Achedaway Cupper has an app you can use to control the device – especially when using it on your back. It proved to be a handy feature.
Let’s hope Therabody thinks about connectivity for future TheraCup iterations.
We’re not sure about the battery’s capacity, but the device can last for 120 minutes with a full charge.
However, if you use high-level suction and too much heat, you might not get enough juice for 2 hours. Even so, the treatment per spot takes only a few minutes; two hours will be enough to treat a large area.
Kudos to Therabody for making this a USB-C charging device – you can charge it using a power bank. We’re assuming there isn’t too much juice to recharge because it takes 1-2 hours to fully charge the device.
The charge indicator is simple; it lights green when it’s fully charged, blue for a mid-charge, and orange for a low charge. The light flashes when charging and turns solid green when fully charged.
Cleaning is not an issue. The shape of the cups makes them easy to clean. They are removable too.
You can read the cleaning instructions on the manual. Use a clean cloth to clean the device and the cups. You can also use soap and water to clean the cups.
One device costs $149, while a double pack costs $279. A 6 pack will peg you back $799. We believe the price is fair for what you’re getting here.
You may want to try the X8YZF10 promo code at checkout, to save a few bucks. This coupon will only work here at therabody.com.
The device has a 1-year warranty; you get 90 days cover for the cups.
But you can’t put it past Therabody to charge exorbitantly for their devices. The competition offers similar devices but at fair prices. You can check the alternative below.
The Achedaway Cupper is the only viable alternative to the TheraCup we’re aware of. It’s a proven device that’s been on the market for well over a year now. It has gathered many positive reviews, including our very own Achedaway Cupper Review.
Let’s clash it with the new TheraCup device:
The Achedaway Cupper is flatter and shorter and will stick on the body better vertically (relative to the ground – for instance, when you put it on your back while standing). Also, the Achedaway Cupper has large cups.
However, TheraCup’s smallest cup is great when you need to use it on smaller muscles.
The Achedaway Cupper offers a slightly different proposition to the TheraCup. We’d say it’s slightly more robust.
The suction is dynamic, which means the pressure fluctuates to move the skin up and down. This effectively increases blood supply to the tissues and helps to release toxins faster. The TheraCup can’t do this.
Instead of direct heat, the Achedaway Cupper utilizes red-light therapy, which has proven benefits. The Achedaway Cupper doesn’t vibrate.
How does the suction compare to Achedaway? The Achedaway Cupper has a wider range, from 20kPa to 60kPa, and up to 5 levels. This makes the Achedaway Cupper stronger at higher levels.
Can the Achedaway Cupper glide comfortably? In theory, we believe it should be easier to glide the TheraCup than the Achedaway Cupper. Since the strong suction hinders the gliding and the Cupper is stronger, it might be harder to move the Cupper along the body. Practically though, it feels about the same as TheraCup.
The Achedaway Cupper can be controlled via an app. It also has a lanyard that makes it easier to use than the TheraCup.
The battery feels stronger than TheraCup’s. It has a capacity of 1800mAh and lasts 2-3 hours. Even so, the Cupper is lighter than the TheraCup – it weighs 215 grams.
The prices are similar, though the base price is slightly higher for the Cupper. Use the MGA25 code to get it with $25 OFF. The cupper too has a 1-year warranty.
Our Take
Both are excellent smart cuppers.
The Achedaway Cupper’s killer feature is the dynamic suction. It’s also slightly more robust than TheraCup. It also comes with better equipment and accessories (including an app).
However, the heat component of the TheraCup stands out too.
It’s tough to pick a clear winner here. But depending on what you want your treatment to look like, either device can be the winner. We recommend trying them both if you can. It’s a draw!
Before we close this Therabody TheraCup review, it suffices to say that this is an excellent cupper from a trusted brand. We are totally sold on the suction-heat combo (sprinkle in the vibrations to relax).
It’s not just a gadget that you buy to try out; it does what it claims to do. It’s a great choice for amateur and pro athletes. It’s also great for physios. On top of that, it is a reasonably priced device.
We are glad the Achedaway Cupper has competition now. We are hoping this drives the prices down further. Even so, they are fairly priced. Plus, you’re getting them from top brands.
Until next time!
Summary
The Therabody TheraCup is an excellent smart cupping massager with a lot to offer. It certainly offers competition to the already thriving Achedaway Cupper. The suction-heat combo makes it unique. The price point is attractive, and the overall quality is top-notch.
Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese treatment used to loosen up the fascia around muscles by pulling on the skin rather than pressing against it.
It helps in muscle recovery by releasing pressure within the connective tissues and promoting blood flow.
Cupping therapy is known to provide numerous health benefits. It can help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia, lower cholesterol levels, and treat skin conditions like acne and shingles.
Additionally, suction cup therapy is beneficial for relieving muscle tension, improving sports recovery, and managing chronic pain. Many people find it effective in alleviating lower back pain and even reducing heavy metal levels in the blood.
These benefits have been reported by users and supported by scientific studies, making cupping a valuable therapy for promoting overall well-being and muscle recovery.
Cupping therapy might have a few drawbacks/side effects. For starters, it can leave marks on your skin that take time to fade or even cause scarring. If not done right, it may result in burns, infections, or worsen skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.
Some rare but severe side effects include bleeding in the head after scalp cupping or anemia from blood loss after multiple wet cupping sessions.
Additionally, people might experience pain or discomfort during the procedure, and it may not be effective for everyone or every condition, so it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
Cupping therapy might feel a bit weird at first, but it’s usually not painful at all. When you’re getting it done, it kinda feels like your skin is being pulled or tugged on, but most people can handle it just fine.
You might end up with some funky-looking bruises or marks on your skin afterward, but they go away pretty quickly and shouldn’t hurt too much. Just make sure you’re talking to your therapist during the session and letting them know how you’re feeling, so they can make any adjustments if needed. No worries – it’s all part of the experience!
After you get a cupping sesh, it’s a good idea to avoid showering for a few hours. The reason is, your skin’s been through some stuff during the treatment, like being pulled and stretched, and the pores are a bit more open than usual.
If you hop into a hot shower right after, it might irritate your skin or cause the marks to take longer to heal. Also, your body’s still doing its thing to get rid of toxins that the cupping helped move around. Giving it a little time before getting wet just helps the process along and keeps your skin happy.
Michael Phelps, Conor McGregor, Stephen Curry, Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and James Harrison are some of the well-known athletes who have used cupping therapy for muscle recovery.
Here's a quick rundown of all the tweaks and edits we've made to this article to keep it accurate and up-to-date!
Current version last updated on:
April 27, 2023 An informative FAQ section was added, offering clear answers to most common cupping therapy questions. (Author: Greg)
April 26, 2023 Medically reviewed by Dr. Alex Stone, DPT, CSCS.
Published on:
•
Written by:
Luke Deszczulka
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