Can Cupping Ease Knee Osteoarthritis?What a Randomised Trial Found

What the study looked at

Knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of ongoing knee pain and stiffness. This trial explored whether cupping, applied over the knee, could improve symptoms in people living with the condition.

Forty people with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to receive a course of pulsatile dry cupping or to a waiting list control. The researchers then compared pain and function using the WOMAC score, a standard measure for osteoarthritis.

What the treatment involved

What the results showed

The cupping group improved more than the waiting list group over the treatment period.

What this means for practice

For clients with knee osteoarthritis, this supports cupping as a possible short-term symptom reliever within a broader plan.

The foundation of osteoarthritis care remains exercise, movement and, where relevant, weight management, so cupping is best used as a complement rather than a replacement.

Clinical relevance by discipline

Limitations to be aware of

This was a small, exploratory trial with a waiting list control, which means participants knew whether they were receiving treatment, and that can inflate self-reported benefit. It shows short-term promise rather than long-term proof.

Larger, better-controlled studies would help confirm the effect.

Summary

In 40 people with knee osteoarthritis, a course of pulsatile dry cupping improved pain and function compared with a waiting list, at least in the short term.

For myotherapists and remedial massage therapists, this supports cupping as a complementary option alongside the exercise and movement that form the core of osteoarthritis care.