Tongues wag over bruises on Phelps

MICHAEL Phelps has set tongues wagging at the Rio Olympics by sporting mysterious deep-purple circles on his body, looking as if he has been attacked by a blood-thirsty vampire.

The welts, which resemble giant love bites, are actually caused by the ancient Chinese healing technique of “cupping” -- which has since become a celebrity health fad supposed to improve blood flow and energise the body.

“I have done it for a while but I haven’t had bad ones like this for a while,” Phelps said after Monday’s 400m butterfly heats.

“That’s where they usually hurt the most,” added the American, rubbing his right shoulder.

“I’ve done it before pretty much every meet I go to. I just asked for a little cupping yesterday because I was sore and the trainer hit me pretty hard with one and left a couple of bruises.”

In an era when the spectre of doping casts a shadow over sport, the suction therapy -- which dates back thousands of years -- is a legal alternative.

It works by drawing blood to the affected area, reducing soreness and speeding the healing process of overworked muscles.

Pressurised cups are placed on the skin and the suction causes capillaries just beneath the surface to rupture. It last only a few minutes and can result in golf ball-sized bruises.

“It’s like the decorative garnish on a steak,” Keenan Robinson, director of high performance for the American swim team said.

“Mike’s walking around looking like a dalmatian but it’s just another recovery modality.”

Celebrities have embraced the cupping craze, however, with Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston all spotted with the tell-tale marks on their bodies. – AFP