Episode
167: Cupping & the Nervous System (with Joi Edwards)
- Podcast
- The Thinking Practitioner
- Published
- Apr 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2945
- Processing state
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- https://www.thethinkingpractitioner.com/e/title-pending-ep-167/
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Summary
🎙Dr. Joi Edwards is a physical therapist with nearly 20 years of experience specializing in orthopedic injuries and a licensed massage therapist who bridges the gap between clinical assessment and intuitive soft-tissue work. She joins Whitney on The Thinking Practitioner to dive deep into the world of cupping therapy—exploring the physiological mechanisms, the various types of tools, and why this ancient modality is about much more than just leaving red marks on the skin. Joi’s fascination with cupping began in the clinic when she discovered the modality "pre-Michael Phelps" and noticed an immediate 15-degree increase in her own shoulder's range of motion after experimenting with the cups. Her journey was further shaped by international patients who shared how their families had used cupping for generations to treat everything from systemic colds to localized chronic pain. This episode is an exploration of how decompression—rather than the compression typically associated with massage—can restore tissue mechanics and stimulate a nervous system response that even the most skilled manual techniques sometimes can't replicate. ✨ Topics discussed include: Whitney and Joi walk through the different categories of cupping, the science of tissue decompression, and how to safely integrate cups into a clinical practice. Joi's transition from physical therapy to massage therapy—and why she felt compelled to integrate the two. The history of cupping: from hollowed-out animal horns used for "snake bites" to modern medical-grade silicone. Wet cupping (Hijama) vs. Dry cupping: understanding the scope of practice and the cultural significance of bloodletting. The physics of the "Pinch Grip" and "Donut Drop": how different application methods change the treatment. Decompression vs. Comp…