Advanced Myofascial Decompression presented by Dr Chris DaPrato MELBOURNE VIC (29 Nov 2026)

If you are a clinician who uses cupping therapy in your treatment, this is the course that will take your skills to the next level.

Advanced Myofascial Decompression Cupping with Dr Chris DaPrato

Advance your skills and knowledge in the application of cupping, and learn how to combine cupping with movement, exercise and targeted rehabilitation strategies.

Dr. Chris DaPrato from @CupTherapy is a researcher and professor at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley. Best known for debunking pseudoscience and outdated ideas around cupping and myofascial release techniques.
Dr DaPrato & Integrated Movement Health have partnered with ACE to bring the Advanced Myofascial Decompression Course to Australia for the first time.

Building on your foundational knowledge of cupping, this one-day advanced course combines cupping with exercise, movement retraining, and is grounded in evidence-based clinical reasoning. Explore how to select and apply negative pressure tools, work with different tissue layers via different levels of pressure, and adapt your approach to individual patients, clinical presentations and patient populations.

PLEASE NOTE: To attend this course, you must:
Have completed ACE’s Functional Cupping Course
OR;
Have completed Integrated Movement Health's Myofascial Decompression Level 1 course (available online)*

* Use the discount code AUScuptherapyscience to receive a 25% discount of registering for this course. Register here.

Presented by Dr Chris DaPrato:

Dr DaPrato currently treats professional and NCAA athletes at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley, while teaching in the Orthopedic Residency for their School of Medicine. He is a strong proponent and educator for manual therapy in sports and has presented evidence informed practices at conferences both nationally and internationally.  

His approach to patient care has become a blend of advanced level strength and conditioning with manual techniques. When not working or doing podcasts, he cherishes family food time, international travel, and a good mezcal Paloma. Cheers!

Course Overview:

How do you decide how much pressure to use, how long to apply it, and when to introduce movement?

This course takes a deeper look at these clinical decisions, helping you develop a more systematic evidence-based approach to integrating cupping treatment and rehabilitation.

In this hands-on, one day, practical workshop, we'll explore myofascial decompression (MFD) - the application of negative pressure using cups - and combine it with movement in multiple directions and planes. We'll examine the role and physiology of fascia across different tissue layers, explore the proposed physiological effects of negative pressure, and connect these with practical treatment choices for specific presentations.

Drawing on neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and movement science, we explore how the musculoskeletal, neurological and lymphatic systems interact and respond to negative pressure. We'll explore the application of varying negative pressure on specific tissues and pair this with targeted activation, movement awareness and neuromuscular re-education.

This course aims to provide clinicians with a new perspective on understanding negative pressure tools and their specific tissue layer effects, with an emphasis on bringing manual therapy and active rehabilitation together, alongside evidence-based treatment selection and dosage.

What you'll learn:

• Pressure and treatment dosage: Explore how to select and monitor pressure (using the provided MFD Precision Pump), timing and dosage, with consideration of the available evidence.

• Cupping with movement: Integrate cups with exercise and movement across multiple plane, adapting techniques to different patients and clinical presentations.

• Fascial anatomy and tissue mobility: Examine the structural functions of fascia in various layers of tissues, explore the concept of densification and fascial plane restrictions.

• Neuromuscular integration: Pair inhibitory techniques with movement strategies that encourage coordination and more efficient movement.

• Lymphatic flow: Utilise negative pressure to assist with lymphatic flow and improve lymphatic dysfunction,

• Clinical reasoning: Consider the current evidence for pressure level, dosage, mechanisms of effect and tissue responses, to select an application and movement approach that suits specific patient presentations and patient populations.

• Safe, effective application: Review precautions, contraindications and appropriate treatment timing

• MFD techniques with movement principles: Combine MFD techniques (extensibility, inhibition, kinaesthetic awareness) with neuromuscular re-education principles to restore optimal function for specific sport populations

Practical learning and equipment

This is a hands-on, one-day course that connects anatomy and physiology, with current evidence, and practical application.

All cupping equipment will be provided, including a Precision Pressure Pump to assist with measuring and controlling the negative pressure applied, supporting a more consistent approach to cupping.

The Precision Pressure Pumps and specialist cupping equipment will be available to purchase on the day.

Who is this course for?

This advanced course is designed for health practitioners who are currently using myofascial cupping in their practice, and want to develop their skills and integrate them with movement, exercise and rehabilitation.

PLEASE NOTE: To attend this course, you must:
Have completed ACE’s Functional Cupping Course
OR;
Have completed Integrated Movement Health's Myofascial Decompression Level 1 course (available online)*

* Use the discount code AUScuptherapyscience to receive a 25% discount of registering for this course. Register here.