Modified Dry Cupping for Back Pain in Older Adults: A Nursing Innovation in Complementary Therapy

Background: Back pain is a common musculoskeletal problem among older adults, leading to reduced mobility, loss of independence, and decreased quality of life. Although dry cupping therapy has been shown to alleviate pain, its conventional application requires therapist supervision, limiting accessibility for the elderly. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified dry cupping therapy device with an automatic control system as an innovative complementary nursing intervention for reducing back pain and promoting self-care in older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental two-group pretest–posttest design was conducted with 102 elderly participants in Kendari City, divided equally into an intervention and control group (n = 51 each); the analysis used a paired-sample t-test. Results: At baseline, both groups reported moderate back pain (intervention: mean = 5.12 ± 0.52; control: mean = 5.10 ± 0.36). Following the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated a significant reduction in pain intensity (mean = 2.76 ± 0.65, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 4.01), with 98% of participants reporting mild pain. In contrast, the control group showed no significant change (mean = 5.10 ± 0.36, p = 1.000). The between-group comparison confirmed a significant difference (mean difference = 2.34, 95% CI: 2.13-2.55, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Modified dry cupping therapy with an automatic control system is an effective, safe, and practical complementary nursing intervention for reducing back pain in older adults. This innovation supports self-care independence and may be integrated into community and gerontological nursing practices.