FOAM ROLLING
Foam rollers and massage sticks have increased in popularity in the fitness industry and are often recommended by strength and conditioning professionals.[4] There is evidence that shows positive effects of foam rolling on range of motion (ROM), recovery, and performance.[7] Despite its effectiveness, the mechanisms as to how foam rolling works are not fully understood. However, it is likely that acute responses in foam rolling are similar to those elicited by manual therapy, which are thought to be neurophysiological in origin.
Many different health professionals including physical therapists, athletic trainers, and massage therapists use foam rolling clinically. However, foam rollers and massage sticks allow individuals to apply manual therapy on themselves, making them portable and affordable forms of therapy.
SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (SMR) FOR WARM-UP
It is well documented that pre-exercise static stretching can have a negative effect on strength and power but foam rolling has been shown to increase ROM without decreasing muscular performance.[9] SMR may be a substitute for static stretching before workouts, especially if combined with dynamic warm-up exercises. In fact, two recent systematic review papers on foam rolling have concluded that foam rolling acutely increases joint ROM and decreases muscle soreness without negatively impacting performance.[2] However, it should be noted that dynamic stretching and foam rolling elicit similar increases in hip flexion range of motion.[3]
FOAM ROLLING FOR RECOVERY
SMR through the use of foam rolling may also be beneficial for post- and between-workout recovery. Foam rolling has been shown to decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) when performed following exercise.[7] One study examined the effect of post-exercise foam rolling on muscle soreness and performance. The subjects completed 10 sets of 10 repetitions (German volume training protocol) of the back squat at 60% of one repetition maximum (1RM). Subjects who performed a 20-min foam rolling session immediately 24 hours and 48 hours after exercise had significantly lower quadriceps DOMS than those who did not.[11] Additionally, the foam rolling recovery work caused faster recovery of muscular function as measured by sprint time, power output, and dynamic strength-endurance.[11] Foam rolling has also been shown to speed heart rate and blood pressure recovery following high-intensity exercise as compared to placebo treatment.[1]
FOAM ROLLER DENSITY AND OTHER TOOLS
The increased popularity of SMR and foam rolling has led to the development of many different types of foam rollers, such as softer, less dense, harder, and more rigid rollers. There are also multilevel rigid rollers, which have ridges of isolated contact area as opposed to the standard foam roller. Research suggests that the significantly higher pressure and isolated contact area of the multilevel rigid roller can have a potentially greater benefit.[6] Although high-density rollers may be more therapeutic, they can cause significant discomfort during use. Many people begin with a softer roller and progress to a firmer one as their pain tolerance increases.
However, foam rollers are not the only SMR tools available; massager sticks and massage balls, including tennis and l acrosse balls, are also used for this type of therapy. These tools are smaller and more portable than foam rollers and can be good alternatives to the standard foam roller. Massage sticks have been shown to increase range of motion while not decreasing muscle strength.[12]
OPTIMAL PROTOCOL FOR FOAM ROLLING
Foam rolling has been shown to cause significant ROM increases when paired with a static stretching routine. A recent study found that this combination significantly increased passive hip-flexion ROM compared to foam rolling or static stretching alone.[10] One protocol that has shown to be effective in the literature involves rolling the length of the muscle 3 – 4 times over the course of 1 min, followed by 30 s of rest, followed by another bout of foam rolling for 1 min.[8]
REFERENCES
1. Arroyo-Morales, M, Olea, N, Martinez, M, Moreno-Lorenzo, C, Díaz-Rodríguez, L, and Hidalgo-Lazano, A. Effects of myofascial release after high-intensity exercise: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 31(3): 217- 223, 2008.
2. Beardsley, C, and Skarabot, J. Effects of self-myofascial release: A systematic review. Published ahead of print. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2015.
3. Behara, B, and Jacobson, BH. The acute effects of deep tissue foam rolling and dynamic stretching on muscular strength, power, and flexibility in division I linemen. Published ahead of print. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 2015.
4. Button, DC, and Behm, DG. Foam rolling: Early study findings suggest benefits. Lower Extremity Review. 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015 from http://lermagazine.com/article/foamrolling-early-study-findings-suggest-benefits.
5. Cressey, E, and Robertson, M. Feel better for 10 bucks. T-Nation. 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2015 from http://www.tnation. com/training/feel-better-for-10-bucks
6. Curran, PF, Fiore, RD, and Crisco, JJ. Comparison of the pressure exerted on soft tissue by 2 myofascial rollers. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 17(4): 432-442, 2008.
7. Macdonald, GZ, Button, DC, Drinkwater, EJ, and Behm, DG. Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise 46(1): 131-42, 2014.
8. Macdonald, GZ, Penney, MD, Mullaley, ME, Cuconato, AL, Drake, CD, Behm, DG, and Button, DC. An acute bout of self-myofascial release increases range of motion without a subsequent decrease in muscle activation or force. The Journal of Strength Conditioning Research 27(3): 812-821, 2013.
9. McMillian, DJ, Moore, JH, Hatler, BS, and Taylor, DC. Dynamic vs. static-stretching warm-up: The effect on power and agility performance. The Journal of Strength Conditioning Research 20(3): 492-499, 2006.
10. Mohr, A, Long, B, and Goad, C. Effect of foam rolling and static stretching on passive hip-flexion range of motion. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 23(4): 296-299, 2014.
11. Pearcey, GE, Bradbury-Squires, DJ, Kawamoto, JE, Drinkwater, EJ, Behm, DG, and Button, DC. Foam rolling for delayed-onset muscle soreness and recovery of dynamic performance measures. Journal of Athletic Training 50(1): 5-13, 2015.
12. Sullivan, KM, Silvey, DB, Button, DC, and Behm, DG. Rollermassager application to the hamstrings increases sit-and-reach range of motion within five to ten seconds without performance impairments. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 8(3): 228-236, 2013.