Comparison between 6-week foam rolling intervention program with and without vibration on rolling and non-rolling...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Unilateral foam rolling (FR) and vibration-assisted FR (VFR) are common interventions to improve flexibility and performance.
• The long-term cross-education effects of these unilateral interventions on the contralateral limb remain incompletely understood.
• Investigating these effects is crucial for optimizing training and recovery protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the chronic effects of a 6-week unilateral FR or VFR intervention on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DF ROM), muscle stiffness, and muscle strength.
• To examine potential cross-education effects on the non-intervened limb.
• To compare the efficacy of FR versus VFR in eliciting these changes.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy young men were randomized into either an FR group (n=15) or a VFR group (n=15).
• Participants underwent unilateral calf muscle interventions (3 sets of 60s) twice weekly for 6 weeks.
• Ankle DF ROM, gastrocnemius muscle stiffness, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque were assessed bilaterally before and after the intervention period.

Main Results:

• Both FR and VFR interventions led to significant increases in ankle DF ROM on both the rolling and non-rolling sides.
• Passive torque at maximal DF ROM also significantly increased bilaterally in both intervention groups.
• No significant changes in gastrocnemius muscle stiffness or MVIC torque were observed in either limb following either intervention.

Conclusions:

• Unilateral FR and VFR interventions are effective in improving ankle dorsiflexion range of motion bilaterally.
• Vibration is not necessary for achieving long-term ROM improvements via foam rolling.
• Neither intervention demonstrated significant effects on muscle stiffness or strength, suggesting targeted approaches may be needed for these outcomes.