Chronic Effects of Foam Rolling on Flexibility and Performance: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

The purpose of this study is to review the existing literature on chronic effects of foam rolling (FR) on flexibility and performance. Electronic databases were searched during January 2022 for topics related to FR. Included studies met the following criteria: (a) peer-reviewed articles written in E...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-04, Vol.19 (7), p.4315
Main Authors: Pagaduan, Jeffrey Cayaban, Chang, Sheng-Yuan, Chang, Nai-Jen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols
Chronic effects
Criteria
Exercise
Intervention
Literature reviews
Males
Muscle, Skeletal
Pain
Physical fitness
Physical therapy
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Range of motion
Range of Motion, Articular
Review
Reviews
Systematic review
Upper Extremity
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Summary:The purpose of this study is to review the existing literature on chronic effects of foam rolling (FR) on flexibility and performance. Electronic databases were searched during January 2022 for topics related to FR. Included studies met the following criteria: (a) peer-reviewed articles written in English; (b) FR intervention of at least four weeks; (c) non-motorized FR device during intervention; (d) randomized controlled trial with existence of a control group; and (e) any lower body parameter related to flexibility, recovery, and performance. Nine studies met that criteria. Results revealed that chronic FR demonstrated conflicting results for improvement of flexibility. On the other hand, a majority of the articles in this review showed no beneficial effects of FR on performance. Lastly, the effect of FR on recovery is unclear. These findings suggest the need for further studies to establish the consensus about the long-term application of FR in flexibility, recovery, and performance.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph19074315