Foam Rolling and Muscle and Joint Proprioception After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.

Naderi, Aynollah, Rezvani, Mohammad Hossein and Degens, Hans ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7399-4841 (2019) Foam Rolling and Muscle and Joint Proprioception After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Journal of Athletic Training, 55 (1). ISSN 1062-6050

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Abstract

CONTEXT:Foam rolling (FR) is considered an effective postexercise modality for reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness and enhancing recovery of muscle function. However, the effects of FR on muscle and joint proprioception have not been investigated. OBJECTIVE:To examine the effects of FR on muscle and joint proprioception after an intense exercise protocol. DESIGN:Controlled laboratory study. SETTING:University-based laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS:A total of 80 healthy, physically active male students were randomly assigned to either the FR (n = 40; age = 22.8 ± 3.3 years, height = 176.4 ± 5.3 cm, mass = 74.2 ± 6.4 kg) or passive-recovery (PR; n = 40; age = 23.0 ± 3.2 years, height = 178.1 ± 5.5 cm, mass = 74.6 ± 6.2 kg) group. INTERVENTION(S):Participants in both groups performed 4 sets of 25 repetitions of voluntary maximal eccentric contractions at 60°/s from 20° to 100° of knee flexion to induce exercise-induced muscle damage. The exercise was followed by either PR or 2 minutes of FR immediately (1 hour) and 24, 48, and 72 hours postexercise. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):Muscle soreness, pressure-pain threshold, quadriceps-muscle strength, joint position sense, isometric force sense, and threshold to detect passive movement at baseline and immediately, 24, 48, and 72 hours postexercise after FR. RESULTS:Foam rolling resulted in decreased muscle pain, increased pressure-pain threshold, improved joint position sense, attenuated force loss, and reduced threshold to detect passive movement compared with PR at 24 and 48 hours postexercise. CONCLUSIONS:Foam rolling postexercise diminished delayed-onset muscle soreness and improved recovery of muscle strength and joint proprioception. These results suggested that FR enhanced recovery from exercise-induced damage.