Comparing the effects of self-myofascial release with static stretching on ankle range-of-motion in adolescent athletes.

Škarabot, Jakob, Beardsley, Chris and Štirn, Igor (2015) Comparing the effects of self-myofascial release with static stretching on ankle range-of-motion in adolescent athletes. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 10 (2). pp. 203-12. ISSN 2159-2896

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Increased flexibility is often desirable immediately prior to sports performance. Static stretching (SS) has historically been the main method for increasing joint range-of-motion (ROM) acutely. However, SS is associated with acute reductions in performance. Foam rolling (FR) is a form of self-myofascial release (SMR) that also increases joint ROM acutely but does not seem to reduce force production. However, FR has never previously been studied in resistance-trained athletes, in adolescents, or in individuals accustomed to SMR.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of SS and FR and a combination of both (FR+SS) of the plantarflexors on passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM in resistance-trained, adolescent athletes with at least six months of FR experience.

METHODS

Eleven resistance-trained, adolescent athletes with at least six months of both resistance-training and FR experience were tested on three separate occasions in a randomized cross-over design. The subjects were assessed for passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM after a period of passive rest pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and after 10, 15, and 20 minutes of passive rest. Following the pre-intervention test, the subjects randomly performed either SS, FR or FR+SS. SS and FR each comprised 3 sets of 30 seconds of the intervention with 10 seconds of inter-set rest. FR+SS comprised the protocol from the FR condition followed by the protocol from the SS condition in sequence.

RESULTS

A significant effect of time was found for SS, FR and FR+SS. Post hoc testing revealed increases in ROM between baseline and post-intervention by 6.2% for SS (p < 0.05) and 9.1% for FR+SS (p < 0.05) but not for FR alone. Post hoc testing did not reveal any other significant differences between baseline and any other time point for any condition. A significant effect of condition was observed immediately post-intervention. Post hoc testing revealed that FR+SS was superior to FR (p < 0.05) for increasing ROM.

CONCLUSIONS

FR, SS and FR+SS all lead to acute increases in flexibility and FR+SS appears to have an additive effect in comparison with FR alone. All three interventions (FR, SS and FR+SS) have time courses that lasted less than 10 minutes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2c.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Ankle, dorsiflexion, flexibility, self‐massage, stretching
Subjects:	C600 Sports Science
Department:	Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Applied Sciences
Depositing User:	Becky Skoyles
Date Deposited:	05 Jun 2019 09:16
Last Modified:	10 Oct 2019 18:31
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/39492

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