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ACUTE EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT FOAM ROLLERS ON RANGE OF MOTION

Abstract

Isaac Henry, Jacilyn Olson, Melissa Powers, Jill Robinson, Ed Cunliff. University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma.

Self-myofascial release via foam rolling does not yield significant acute effects on muscular performance, but it can yield benefits to range of motion (ROM) similar to static streching, without the negative effects to muscular performance. Additionally, exercising through larger ROM during resistance training will produce superior chronic benefits. PURPOSE: Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if differences existed between the acute effects two different foam rollers had on hip and shoulder ROM. METHODS: Ten college students participated in a random cross over design study. Participants’ hip and shoulder ROM were measured with a goniometer pre and post three different conditions: control, supernova (SN), and grid. The first session consisted of taking pre ROM measurements followed by 10 minutes of rest and post ROM measurements (control). Then the participants were familiarized with the foam rolling procedures that were used for the next two sessions. During the next two sessions the control trial procedures were repeated, except instead of resting between pre and post testing the participants foam rolled using one of the foam rollers. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA followed by protected dependent t tests revealed that significant (p<.05) differences existed between control and SN, control and grid, but not between SN and grid (p>.05). Effect sizes revealed that when comparing mean differences from pre to post for SN and grid: a large effect was seen for shoulder extension (d = -.80) in favor of SN, moderate effects were observed for shoulder flexion (d = -.50) in favor of SN, hip flexion (d = -.62) in favor of SN, and hip abduction (d = .57) in favor of grid. CONCLUSION: Both foam rollers produced similar acute improvements to hip and shoulder ROM, which were significantly better than the control condition. When improvements to ROM are desired prior to resistance training, the use of either foam roller in this study would be preferred over static stretching or no mobility exercises.

Supported by UCO Student Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities (RCSA) Grant

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