Foam Rolling and Tissue Flossing of the Cuff Muscles

Foam Rolling and Tissue Flossing of the Cuff Muscles: Acute Effect on Jump Height, Sprint Performance and Achilles Tendon Stiffness

The hypothesis is that self-myofascial release (SMR) intervention on the cuff muscles would affect positively sprint performance and jump height, as well as, decrease Achilles tendon stiffness. The second hypothesis is that tissue flossing would be more effective than foam rolling.

The participants will be randomly assigned to foam rolling, tissue flossing, and control group (without any intervention). After the intervention, repeated measures will be performed (15m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ) and Achilles tendon stiffness). This will aim to improve sprint time, jump height and decrease tendon stiffness.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Ankle Injuries; Ankle Sprains
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Foam rolling; Other: Tissue flossing

Detailed Description

Foam rolling provides beneficial results in ankle range of motion, muscle flexibility or muscle sourness. Tissue flossing is popular in athletic training and physical therapy, as an effective strategy for ankle range of motion or performance. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the use of foam rolling and tissue flossing during a 60 minutes post-intervention examination on the performance and soft tissue stiffness.

The main aim of this study is to investigate the effect of foam rolling and tissue flossing of the cuff on sprint performance, jump height and Achilles tendon stiffness at different time points. The second aim is to assess the effectiveness of those self-myofascial release methods (SMR).

This study will include healthy, recreational active subjects aged between 20 and 25 years old.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Lower Silesia
    • Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Poland, 51-612
      • University Team Sport Hall

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 25 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Regular physical exercise activity (~3 times per week).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Experience with the application of foam rolling and tissue flossing.
• Current or prior pain or injury in the lower extremity.
• Previous history of surgery in the lower extremity.
• Cardiovascular disabilities.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: SCREENING
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: DOUBLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Foam rolling; Foam rolling of cuff muscles.	Other: Foam rolling; Foam rolling performed on cuff muscles in 3 sets of 30 seconds per each muscle part in duration with a 15-second rest between sets. The first sets on the central part of the cuff muscles, the second on the medial and third on the lateral side of the cuff.
EXPERIMENTAL: Tissue flossing; Tissue flossing of cuff muscles.	Other: Tissue flossing; A standard cuff muscle bandaging technique on cuff muscle. After the application, each participant is asked to perform a 2 min ankle-exercise program.
NO_INTERVENTION: Control group; Without any intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in counter-movement jump (CMJ)	A maximum vertical jump with counter-movement.	Baseline, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes
Change in 15-meter sprint run	The 15-meter sprint involves a participant starting behind a timing gate and running through a second timing gate 15 meters away.	Baseline, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes
Change in viscoelastic properties of the Achilles tendon.	Stiffness measured on (1) Achilles tendon origin, (2) Achilles tendon on the center ankle joint, and (3) intermuscular septum between medial and lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle.	Baseline, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw
• Collaborators: Aalborg University; Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
• Investigators: Study Director: Adam Kawczyński, Prof., University School of Physical Education in Wrocław

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Skarabot J, Beardsley C, Stirn I. Comparing the effects of self-myofascial release with static stretching on ankle range-of-motion in adolescent athletes. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2015 Apr;10(2):203-12.
• Smith JC, Pridgeon B, Hall MC. Acute Effect of Foam Rolling and Dynamic Stretching on Flexibility and Jump Height. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Aug;32(8):2209-2215. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002321.
• Driller M, Mackay K, Mills B, Tavares F. Tissue flossing on ankle range of motion, jump and sprint performance: A follow-up study. Phys Ther Sport. 2017 Nov;28:29-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2017.08.081. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): September 7, 2020
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): October 9, 2020
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): October 16, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 22, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2020
• First Posted (ACTUAL): April 29, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): November 3, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 2, 2020
• Last Verified: November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: performance; injury prevention; self myofascial release; athletic training
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Leg Injuries; Ankle Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: USPEWroclaw; 26/2016 (OTHER: University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No