Selective Effect of Foam Rolling and Manual Massage (AUTOMASSEEG)

Effects of Self-myofascial Release and Manual Massage on Psychometric, Behavioural and Neurophysiological Indexes of Performance and Well-being: a Randomized Control Trial

The present double-blinded randomized controlled design aims at comparing the effects of a full-body manual massage and foam rolling intervention. Sixty-five healthy individuals were randomly allocated to foam rolling, manual massage or a control intervention consisting in an autogenic relaxation routine.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Health, Subjective; Health Behavior; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Psychometric ratings (Likert-scale); Behavioral: Range of motion measures; Behavioral: Mental calculation task; Device: Resting-state electroencephalography; Device: Resting-state galvanic skin resistance measures

Detailed Description

Self-report ratings of perceived anxiety, muscle pain and relaxation were the psychometric outcome variables. Sit-and-reach, toes-touch and mental calculation performances were the behavioral variables. Resting-state alpha and beta power recorded using electroencephalography and galvanic skin resistance measures were the neurophysiological outcome variables.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 65
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Villeurbanne, France, 69622
    • University Claude Bernard Lyon 1

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Regular practice of foam rolling (10 min routines, 2-3 times per week over the past 6 months)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic medical conditions including functional limitations that might affect proprioception and/or pain perception

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Foam rolling; The foam rolling routine consisted in unilateral exercises alternatively performed on both legs and bilateral exercises on lower and back muscles. All participants started with the feet in a standing up position with a lacrosse ball. Then, participants performed on the ground the foam rolling exercises with the foam roller targeting leg and back muscles.	Other: Psychometric ratings (Likert-scale); Self-report of perceived anxiety and physical sensations (muscle pain, relaxation and warmth); Behavioral: Range of motion measures; Sit-and-reach and toe touch tests; Behavioral: Mental calculation task; Iterated substractions (for 2 minutes); Device: Resting-state electroencephalography; Alpha and beta oscillation power (4 minutes recordings); Device: Resting-state galvanic skin resistance measures; Skin conductance during the resting state period
Experimental: Manual massage; Participants in the manual massage group received manual massage by a professional physiotherapist who was blinded to the purpose of the experiment (20 years of registered practice). Participants were lying in the prone position on a massage table. To facilitate the physiotherapist's maneuvers, massage oil was used. The manual massage protocol reproduced several features of the foam rolling intervention, i.e., order of the areas massaged, massage time per muscles and total duration of the session.	Other: Psychometric ratings (Likert-scale); Self-report of perceived anxiety and physical sensations (muscle pain, relaxation and warmth); Behavioral: Range of motion measures; Sit-and-reach and toe touch tests; Behavioral: Mental calculation task; Iterated substractions (for 2 minutes); Device: Resting-state electroencephalography; Alpha and beta oscillation power (4 minutes recordings); Device: Resting-state galvanic skin resistance measures; Skin conductance during the resting state period
Active Comparator: Autogenic relaxation; Participants in the relaxation group listened to a 16 min relaxation audio tape, based on the autogenic training method. Participants were lying on the massage table in supine position, wearing headphones. During this desensitization-relaxation technique, they were guided to visualize bodily perceptions of heaviness and warmth in their arms, thorax and legs. To facilitate concentration, participants were left alone in a dark room.	Other: Psychometric ratings (Likert-scale); Self-report of perceived anxiety and physical sensations (muscle pain, relaxation and warmth); Behavioral: Range of motion measures; Sit-and-reach and toe touch tests; Behavioral: Mental calculation task; Iterated substractions (for 2 minutes); Device: Resting-state electroencephalography; Alpha and beta oscillation power (4 minutes recordings); Device: Resting-state galvanic skin resistance measures; Skin conductance during the resting state period

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in range of motion measures from standardized flexibility tests	Lower back and hamstring flexibility index from sit-and-reach and toe touch tests	Pretest and an immediate posttest after the intervention
Resting-state electroencephalography	Power of alpha and beta neural oscillations	Pretest and an immediate posttest after the intervention
Changes in subjective scores (self-reports on numeric rating scales)	Perceived anxiety and physical sensations (muscle pain, warmth and relaxation) on a numeric rating scale of 10 cm (0: "Complete absence of anxiety/muscle pain/muscle warmth/muscle relaxation"; 10: "Maximal possible levels of anxiety/muscle pain/muscle warmth/muscle relaxation")	Pretest and an immediate posttest after the intervention
Changes in mental calculation performances	Iterated substractions for 2 minutes	Pretest and an immediate posttest after the intervention
Changes in physiological arousal	Skin conductance during resting state periods	Pretest and an immediate posttest after the intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 16, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 26, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 26, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: flexibility; electroencephalography; alertness; electrodermal activity
• Other Study ID Numbers: LIBMNEURO - AUTOMASSEEG

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

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