Is Foam Rolling worth it for Performance and Recovery?
Let’s examine if foam rolling enhances muscle flexibility and performance when used before and after exercise. It's a popular intervention among athletes and coaches, but we should examine its ROI to determine its value.
One interesting study was conducted to examine the impact of foam rolling on various aspects of performance and recovery. The researchers sought to determine whether applying foam rolling as a warm-up or as a recovery method would be more effective in promoting jump, sprint, and strength performance, as well as improving flexibility and reducing muscle pain.
That particular study found that foam rolling has a small impact on strength performance, but it can be beneficial for certain situations, such as improving sprinting or relieving muscle soreness.
Another study created a delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMs) inducing protocol to see the effects in which foam rollers had on post exercise for muscle recovery. The participants were asked to perform a 1-repetition max on a squat in an orientation session. Some were introduced to foam rolling (Foam-roll condition) and some weren’t (Control Condition).
24-48 hours post the orientation session, the participants were asked to come in and go through Testing Session 1 which included a pretest and posttest measurement protocol. This consisted of a pressure pain threshold, either a 30m sprint/standing board jump/t-test, followed by maximal # of reps at 70% of 1-repetition maximum. The foam roll condition was then asked to perform foam rolling to the Quadriceps, Adductors, Hamstrings, ITB & Glutes.
The participants were then asked to come in for Testing Session 2, Testing Session 3 and Testing Session 4 these were all done 24 hours post the following testing session. Participants were all asked to perform the posttest measurements again with the Foam-Roll Control foam rolling for a total of 20 minutes.
The findings showed that foam rolling on the quadriceps that the pain-pressure threshold had a moderate decline 24 hour post exercise and had a large effect 48 hours post exercise. Overall the result in this study proved that foam rolling can help reduce DOMs and alleviate muscle tenderness in athletes through bouts of 20 minute sessions of rolling on a foam roller with 24 hours between sessions.
Overall, it appears that incorporating foam rolling into your post-exercise routine can prove to be both effective and budget-friendly. By dedicating just 20 minutes of your day to daily foam rolling sessions, you may experience a noticeable decrease in Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMs) within the crucial 48-hour recovery window. Additionally, studies have indicated that foam rolling can enhance sprinting performance prior to exercise, as well as contribute to a general reduction in pain levels. Given these promising findings, it seems reasonable to consider foam rolling as a valuable tool for enhancing your athletic endeavors and promoting overall physical well-being.
Reference: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-50.1.01, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00376