TY  - JOUR
A1  - Nakamura, Masatoshi
A1  - Konrad, Andreas
A1  - Kiyono, Ryosuke
A1  - Sato, Shigeru
A1  - Yahata, Kaoru
A1  - Yoshida, Riku
A1  - Yasaka, Koki
A1  - Murakami, Yuta
A1  - Sanuki, Futaba
A1  - Wilke, Jan
T1  - Local and non-local effects of foam rolling on passive soft tissue properties and spinal excitability
T2  - Frontiers in physiology
N2  - In sports and clinical settings, roller massage (RM) interventions are used to acutely increase range of motion (ROM); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Apart from changes in soft tissue properties (i.e., reduced passive stiffness), neurophysiological alterations such as decreased spinal excitability have been described. However, to date, no study has investigated both jointly. The purpose of this trial was to examine RM’s effects on neurophysiological markers and passive tissue properties of the plantar flexors in the treated (ROLL) and non-treated (NO- ROLL) leg. Fifteen healthy individuals (23 ± 3 years, eight females) performed three unilateral 60-s bouts of calf RM. This procedure was repeated four times on separate days to allow independent assessments of the following outcomes without reciprocal interactions: dorsiflexion ROM, passive torque during passive dorsiflexion, shear elastic modulus of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, and spinal excitability. Following RM, dorsiflexion ROM increased in both ROLL (+19.7%) and NO-ROLL (+13.9%). Similarly, also passive torque at dorsiflexion ROM increased in ROLL (+15.0%) and NO-ROLL (+15.2%). However, there were no significant changes in shear elastic modulus and spinal excitability (p > 0.05). Moreover, significant correlations were observed between the changes in DF ROM and passive torque at DF ROM in both ROLL and NO-ROLL. Changes in ROM after RM appear to be the result of sensory changes (e.g., passive torque at DF ROM), affecting both rolled and non-rolled body regions. Thus, therapists and exercise professionals may consider applying remote treatments if local loading is contraindicated.
KW  - shear elastic modulus
KW  - dorsiflexion range of motion
KW  - roller massage
KW  - cross-transfer effect
KW  - H/M ratio
Y1  - 2021
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/62022
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-620226
SN  - 1664-042X
N1  - This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI with grant number 19K19890 (MN), and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project P 32078-B (AK).
VL  - 12
IS  - art. 702042
SP  - 1
EP  - 9
PB  - Frontiers Research Foundation
CY  - Lausanne
ER  -