Publications

Foam rolling (FR) is widely used to acutely enhance range of motion, yet the influence of different application volumes on neuromuscular, structural, and biochemical responses remains unclear. This study investigated the acute effects of low- and high-volume hamstrings FR interventions.

Fifty-seven healthy male participants were randomly assigned to a high-volume FR group (IG10; 10 min per posterior thigh), a low-volume FR group (IG2; 2 min per posterior thigh), or a control group (CG; 20 min rest). Pre- and post-intervention assessments included sit-and-reach (SAR) performance, shoulder circumduction (SC) (mobility), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), biceps femoris muscle stiffness (MS), and creatine kinase (CK) levels.

Linear mixed-effects models revealed significant Time effects for SAR performance and SC, as well as a Group effect for SC (p < 0.05), whereas no significant Group × Time interactions were observed for any outcome (all p > 0.05). Significant improvements in SC were observed in both intervention groups compared with the CG, whereas no differences were detected between the two intervention durations. In contrast, no differential effects were observed for MS, maximal strength, or CK concentrations between the intervention groups, indicating that extending the FR duration from 2 to 10 min did not provide additional acute benefits.

Keywords: foam rolling, creatine kinase, MVIC, muscle stiffness, ROM, high-volume, dose response, hamstring, regeneration, acute

The present randomized controlled trial investigated the acute effects of low-volume (2 min per leg) and high-volume (10 min per leg) hamstring foam rolling on SAR performance, shoulder mobility, maximal isometric strength, passive muscle stiffness, and CK concentrations. Linear mixed-effects models revealed significant main effects of Time for SAR performance and shoulder mobility. In addition, a significant main effect of Group was observed for shoulder mobility. However, no significant Group × Time interactions were found for any outcome variable. Furthermore, no significant effects were found for passive hamstring MS, maximal isometric hamstring strength, maximal isometric trunk flexor strength, or CK concentrations.

The present findings do not provide evidence that extending hamstring FR from 2 to 10 min per posterior thigh results in greater acute adaptations, providing no support for a dose–response relationship within the investigated volume range. Although a significant main effect of Group was observed for shoulder mobility, both FR protocols resulted in comparable improvements, with no differences between the 2 and 10 min interventions. The absence of changes in passive MS despite overall improvements in flexibility is consistent with the hypothesis that acute increases in ROM are primarily related to altered stretch tolerance rather than changes in the mechanical properties of the muscle–tendon unit. This is consistent with recent evidence in football players, where a plyometric intervention produced no group-level changes in Myoton-derived muscle tension, stiffness, or elasticity despite significant performance gains, with individual variability in muscle elasticity moderating the response.

From a practical perspective, increasing the duration of hamstring FR beyond 2 min per posterior thigh did not result in greater acute responses within the investigated outcomes. Furthermore, neither FR protocol adversely affected maximal isometric strength, suggesting that acute hamstring FR can be incorporated into warm-up routines without compromising force production.