Foam Rolling and Muscle and Joint Proprioception After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage

Context: Foam rolling (FR) is considered an effective postexercise modality for reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness and enhancing recovery of muscle function. However, the effects of FR on muscle and joint proprioception have not been investigated. Objective: To examine the effects of FR on muscle and joint proprioception after an intense exercise protocol. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: University-based laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 80 healthy, physically active male students were randomly assigned to either the FR (n = 40; age = 22.8 +/- 3.3 years, height = 176.4 +/- 5.3 cm, mass = 74.2 +/- 6.4 kg) or passive-recovery (PR; n = 40; age = 23.0 +/- 3.2 years, height = 178.1 +/- 5.5 cm, mass = 74.6 +/- 6.2 kg) group. Intervention(s): Participants in both groups performed 4 sets of 25 repetitions of voluntary maximal eccentric contractions at 60 degrees/s from 20 degrees to 100 degrees of knee flexion to induce exercise-induced muscle damage. The exercise was followed by either PR or 2 minutes of FR immediately (1 hour) and 24, 48, and 72 hours postexercise. Main Outcome Measure(s): Muscle soreness, pressure-pain threshold, quadriceps-muscle strength, joint position sense, isometric force sense, and threshold to detect passive movement at baseline and immediately, 24, 48, and 72 hours postexercise after FR. Results: Foam rolling resulted in decreased muscle pain, increased pressure-pain threshold, improved joint position sense, attenuated force loss, and reduced threshold to detect passive movement compared with PR at 24 and 48 hours postexercise. Conclusions: Foam rolling postexercise diminished delayed-onset muscle soreness and improved recovery of muscle strength and joint proprioception. These results suggested that FR enhanced recovery from exercise-induced damage.