Effects of Dynamic Stretching Combined With Static Stretching, Foam Rolling, or Vibration Rolling as a Warm-Up Exercise on Athletic Performance in Elite Table Tennis Players

Context: Warm-up exercise is an essential preexercise routine for athletes to optimize performance. However, the benefits of combined warm-up protocols remain unclear. Objective: This comparative study investigated the acute effects of dynamic stretching (DS) followed by static stretching (SS), self-myofascial release using a foam rolling (FR) device, or vibration foam rolling (VFR) as a warm-up exercise to improve flexibility, power, agility, and specific skills in elite table tennis players. Design: A crossover study. Setting: University. Participants: Twenty-three elite table tennis players. Interventions: Players completed 3 different interventions in a random order (DS + SS, DS + FR, and DS + VFR). The target muscle groups included the bilateral posterior calf, posterior thigh, anterior thigh, back, and shoulder. Main Outcome Measures: Sit-and-mach test for flexibility, board jump test for lower-extremity power, medicine ball throw test for upper-extremity power, Edgren Side Step Test for agility, and ball speed of table tennis was assessed before and after intervention. Results: After intervention, significant increases in flexibility (15.2%, 20.4%, and 23.8%); lower-limb power (4.5%, 6.6%, and 6.3%); upper-limb power (9.6%, 8.5%, and 9.1%); and ball speed (7.4%, 7.6%, and 7.7%) were observed for DS + SS, DS + FR, and DS + VFR, respectively (all P<.001). In addition, only DS coupled with FR (5.1%) and DS in conjunction with VFR (2.7%) significantly improved agility (P < .001). However, no significant improvements in agility were observed after DS + SS. In addition, no one protocol was superior to the other in all outcomes. Conclusion: The authors suggest that a combination of DS with FR or VFR as warm-up exercises significantly improved flexibility, power, ball speed, in addition to agility in elite table tennis players. Coach and athletic professionals may take this information into account for choosing more effective warm-up protocols to enhance performance.

Automated summary

This comparative study examined the acute effects of different warm-up protocols on elite table tennis players. The results showed that a combination of dynamic stretching with foam rolling or vibration foam rolling significantly improved flexibility, power, speed, and agility in the athletes.