Foam Rolling vs. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching in the Hamstring Flexibility of Amateur Athletes: Control Trials

Albert Pérez-Bellmunt, Oriol Casasayas-Cos, Paolo Ragazzi, Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz (), César Hidalgo-García, Max Canet-Vintró, Iván Caballero-Martínez, Laura Pacheco and Carlos López- de-Celis
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Albert Pérez-Bellmunt: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Oriol Casasayas-Cos: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Paolo Ragazzi: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
César Hidalgo-García: Departamento de Fisiatría y Enfermería, Unidad de Investigación en Fisioterapia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Max Canet-Vintró: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Iván Caballero-Martínez: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Laura Pacheco: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Carlos López- de-Celis: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08017 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-9

Abstract: Background: the use of stretching techniques in the sports world is frequent and common thanks to their many effects. One of the main benefits of stretching is an increased range of motion (ROM). Recently, the use of a foam roller has spread in sports practice due to benefits that are similar to those of shoes observed in stretching. The objective of the following study was to compare the results of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching (PNF) with foam rolling (FR). Methods: The design of the study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial (clinicaltrial.gov NCT05134883), and the participants were 80 healthy young athletes. The range of motion was evaluated with a modified sit-and-reach test before, during (at 30 s), and at the end of the intervention (at 2 min). The subject’s discomfort sensation was measured using the Borg scale. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d coefficient. Volunteers were randomized into the PNF group or FR group. Results: the differences were statistically significant ( p < 0.001) during the intervention in favor of PNF group. The differences at the end of intervention showed that the PNF group had a greater increase in flexibility, with this difference being statically significant ( p < 0.001). The sensation of perceived exertion with PNF at the end of the intervention was similarly classified as moderate for both groups. Conclusion: Despite the fact that the use of FR is spreading in the field of sports and rehabilitation, the results of the present study suggest that the gain in flexibility in the hamstrings is greater if PNF-type stretches are used instead of FR.

Keywords: extensibility; healthy adults; ROM; muscle stretching; hamstring muscles; strength; flexibility; fascia; myofascial rolling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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