Author(s): PINTO, G., FRENDA, S., NAKAMURA, M., BEHM, D.G., BELLAFIORE, M., BIANCO, A., THOMAS, E. , Institution: UNIVERSITY OF PALERMO, Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 1054

INTRODUCTION:
Foam rolling (FR) is widely used to enhance joint range of motion (ROM) and relieve pain and stiffness; however, preliminary evidence suggests it may also elicit haemodynamic responses. Considering the important vascular and neural structures characterizing the cervical region, the aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of cervical FR performed with a massage roller on blood pressure (BP), tissue hardness (TH), pain pressure threshold (PPT), heart rate variability (HRV), and ROM.
METHODS:
Fifteen healthy males (mean age: 24.4±3.01 years) completed, in a randomized crossover design, two experimental conditions separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period: FR and control condition (CC). The FR intervention was self-administered using a massage roller and consisted of four sets of 45 rolls performed at a standardized cadence of one roll per second, specifically targeting the right posterolateral cervical region. BP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), bilateral cervical TH and PPT (at C7), HRV, cervical flexion and extension ROM were assessed at baseline (T0) and immediately following both conditions (T1). Time-×-condition interactions were analyzed using a 2×2 repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Scheffé post-hoc tests. Effect sizes were expressed as Cohen’s d for pairwise comparisons.
RESULTS:
For the FR condition, diastolic BP (p<.001; d=-1.23) and MAP (p<.001; d=-1.11), but not systolic BP, demonstrated large magnitude significant decreases. Significant moderate magnitude reduction in right cervical TH was also observed (p<.001; d=-0.68), alongside increases in PPT on both the right (p<.001; d=0.52) and left (p<.001; d=0.52) sides of C7. Additionally, cervical flexion (p=.008; d=0.47) and extension (p<.001; d=0.48) ROM significantly increased (small magnitude) exclusively for the FR condition. No significant time x condition interactions were detected in any HRV parameter. No difference in any outcome was observed for the CC.
CONCLUSION:
Cervical FR induced acute reductions in diastolic BP and MAP, concomitant with a localized decrease in TH and in the absence of detectable changes in HRV. This pattern indicates that the observed hypotensive responses were more plausibly related to a transient reduction in peripheral tissue resistance, as indirectly indicated by the decrease in TH, rather than to alterations in cardiac autonomic regulation. Concurrently, cervical FR acutely improved local ROM, likely mediated by reduced soft-tissue stiffness and enhanced pain tolerance.
These findings suggest that cervical FR may represent a feasible and effective adjunct approach to acutely support cardiovascular health while enhancing cervical mobility.