Author(s): KONRAD, A., REINER, M., GABRIEL, A., WARNEKE, K., NAKAMURA, M., MANIEU, J., FISCHER, J., SCHÖPIN, A., BEHM, D.G., TILP, M., Institution: KARL- FRANZENS- UNIVERSITY GRAZ, Country: AUSTRIA, Abstract-ID: 458

INTRODUCTION:
It is established that a single session of foam rolling (FR) or stretching can bring about changes in range of motion (ROM) in distant areas of the posterior chain (remote effects) and regions beyond the stretched tissue (non-local effects) (1–3). However, it remains unknown whether such effects persist after prolonged training interventions. This study aimed to explore the remote and non-local effects of a seven-week combined stretching and FR training intervention on the plantar surface.
METHODS:
Fifty-two recreational athletes were divided into an intervention group (n=20), a control group for remote effects (n=18), and a control group for non-local effects (n=14). Participants visited the lab three times—for a familiarization session, a pre-session before the seven-week intervention, and a post-session at the interventions end. In the pre-session, participants were assigned to the intervention or control groups. Each session started with a five-minute warm-up on a stationary bike (Monark, Ergomedic 874 E, Sweden). Measurements were conducted on the dominant limb, assessing ankle dorsiflexion ROM (remote effects) with an isokinetic dynamometer and shoulder extension ROM (non-local effects) with a three-dimensional motion capture system (Qualisys, Gothenburg, Sweden). While control groups refrained from additional flexibility training on the plantar surface, the intervention group performed three five-minute exercises three times a week for seven weeks, totaling 15 minutes per session and 45 minutes per week, including a plantar surface stretch, a rolling exercise with a wooden cylinder, and another with a foam roller ball.
RESULTS:
According to the Analysis of Variance, there were no interaction or time effects for ankle dorsiflexion ROM or shoulder extension ROM. The 95% confidence intervals for ankle ROM indicated a trend of a 2.0° increase (−0.03 to 4.0) in the intervention group compared to the control group (−0.5°, −2.6 to 1.6).
CONCLUSION:
Recent reviews have noted acute non-local effects of single stretching or foam rolling exercises, attributing them to increased global pain tolerance or warm-up effects (1,4). However, our study showed no such changes following a seven-week combined stretch and foam rolling training. Consequently, if the goal is to improve the ROM of a specific joint, frequent treatment of the associated tissue is recommended.

1. Behm DG et al. Sport Med 2021;51:945–959.
2. Williams W and Selkow NM. J Sport Rehabil 2020;29:400–404.
3. Wilke J et al. J Sport Rehabil 2018;28(7):758-763
4. Konrad A et al. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023;123:1167–1178

Contact: andreas.konrad@uni-graz.at