Supervisors info:
Νικολαϊδου Μαρία-Ελισσάβετ
Μέλος ΕΕΠ, Τμήμα Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής
και Αθλητισμού, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθήνας
Translated title:
Acute Effect Of Foam Rolling With And Without Vibration On Ankle Joint Range Of Motion, Balance, Muscle Strength And Power Of The Lower Limbs In Young Rhythmic Gymnastic Athletes
Summary:
The study’s purpose was to investigate the acute effect of foam rolling, with and
without vibration, on the ankle joint’s range of motion (ROM), balance and muscle
strength and power of the lower limbs in young rhythmic gymnastics athletes. Seven
active female athletes, aged 22.8 ± 2.2 years old, participated in a randomized order in
three interventions: A) foam rolling without vibration, B) foam rolling with vibration
at a vibration frequency of 25Hz, and C) no intervention (control condition). In both
the experimental conditions of foam rolling, participants received a foam rolling
massage protocol applied bilaterally on the knee flexors and extensors and the ankle
plantarflexors (3 sets x 30 sec per muscle group at a 40beats/min tempo, and with
application of pressure parallel to the direction of muscle fibers, with 15 sec rest
between sets and 15 sec rest between muscle groups). Before (PRE) and after (POST)
each intervention, there were measurements of: a) ankle ROM with the weight bearing
lunge test (WBLT) bilaterally for both limbs, b) static balance ability by recording the
center of pressure (CoP) data by means of a customized uniaxial balance board (Wii
Nintendo®, Fs = 1000 HZ) during one- and two-legged quiet stance trials, performed
with open (OE) and closed eyes (CE), and c) muscle strength and power of the lower
limbs, with the use of the same platform, during vertical CMJ and SJ jumps trials (3
trials per jump). Static balance ability was assessed with the parameters of the CoP path
length and area, as well as the CoP sway in the anterior-posterior and the medio-lateral
direction. Vertical jumping performance was assessed with selected mechanical
parameters from the jump’s impulse phase. Repeated-measures ANOVA with
Bonferonni pairwise post hoc comparison were used to test for possible differences
between interventions and measures (PRE vs POST) on ankle’s ROM, unipedal and
bipedal static balance performance and jumping performance (a=0.05). The results
showed that the ankle joint’s ROM was significantly (p<0.05) increased regardless of
the intervention in both limbs (3.7% increase for the left limb and 2.8% for the right
limb). Static unipedal and bipedal balance performance did not show any significant
difference in any of the examined CoP parameters regardless of the foam rolling
technique intervention. Similarly, muscle strength and power did not show any
significant difference due to foam rolling technique intervention in either type of
vertical jump. There were no significant interaction of intervention and measurement
for any CoP or vertical jumping performance parameter. In conclusion, the vibrating
or non-vibrating foam rolling technique had an acute positive effect on the ankle joint
ROM of young female rhythmic gymnasts, while their static balance performance and
vertical jumping ability remained unaffected
Keywords:
myofascial, myofascial release, foam roller, range of motion, ankle, balance, vertical jumping performance
