The effect of FoamRolling (FR) on recovery fromdelayed onset muscle soreness

Purpose: To determine the effect of foam rolling as an aid to recovery following DOMS and to provide evidence to support guidance around the use of foam rollers. Methods: Protocol intended to induce DOMS in the gastrocnemius of both legs was undertaken. Participants were instructed in the correct procedure for foam rolling (FR) of the gas trocnemius and one leg was randomly assigned to the FR group. The other leg acted as the control. Participants were instructed to foam roll the assigned leg twice a day for the next two days. Baseline testswere repeated immediately after the DOMS protocol, Results: There were no differences between legs that were foam rolled compared to the control legs at baseline in mean VAS pain scores (FR = scores (FR = of motion (FR = time (FR = DOMS protocol mean pain scores increased (FR = control = col (FR = 1.53, control = 1.21). By 72 hrs post-exercise, pain scores decreased again (FR = 0.53, control = 0.26). These changes in pain scores over time were significant (F = 19.02, P < 0.001) however there was no interaction between time and group (F = 34.0, P = 0.713) and no between group differences (F = 0.475, P = 0.495). Pressure algome-ter scores however did not change over time (F = 2.587, P = 0.061) and there were no between group differences (F = 0.088, P = 0.770). ROM scores did not change over time (F = 2.275, P = 0.1) and there were no between group differences (F = 0.105, P = 0.748). Balance scores did not change over time (F = 26.0, P = 0.163) and there were no between group differences (F = 0.090, P = 0.766). Conclusion(s): The VAS pain scores suggested that the DOMS protocol was successful in inducing muscle soreness in gastrocnemius. Foam rolling however made no difference to the rate of recovery from DOMS in gastrocnemius. No differences were seen between the foam rolling group and the control group in either range of motion or balance suggesting the foam rolling has little short term effect on these variables Implications: Based on our findings, there is little evidence to support the use of foam rolling to aid recovery from intensive exercise.