ArticlePeerJ2015
Acute effects of anterior thigh foam rolling on hip angle, knee angle, and rectus femoris length in the modified Thomas test.
Article in PeerJ, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06787209 (Effects of a Hip Flexor and Extensor Muscle Training Program in Individuals with Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 32 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of a Hip Flexor and Extensor Muscle Training Program in Individuals with Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
Who cites it
32 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 64 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for injury in ballet dancers: A systematic review.PloS one · 2021Pooled it
- An acute bout of foam rolling of the biceps brachii does not affect upper extremity sensorimotor function: a randomized trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- Comparison of two different stretching strategies to improve hip extension mobility in healthy and active adults: a crossover clinical trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Trial
- Recovery effect of self-myofascial release treatment using different type of a foam rollers.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- Jogging and Practical-Duration Foam-Rolling Exercises and Range of Motion, Proprioception, and Vertical Jump in Athletes.Journal of athletic training · 2019Trial
- Foam Rolling and Joint Distraction with Elastic Band Training Performed for 5-7 Weeks Respectively Improve Lower Limb Flexibility.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2019Trial
- The Addition of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation with Roller Massage Alone or in Combination Did Not Increase Pain Tolerance or Range of Motion.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2018Trial
- Trial
- Effects of Foam Roller, and Massage Ball with and Without Vibration on Squat Load-Velocity Profile of Resistance Trained Adults.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2025Article
- Effects of slow dynamic, fast dynamic, and static stretching on recovery of performance, range of motion, balance, and joint position sense in healthy adults.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Is muscle stiffness a determinant for range of motion in the leg muscles?Biology of sport · 2024Article
- Validity and Reliability of Inertial Measurement Units in Active Range of Motion Assessment in the Hip Joint.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- The Effects of Massage Therapy on Sport and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Acute and Prolonged Effects of Dermal Suction on Joint Range of Motion and Passive Muscle Stiffness: A Preliminary Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Selective Effects of Manual Massage and Foam Rolling on Perceived Recovery and Performance: Current Knowledge and Future Directions Toward Robotic Massages.Frontiers in physiology · 2020Review
- Evidence based treatment options for common knee injuries in runners.Annals of translational medicine · 2019Review
- The Effect of Foam Rolling of the Hamstrings on Proprioception at the Knee and Hip Joints.International journal of exercise science · 2019Article
- Article
- THE EFFECTS OF AN ACUTE BOUT OF FOAM ROLLING ON HIP RANGE OF MOTION ON DIFFERENT TISSUES.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2018Article
- ROLLER MASSAGE: SURVEY OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROFESSIONALS AND A COMMENTARY ON CLINICAL STANDARDS- PART II.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background. Foam rolling has been shown to acutely increase range of motion (ROM) during knee flexion and hip flexion with the experimenter applying an external force, yet no study to date has measured hip extensibility as a result of foam rolling with controlled knee flexion and hip extension moments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of foam rolling on hip extension, knee flexion, and rectus femoris length during the modified Thomas test. Methods. Twenty-three healthy participants (male = 7; female = 16; age = 22 ± 3.3 years; height = 170 ± 9.18 cm; mass = 67.7 ± 14.9 kg) performed two, one-minute bouts of foam rolling applied to the anterior thigh. Hip extension and knee flexion were measured via motion capture before and after the foam rolling intervention, from which rectus femoris length was calculated. Results. Although the increase in hip extension (change = +1.86° (+0.11, +3.61); z(22) = 2.08; p = 0.0372; Pearson's r = 0.43 (0.02, 0.72)) was not due to chance alone, it cannot be said that the observed changes in knee flexion (change = -1.39° (-5.53, +2.75); t(22) = -0.70; p = 0.4933; Cohen's d = - 0.15 (-0.58, 0.29)) or rectus femoris length (change = -0.005 (-0.013, +0.003); t(22) = -1.30; p = 0.2070; Cohen's d = - 0.27 (-0.70, 0.16)) were not due to chance alone. Conclusions. Although a small change in hip extension was observed, no changes in knee flexion or rectus femoris length were observed. From these data, it appears unlikely that foam rolling applied to the anterior thigh will improve passive hip extension and knee flexion ROM, especially if performed in combination with a dynamic stretching protocol.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.