Perceived Pain Responses to Foam Rolling Associate with Basal Heart Rate Variability.

Marvette Wilkerson, Christopher Anderson, Gregory J Grosicki, Andrew A Flatt

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

2citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

Effects of post-match foam rolling, static stretching, and passive rest on acute cardiac-autonomic, hemodynamic, and neuromuscular recovery in national wrestlers.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026
Article
The Relationship Between Attitude Toward Pain and the Effects of Foam Rolling on Biomechanical Parameters of Soft Tissues Measured with the MyotonPRO Device.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Marvette WilkersonBiodynamics and Human Performance Center, Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Christopher AndersonBiodynamics and Human Performance Center, Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Gregory J GrosickiBiodynamics and Human Performance Center, Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Andrew A FlattBiodynamics and Human Performance Center, Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus), Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFoam rolling (FR) is a self-myofascial release technique with unclear effects on autonomic functioning, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV). FR can be perceived as painful or relaxing, which may explain interindividual HRV responses. PURPOSE: To determine if acute FR alters resting HRV. A secondary aim was to determine if perceived pain during FR would predict HRV responses.

settingAcademic institution.

methodsIn a randomized, crossover design, healthy adults (50% female) performed total body FR or control on separate days. Perceived pain ratings were obtained following FR of each muscle group and summed to generate an overall perceived pain rating. Seated measures of the mean RR interval and the natural logarithm of the root-mean square of successive RR interval differences (LnRMSSD, a parasympathetic HRV index) were obtained at 5-10 min pre-, 5-10 min post-, and 25-30 min post-FR.

resultsNo effects were observed for RR interval (

conclusionFR did not systematically alter HRV, nor did perceived pain ratings predict HRV responses. Those with lower pre-FR HRV reported higher perceived pain during FR. Basal cardiac autonomic activity may, therefore, influence pain sensitivity to FR in healthy adults.

Indexed as

cardiac autonomicrolling massageself-myofascial release

Identifiers

PMID34079600

PMCPMC8133875

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.