Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34658909›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2021

A Comparison of the Effects of Foam Rolling and Stretching on Physical Performance. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Andreas Konrad, Markus Tilp, Masatoshi Nakamura

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–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

31 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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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

3 authors.

Andreas KonradInstitute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, Graz University, Graz, Austria.
Markus TilpInstitute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, Graz University, Graz, Austria.
Masatoshi NakamuraInstitute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Foam rolling and stretching with its various techniques are frequently used as a warm-up routine to increase the range of motion of a joint. While the magnitude of the changes in range of motion between foam rolling and stretching (static and dynamic techniques) is similar, it is not clear if this also holds true for performance parameters (e.g., strength, jump height). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the effects of an acute bout of foam rolling (with and without vibration) with an acute bout of stretching (with all techniques included) on performance parameters in healthy participants. We assessed the results from 13 studies and 35 effect sizes by applying a random-effect meta-analysis. Moreover, by applying a mixed-effect model, we performed subgroup analyses with the stretching technique, type of foam rolling, tested muscle, treatment duration, and type of task. We found no significant overall effect, and the analysis revealed only a trend of the performance parameters in favor of foam rolling when compared to stretching (when considering all techniques). Significantly favorable effects of foam rolling on performance were detected with subgroup analyses when compared to static stretching, when applied to some muscles (e.g., quadriceps) or some tasks (e.g., strength), when applied for longer than 60 s, or when the foam rolling included vibration. When foam rolling was compared to dynamic stretching or applied in the non-vibration mode, the same magnitude of effect was observed. While the present meta-analysis revealed no significantly different effect between foam rolling and stretching (including all techniques) prior to exercise, differences could be observed under specific conditions.

Indexed as

myofascial releaseroller massagestrengthstretchingwarm-up

Identifiers

PMID34658909
PMCPMC8514717

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.