SynthesisSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2024
Static Stretch Training versus Foam Rolling Training Effects on Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Detraining Effects Following Chronic Stretching Training on Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2025Pooled it
- Acute Effects of Dynamic and Ballistic Stretching on Flexibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate injection on pro-inflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules and chemokines in Chinese patients with atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Should pre-measurement physical activity be standardized in muscle thickness and stiffness evaluations? - A randomized controlled four arm cross-over study.BMC medical imaging · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Vascular and autonomic recovery after resistance training with and without post-exercise static stretching: a randomized controlled crossover trial.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Acute Structural, Functional, and Biochemical Responses to a High- and Low-Volume Foam Rolling Exercise on the Hamstring Muscles: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- One of These Things Is Not Like the Others: Disentangling the Concepts of Range of Motion Versus Flexibility, and Flexibility Training Versus Stretching.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2026Article
- Integrated Multi-Sensor Assessment System for Objective Muscle Recovery Monitoring: Application of Isokinetic Dynamometry, Infrared Thermometry, and Multi-Biomarker ELISA in Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Surveillance.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Effects of a 3-week foam rolling warm-up intervention on ankle dorsiflexion measurements and jumping performance in young rhythmic gymnasts.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Effects of foam rolling and the knowledge-to-action gap: are practitioners' beliefs supported by the evidence? An international survey study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Effects of foam rolling and static stretching on ankle dorsiflexion and jumping ability: a randomized controlled trial.Biology of sport · 2025Article
- 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
- The impact of various post-exercise interventions on the relief of delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
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.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLong-term static stretching as well as foam rolling training can increase a joint's range of motion (ROM). However, to date, it is not clear which method is the most effective for increasing ROM.
objectiveThe purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the effects of static stretching and foam rolling training on ROM.
methodsThe literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to find the eligible studies. Eighty-five studies (72 on static stretching; and 13 on foam rolling) were found to be eligible with 204 effect sizes (ESs). For the main analyses, a random-effect meta-analysis was applied. To assess the difference between static stretching and foam rolling, subgroup analyses with a mixed-effect model were applied. Moderating variables were sex, total intervention duration, and weeks of intervention.
resultsStatic stretch (ES = - 1.006; p < 0.001), as well as foam rolling training (ES = - 0.729; p = 0.001), can increase joint ROM with a moderate magnitude compared with a control condition. However, we did not detect a significant difference between the two conditions in the subgroup analysis (p = 0.228). When the intervention duration was ≤ 4 weeks, however, a significant change in ROM was shown following static stretching (ES = - 1.436; p < 0.001), but not following foam rolling (ES = - 0.229; p = 0.248). Thus, a subgroup analysis indicated a significant favorable effect with static stretching for increasing ROM compared with foam rolling (p < 0.001) over a shorter term (≤ 4 weeks). Other moderator analyses showed no significant difference between static stretch and foam rolling training on ROM.
conclusionsAccording to the results, both static stretching and foam rolling training can be similarly recommended to increase joint ROM, unless the training is scheduled for ≤ 4 weeks, in which case static stretching demonstrates a significant advantage. More studies are needed with a high-volume foam rolling training approach as well as foam rolling training in exclusively female participants.
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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.