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. 2019 Dec;14(6):845–859.

Appendix 3.

Description of Included Studies: Outcomes Relating to Performance.

Author Tool Study Population Muscle(s) Treated Duration of FR/RM# Results
*Bradbury-Squires et al29 RM

  • n = 10 (all male)

  • Recreationally active adults

  • Quadriceps

  • 5 sets of 20s or 5 sets of 60s with 60s rest between sets

  • 100s or 300s total

  • Decreased vastus lateralis RMS EMG during active lunge in both the 20 and 60s conditions (both p<0.05) vs control, and dose response indicating 60s decreases lunge EMG more than 20s (p<0.05)

  • Results imply greater muscular efficiency post RM
Casanova et al16 RM

  • n = 20 (18 males, 2 females)

  • Adult athletes with occasional resistance training experience and no recent ankle injuries

  • Plantar flexors

  • 6 sets of 45s with 20s rest between sets

  • 270s total

  • No significant difference in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for the RM group vs control at all time points (up to 72h)
D'Amico & Paolone31 FR

  • n = 16 (all male)

  • Trained adults, able to complete an 800 metre run in under 160s

  • Gluteals, hip flexors, quadriceps, iliotibial band, adductors, and calves

  • 1 set of 30s per region, bilaterally

  • 360s total

  • No significant difference in any performance parameters for the FR group vs control
Fleckenstein et al18 FR

  • n = 45 (23 males, 22 females)

  • Regularly active adults

  • Quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, plantar flexors, and iliotibial band

  • 1 set of 30s on each muscle group, bilaterally

  • 300s total

  • No significant difference in jump height in the preventative nor the regenerative FR groups vs control
*MacDonald et al (2014)20 FR

  • n = 20 (all male)

  • All regularly resistance trained 3 or more days/week

  • Quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, iliotibial band, and gluteals

  • 2 sets of 60s per region, bilaterally

  • 1200s total

  • Increased vertical jump height with a large effect at 48h (d = 0.81) post FR vs control

  • Increased voluntary muscle activation with a moderate effect at 24h (d = 0.71) post FR, a large effect at 48h (d = 1) post FR, and a moderate effect at 72h (d = 0.57) post FR vs control
MacDonald et al (2013)34 FR

  • n = 11 (all male)

  • Recreational resistance training adults, classified as moderately to very physically active

  • Quadriceps

  • 2 sets of 60s, with 30s rest between sets

  • 120s total

  • No significant difference in any neuromuscular performance parameters in FR group vs control
*Macgregor et al23 FR

  • n = 16 (all male)

  • Recreationally active adults

  • Quadriceps

  • 1 set of 120s

  • 120s total

  • 1 FR session per day for 3 consecutive days

  • Maintenance of MVC across 3-day span (p = 0.002) in FR group while MVC decreased in the control group

  • Decreased EMG RMS for a submaximal task at 0 (p = 0.006), 15 (p = 0.003), and 30m (p = 0.002) post-FR vs control, implying greater muscular efficiency
Monteiro et al35 FR

  • n = 25 (all female)

  • Recreationally active adults

  • Hamstrings

  • 1 set of either 60s or 120s

  • 60/120s total

  • 1 FR session during each of the 2 inter-set rest periods

  • Decreased average knee extension repetitions performed in the FR60 group (d = 1.2) as well as the FR120 group (d = 2.0) vs control

  • Dose response was noted: the longer the duration of FR, the fewer total knee repetitions were able to be done
*Pearcey et al21 FR

  • n = 8 (all male)

  • Recreational resistance-training adults, classified as moderately to very physically active

  • Quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, iliotibial band, and gluteals

  • 1 set of 45s per region, bilaterally, with 15s rest in between

  • 450s total

  • Increased recovery for sprint performance with a moderate effect at 24 (77% likely) and 72h (81% likely) post-exercise

  • Increased recovery for broad jump performance with a small effect at 24h (72% likely) post-exercise, and a large effect at 72h (86% likely) post-exercise vs control

  • Increased squat performance with a moderate effect at 48h (79% likely) post-exercise vs control
Phillips et al25 FR

  • n = 24 (8 males, 16 females)

  • Physically active adults, exercising at least 3 times per week

  • Quadriceps and plantar flexors

  • 1 set of either 60s or 300s per region, bilaterally

  • 240/1200s total

  • Decrease in vertical jump height in all conditions (p<0.001), however significantly more decreased in FR300 than in both FR60 and control (p<0.001)

  • Increase in agility performance after FR60 (p<0.05) vs FR300 and control, but small effect sizes for each (d = 0.06-0.15)
Smith et al26 FR

  • n = 29 (8 males, 21 females)

  • Physically active (n = 23) or sedentary (n = 6) adults

  • Gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps, and plantar flexors

  • 3 sets of 30s per bilateral region, with 30s rest between sets

  • 360s total

  • No significant difference in vertical jump height in FR group vs control

  • Increase in vertical jump height in dynamic stretch + FR group at 0 and 5m (both p<0.001) post-dynamic stretch + FR vs control, but was not significantly different from dynamic stretching group alone
Sullivan et al27 RM

  • n = 17 (7 males, 10 females)

  • Recreationally active adults participating in physical activity roughly 3 times per week

  • Hamstrings

  • 1 or 2 sets of 5 or 10s

  • 5, 10, or 20s total

  • No significant differences in MVC force or EMG activity in any condition vs control
*

- Statistically significant positive conclusion

FR - Foam Roller

RM - Roller Massager

RMS - Root Mean Square

EMG - Electromyogram

MVC - Maximal Voluntary Contraction

#

reported as s/m/h - Denotes the indicated number of seconds (s), minutes (m), or hours (h)