TABLE 7.

The effects of foam rolling on neurophysiological and physiological variables.

Author (year)	Study design	Sample	Foam rolling intervention				Control	Others experimental groups	Outcome measures	Effects
			Tool(s)	Targeted area	Treatment time and rate	Intensity
Neurophysiological and physiological effects
Martínez-Cabrera and Núñez-Sánchez (2016)	RCT	7 professional soccer players	High density FR	Rectus femoris	4 × 15 s 30 bpm	NR	No	Foam rolling leg Control leg	Muscle contractile properties (TMG)	Maintains muscle contractile properties
Murray et al. (2016)	RC	12 squash players	High density FR	Quadriceps	1 × 60 s 30 bpm	NR	Yes	Foam rolling leg Control leg	Muscle contractile properties (TMG) Superficial temperature	NS change muscle contractile properties NS change skin temperature
Casanova et al. (2017)	RC	10 athletes	Roller massager	Plantar flexors	6 × 45 s 30 bpm	NR	Yes	Foam rolling leg Control leg	Muscle oxygenation (HHb concentration) Muscle morphology	NS change muscle oxygenation NS change muscle morphology
D’Amico and Paolone (2017)	RC	16 trained males	High density FR	Main lower limb muscles per leg	1 × 30 s/muscle 6 bpm	NR	Yes	Foam rolling	Blood sample VCO2 pre- and post- each run	NS change blood lactate concentration NS change VCO2
Kalén et al. (2017)	RC	12 surf lifeguards	High density FR	Main lower limb muscles per leg	2 × 60 s	7/10	Yes	Foam rolling Running	Blood sample	Both groups ↑ blood lactate clearance
Beier et al. (2019)	RC	11 resistance trained subjects	Stick massage	Rectus femoris and gluteus maximus	1 × 120 s/muscle	Heavy pressure	No	Foam rolling Dynamic warmp-up	Muscle activation (EMGs)	NS change muscle activation
Mazzei (2019)	RCT	15 NCAA Division I swimmers	Vibrating FR Non-vibrating FR	Plantar flexors	3 × 30 s 30 bpm	NR	No	Vibrating foam rolling (1200 to 3600 rpm) Non-vibrating foam rolling	Muscle activation (EMGs)	Both groups NS change muscle activation
Kim et al. (2014)	RCT	22 healthy subjects	FR–not reported	Main lower limb muscles and back	1 × 3–6 min	NR	Yes	Foam rolling	Blood sample	Both groups : ↓ cortisol
Okamoto et al. (2014)	RC	10 healthy subjects	Polystyrene roller	Main lower limb muscles	20 repetition/muscle	NR	Yes	Foam rolling	Arterial stiffness Blood sample	↓ brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity ↑ vasoactive substance (↑ nitric oxide concentration)
Thistlethwaite et al. (2016)	Pilot test	6 subjects	PVC pipe	Iliotibial band, adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps)	1 × 180 s/muscle	NR	No	Foam rolling 3 times/week over 6 weeks	Endothelial function	↑ blood flow (↑ diameter of the femoral artery)
Ginszt et al. (2017)	Pilot test	20 healthy adults	High density FR	Right quadriceps	1 × 60 s	Much pressure as they could	No	Foam rolling leg Control leg	Muscle activation (EMGs)	↓ muscle fatigue
Hotfiel et al. (2017)	RCT	21 healthy students	High density FR	Iliotibial band	3 × 45 s	Much pressure as they could	No	Foam rolling	Arterial tissue perfusion post- T0, T+30 min	↑ arterial blood flow up to 30 min
Romero-Moraleda et al. (2017)	RCT	33 healthy and moderately active	High density FR	Quadriceps	5 × 60 s	More of their body weight	No	Foam rolling Neurodynamic mobilization	Muscle activation (EMGs) MVIC knee extension	Both interventions : ↑ muscle activation ↑ muscle strength
Schroeder et al. (2017)	RC	12 heathly and recreationnaly active	High density FR	Hamstrings, gluteus, lower back	3 × 60 s 15 bpm	40, 65, 75%	No	Weight training Stretching Foam rolling	Muscle contractile properties (TMG)	NS change muscle contractile properties
Hodgson et al. (2018)	RCT	23 healthy and recreationally active	Roller massager	Quadriceps and hamstrings	4 × 30 s/muscle 60 bpm	7/10	Yes	High frequencies (6 times/week) Low frequencies (3 times/week) over 4-weeks	Muscle activation (EMGs) Knee flexors, extensors MVIC	NS change muscle activation NS change muscle strength
Lastova et al. (2018)	RCT	15 healthy and recreationnaly active	High density FR	Main lower limb muscles and lower/upper back	1 × 40 s 15 bpm	NR	Yes	Foam rolling	Blood pressure Heart rate variability pre and post- T0, T+10, T+30 min	↓ blood pressure at 10 and 30 min ↓ sympathovagal balance at 30 min
Macgregor et al. (2018)	RC	16 healthy recreationally active males	High density FR	Quadriceps	1 × 120 s 60 bpm	6/10	Yes	Foam rolling over 3 consecutive days	Muscle activation (EMGs) Muscle contractile properties (TMG)	↓ muscle activity ↑ muscle displacement
Madoni et al. (2018)	RCT	22 healthy and recreationnaly active	High density FR	Hamstrings	3 × 30 s	Much pressure as they could	Yes	Foam rolling	Muscle activation (EMGs) Maximal knee extension/flexion	NS change muscle activation NS change strength ratio
Capobianco et al. (2019)	RC	30 young and middle-aged adults	Therapy ball	Calf	3 × 60 s/leg 15 bpm	>5/10 (discomfort level)	No	Static stretching Foam rolling + static stretching	Muscle activation (EMGs) Subcutaneous tissue thickness	↑ muscle activation (foam rolling > static stretching) NS change subcutaneous tissue thickness
Kim et al. (2019)	RC	30 participants with neck pain (age: 65.9 ± 3.4 years)	Soft inflatable rubber ball Hard massage ball	Suboccipital region	1 × 10 secs	NR	Yes	Soft inflatable rubber ball Hard massage ball	Muscle activation (EMGs) Radiography (compressed soft tissue thickness and neck extension ROM)	Soft inflatable rubber ball vs hard massage ball Less muscle activity (less muscle tension) Less compressed soft tissue thickness
Ye et al. (2019)	RC	34 healthy and physically active	High density FR	Hamstrings	10 × 30 s 30 bpm	NR	Yes	Yes	Muscle activation (EMGs) Knee flexors MVIC	NS change muscle activity and strength

RC, randomized crossover; RCT, randomized controlled trial; FR, foam roller; NR, not reported; bpm, beats per minute; ↑ indicates increase; ↓ indicates decrease; MVIC, maximal voluntary isometric contraction; EMGs, surface electromyography; TMG, tensiomyography; NS, not significant.