This article looks at foam rolling, recovery and DOMS
What’s the deal?
Foam rollers are used by professional athletes to aid recovery, but do they work and does the type of foam roller matter?
What did they do?
Participants took part in 1 minute of maximal effort squat jumps and were divided into 3 groups for leg muscle recovery: either using a smooth foam roller, a grid foam roller, or no foam roller (control group). Their blood lactate levels (which increase during intense exercise and are reduced during recovery) were measured.
What happened?
Blood lactate levels were reduced more when using a foam roller compared to not using a foam roller in the immediate 30 minutes after exercise. In addition, participants experienced shorter durations of DOMS after foam rolling compared to the control group. The was no significant difference between smooth and grid foam rollers.
What can you tell me about the people?
The 33 participants were aged 24 years on average and their BMI was in the ‘normal’ category. They were regarded as active and healthy, but were not trained athletes.
What else should I know?
6 major muscle groups were targeted with the foam roller for approximately 45 seconds each: calf, hamstrings, quads, adductors, IT band, and glutes. The leading theory for why foam rolling improves recovery is because it promotes an increase in blood flow to recovering muscles, which will aid the clearance of lactate and other waste products from exercise.
What will I do differently?
I guess I should start foam rolling after exercise! There’s also good evidence to suggest we should foam roll before exercise too, but more on that later!
Acknowledgements
This research was published in June 2020 by JG Adamczyk and colleagues from the University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.
This article highlights our personal take on their research, but there is so much more information available! Check it out here and see what you think!
Abstract Athlete 