Unlocking the Potential: How Self-Massage Can Enhance Your Athletic Performance

Unlocking the Potential: How Self-Massage Can Enhance Your Athletic Performance

"Unlocking the Potential: How Self-Massage Can Enhance Your Athletic Performance"

Whether you use foam rollers or massage rollers, researchers wanted to know do they help your athletic performance

Your myofascial system has 2 elements, a fibrous component & soft connective collagen tissue, which envelopes the body.

Your fascial system penetrates and surrounds all organs, muscles, bones, and nerve fibres; it gives the body a functional structure and provides an environment that allows all body systems to operate in an integrated manner

Self-massage can increase the plasticity of the fascial tissue through temporary changes in the liquid content; since the fascia expels excess fluid after compression, this would allow an increase in range of motion (ROM)

The research found that self-massage effects can have a POSITIVE and help with

• increase range of motion

• help with delayed onset muscle soreness

• improvements in muscle performance before and after exercise

Further research found that foam rolling was recommended acutely, but not for protocols for longer than 2 weeks

Concerning mobility improvement and flexibility, SMR exercises can temporarily increase the ROM of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, as well as muscle flexibility,

How did the researchers explain the improvement?

Positive effects observed may be explained by a temporary reduction in the connection between the fascial tissue and muscle tissue, and when we say temporary, the research says most improvements only lasted 10 minutes and not much benefit was seen after 24 hours

Enhancement of performance: Self Massage effects

It has been theorised that SMR may elevate skin temperatures and boost blood circulation to the muscle tissue

This rise in blood flow and muscle tissue warmth might alleviate muscle restrictions and enhance range of motion (ROM) without impeding neuromuscular force production

However, after analysis of the research, researchers couldn't find significant improvements

The research concluded it was hard to recommend self-massage as a tool for improving speed in athletes

The effect of self-massage after football training:

The study revealed that athletes who performed SMR exercises after football training sessions had better perceived recovery and less feeling of tiredness 24 hours after the exertion during training, compared to those athletes performing a passive recovery.

Reference

Effects of Self-Myofascial Release on Athletes’ Physical Performance: A Systematic Review

by

Luis Manuel Martínez-Aranda