ACUTE EFFECTS OF APPLIED LOCAL VIBRATION DURING FOAM ROLLER EXERCISES ON LOWER EXTREMITY EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY PERFORMANCE
Abstract
Self-myofascial releasing (SMR) exercises using foam roller equipment are thought to improve muscle performance. It is also known that local vibration (LV) exercises have been improving strength, power, and flexibility for a long time. However, there is a limited study that examines the effects of SMR exercises applied with LV on muscular performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of SMR applications using vibrating foam roller equipment on lower extremity explosive strength and flexibility in well-trained soccer players. Twenty-two well-trained male soccer players (mean age 22.13 ± 2.47 years, height 178 ± 4.92cm body weight 74.9 ± 3.93kg, training time 11.59 ± 1.14h / week) participated in two different exercise sessions (foam roller and foam roller+LV) with randomized crossover study design and 48-hour intervals. All athletes were tested for the Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) and sit-and-reach (S & R) flexibility test before and after both training sessions. When the results of the study were examined, both foam roller exercise and foam roller + LV exercise showed an increase in jump and flexibility performance (p <0.05). However, no difference was observed between the applications when the data obtained from both applications were compared among themselves. As a result, foam roller exercises made with local vibration seemed to have the similar effect on jumping and flexibility performance compared to foam roller exercises only. Moreover, both foam roller and foam roller + LV exercises can be applied by athletes prior to training or competitions due to their positive effects on muscle performance.
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