Rolling Well?

Rolling well these days or are mechanical restrictions holding you back? The simple act of foam rolling (FR) may stimulate numerous acute physiological responses increasing joint range of motion & muscle pliability. A long-held belief is autogenic inhibition via Golgi tendon organs initiate such responses, however there are likely several explanatory processes at play. Mechanical deformation may also lead to a desensitization allowing for a greater stretch tolerance (Jay et al., 2014). Concurrently, nitric oxide may be released reducing arterial stiffness and subsequently abetting endothelial function (Okamoto et al., 2014). 

Fascia is a fascinating collagenous substance throughout the body that enables systems to function in an integrated manner and is very likely influenced by FR. Without adequate stress, fascia may lose viscosity and adhesions may form. Despite the potential restoration of thixotropic properties of the underlying tissue, as of yet there is no direct evidence of a reduction in adhesions that occurs from FR. Mechanistic explanations aside, FR may be an effective way to induce acute improvements in tissue compliance & joint range of motion conducive to enhanced function. Recent research demonstrated the acute increases in muscular flexibility from FR importantly occur without a decrement in strength (Connolly et al., 2020).