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The Effects on Performance when

Incorporating a Foam Rolling Session into a
Warm-Up Routine for Footballers.

Poster · July 2017

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 The Effects on Performance when Incorporating a Foam
Rolling Session into a Warm-Up Routine for Footballers.
Results.
DANIEL CLUETT Undergraduate Physiotheraphy Student (2012 - 2016),
Victor Grixti Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta.

It was found that a warm up that included a The table below (Table 1) shows the results
dynamic warm up and FR session showed obtained from this study. The adjacent

Abstract. Methodology. better performance test results for flexibility, graphs (Graphs 1-5) portray the differences
EHLP, agility and speed than one that only between each participant where the black
included a dynamic warm up. lines represent the control trial while the grey
represents the experimental trial.
Table 1
Area of interest: Foam rolling (FR) is used to bring about self-myofascial release that has been The study design used was that of a
known to enhance performance acutely. It has found a place in the football warm-up routine randomised control, crossover, within-subject
despite having little scientific literature to support it. trial. The 14 participants were registered Performance Control Trial Experimental Outcome P Values
Aspect Average Trial (0.05 Criterion)
with a football team in any of the divisions in
Method: To determine if this also applies to the sport of football, 14 footballers fitting specified Maltese football for the 2016-17 season, born
inclusion criteria participated in a dual condition, within-subject study. Performance tests on between 1986-1997, injury-free and male. A Significant
Flexibility 34.18 ± 5.21 34.32 ± 5.70 0.0002
Improvement
flexibility, explosive horizontal leg power (EHLP), explosive vertical leg power (EVLP), speed generic multi-level rigid foam roller was used
and agility were used to compare the effects of two warm-up routines, one of which included for this research.
a session of FR to the lower limbs and lumbar region as well as a dynamic warm-up while the Non-Significant
EVLP 67.66 ± 9.79 72.97 ± 10.60 0.025
Improvement
control condition involved a dynamic warm-up. The data extracted from the tests was analysed The participants first underwent a 1 kilometre
using a Paired Samples T-Test to check for significant changes between the two conditions. jog at a self-selected pace. The control
condition (represented by the black pathway) Significant
EHLP 228.60 ± 25.25 237.84 ± 25.45 0.288
Improvement
Finding: It was found that a FR session together with a dynamic warm-up had a significant progressed to a dynamic warm-up which
improvement on flexibility, explosive vertical leg power, agility and speed when compared to a consisted of full range of motion exercises
dynamic warm-up. Explosive horizontal leg power did not show a significant improvement. and flow manoeuvres were followed. Each Significant
Agility 4.97 ± 0.24 4.80 ± 0.16 0.011
15
Improvement
exercise was done for two sets of 10 repetitions
Conclusion: Incorporating FR into a dynamic warm-up showed to improve performance testing and followed the same order by each subject. 10

on footballers and therefore showed to acutely improve performance. They then went onto perform the performance Significant
Speed 5.11 ± 0.29 4.95 ± 0.21 0.032

Centimetres
5

Improvement
tests.
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

The experimental condition (represented by -5

Introduction. the red pathway) underwent the FR session -10

The adjacent graphs (Graphs 1-5) represent
before identical dynamic warm-ups and flow the information found in the table.
Graph 1 - Flexibility
manoeuvre exercises. The session included
6

FR of hamstrings, gluteal region, lower back, 5.8

75

Warm-ups are an established precursor to physical activity and they aim to prepare the footballer quadriceps and the calf region. This was done 5.6

Conclusion.
for the training session ahead. The better a player performs during training, the better he/she at a rate of 5 repetitions (1 complete length
70

Seconds
5.4

will be prepared for the upcoming competitive match and this will consequently lead to improved in 1 direction) per 30 seconds. The muscle
65
5.2

chances of the club’s success. The primary scope of this study is to contribute to the scientific group being worked on was moved through Centimetres
60
5

approval or disproval of the benefits of a FR session on performance when used as part of a its available range of motion during the FR 55
4.8

warm-up for footballers. session.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
50
FR was found to significantly improve
Graph 4 - Agility
45 performance testing of flexibility, EVLP,
This was tested by applying the FR to the same group of footballers who undertook a control trial The performance tests carried out included 40
agility and speed. Overall it may be
concluded that FR may be used as part of
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

condition involving a dynamic warm-up and an experimental one involving a dynamic warm-up tests of flexibility, speed, agility and two tests
and a foam rolling session. Both conditions underwent performance tests on flexibility, explosive on explosive leg power. The sit-and-reach box
Graph 2 - EVLP 5.6
a warm-up routine for footballers with the
leg power, speed and agility to quantify the changes and lead to a possible authentication of the was used to measure hamstring flexibility, the
5.5
intention of improving physical performance
acutely.
5.4

FR in football. test for speed was a simple 37 meters sprint

270

5.3
260

test, agility was tested using the Pro-agility 5.2

Recommendations: Studying the effects of

Seconds
250

This research and others like it will assist open-minded professionals working in the field of test and the tests for explosive leg power 5.1

the FR on a larger sample group with varied

Centimeters

240

sports science who may further understand the usefulness of the FR and adapt its use to make included the Vertical Jump Test for vertical leg
5

durations of FR.
230

4.9

the most out of a warm-up routine power and the Standing Long Jump Test for 220

4.8

horizontal leg power.

210

4.7
200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Graph 3 - EHLP Graph 5 - Speed

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