Roller massage decreases spinal excitability to the soleus

Young, James Douglas (2017) Roller massage decreases spinal excitability to the soleus. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Evidence suggests that foam rolling and roller massage can increase range of motion and alter pain perception. These effects have been shown not only in the target muscle, but also in the contralateral homologue that was not involved in the intervention. The global nature of these effects suggests that the benefits of rolling are primarily accrued through neural responses and not connective tissue. Therefore, the primary objective of this thesis was to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for improvements in range of motion and altered pain perception during and after roller massage. This required the use of a sensitive neurophysiological measure that is subject to modulation via afferent input. The results of the present study serve as the first evidence of neural modulation of spinal excitability during roller massage. It is plausible that immediate changes in range of motion and pain perception following brief roller massage can be attributed to the observed inhibition at the spinal level.

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