Peter Blanpied

The Effects of Myofascial Release With Foam Rolling on Performance

Abstract Healey, KC, Hatfield, DL, Blanpied, P, Dorfman, LR, and Riebe, D. The effects of myofascial release with foam rolling on performance. J Strength Cond Res 28(1): 61–68, 2014—In the last decade, self-myofascial release has become an increasingly common modality to supplement traditional methods of massage, so a masseuse is not necessary. However, there are limited clinical data demonstrating the efficacy or mechanism of this treatment on athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of myofascial rollers before athletic tests can enhance performance. Twenty-six (13 men and 13 women) healthy college-aged individuals (21.56 ± 2.04 years, 23.97 ± 3.98 body mass index, 20.57 ± 12.21 percent body fat) were recruited. The study design was a randomized crossover design in which subject performed a series of planking exercises or foam rolling exercises and then performed a series of athletic performance tests (vertical jump height and power, isometric force, and agility). Fatigue, soreness, and exertion were also measured. A 2 × 2 (trial × gender) analysis of variance with repeated measures and appropriate post hoc was used to analyze the data. There were no significant differences between foam rolling and planking for all 4 of the athletic tests. However, there was a significant difference between genders on all the athletic tests (p ⩽ 0.001). As expected, there were significant increases from pre to post exercise during both trials for fatigue, soreness, and exertion (p ⩽ 0.01). Postexercise fatigue after foam rolling was significantly less than after the subjects performed planking (p ⩽ 0.05). The reduced feeling of fatigue may allow participants to extend acute workout time and volume, which can lead to chronic performance enhancements. However, foam rolling had no effect on performance.

Analysis of strength tests and resistive exercises commonly used for low-back disorders.

Using a modeling approach the conventional sit-up, the double straight-leg lowering, and prone trunk extension, the authors have shown these to have limitations as tests of maximum trunk flexion and extension strength and as modes of resistive exercise. These maneuvers are poor discriminators of trunk muscle strength, and they lack the range of resistance necessary to cover the spectrum of human trunk muscle strength capability. Use of manually handled weights can improve the above clinical tests and resistive exercise methods. As a result of selective positioning of the weights, variable resistance above and below that provided by the body segments alone can be achieved. The partial sit-up may be appropriate only for patients with significant trunk flexion weakness, and the straight head-trunk sit-up may be useful as a more strenuous test and resistive exercise. Rationale and derivations of the rigid-body equilibrium equations, as well as some of the limitations and assumptions associated with the modeling approach, are presented.

Human plantarflexor stiffness to multiple single-stretch trials.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of different stretch velocities, different rates of pre-stretch force development, and different pre-stretch muscle lengths on the intrinsic stiffness exhibited by the quasi-statically contracting active human plantarflexors during multiple single-stretch trials at 20-60% of maximum isometric contraction. Subjects were positioned prone, with the knee flexed 1.57 rad(90 degrees), shank stabilized, and foot secured in a hard plastic orthotic. Slowly increasing isometric plantarflexion force was produced until the plantarflexors were stretched by a rapid 0.2 rad (12 degrees) dorsiflexion movement. Plantarflexion forces and ankle positions were determined during these stretches as well as during resting stretches when the muscle was inactive. Resting forces were subtracted from the active trials, forces converted to torques, and stiffnesses determined for the first 62 ms of the stretch. The slope of the stiffness vs pre-stretch torque relationship averaged 4.30 +/- 0.34 Nm rad-1 Nm-1. Little difference was found between stiffness determined through the single-stretch method and the results of previous studies employing different mechanical inputs. Differences in stiffnesses with different stretching velocities were caused by computational artifact rather than by differences in intrinsic muscular reaction. Faster rates of pre-stretch force increase prior to the stretch resulted in slightly lower stiffnesses. Different pre-stretch muscle lengths apparently did not result in different stiffnesses. The shape of the torque vs displacement curve was remarkably insensitive to the planned manipulations of the testing conditions, responding in a stereotypical manner.

Exploration of mechanical and electromyographic responses of trunk muscles to high-intensity resistive exercise.

The purposes of this study were to determine the effects of high intensity exercise on fatigue of the trunk muscles within a test session, and on multiple kinetic and electromyographic (EMG) variables over a 6-week training period. Fourty-flve normal men and women (20-40 years of age) completed the study. The KIN/COM trunk testing unit (Chattecx Corporation, Chattanooga, Tennessee) was used for both testing and training. The results of the study follow: 1) The KIN/COM trunk testing system was very accurate, and the method used was highly reproducible for the kinetic variables. Reproduclbillty for the endurance variables was mixed, and isolated EMG variables were poor. 2) Kinetic and EMG decrements associated with fatigue did occur in the trunk muscles with ten continuous cycles of maximal concentric and eccentric contractions. 3) Trunk muscle strength gains were highest for the same mode of exercise used in training (specificity), but significant strength gains also were seen in different modes of muscle contraction (transfer of training). For the trunk extensors, the eccentric form of exercise was superior. 4) The rate of isometric torque development and decay was Increased by exercise in men. 5) Trunk muscle endurance was retained when gains in strength occurred. 6) The majority of variables reflecting strength and endurance were retained. The methods and results can serve as guidelines for the evaluation of trunk muscle function and resistive exercise in the clinic.

Comparison of clinical and objective methods of assessing trunk muscle strength--an experimental approach.

An objective method was used to evaluate the validity of the sit-up, prone trunk extension, and double leg lowering clinical tests. Normal men and women and patients with a history of backache served as subjects. The vast majority of the subjects were able to perform the Grade 1 level, which was the highest resistance imposed by the sit-up and prone extension tests. The double leg lower was superior to the other two clinical tests but was able to identify only broad differences in strength capability. In the main, the subjective clinical tests were poor discriminators and seemed to lack the range of resistance necessary to be definitively useful as methods of assessing trunk muscle strength and may not provide appropriate resistance for improving trunk muscle strength in most patients.

Reaction Times and Electromechanical Delay in Reactions of Increasing and Decreasing Force

The purpose of this study was to compare reaction times and electromechanical delay between reactions to increase force from rest and reactions to decrease force from an active state in the quadriceps femoris of healthy young adults. Force, position, and electromyographic data were recorded from 35 subjects reacting to a forced knee-flexion perturbation. Electromechanical delay was assessed through cross-correlation of the filtered EMG and force data. Reaction time to increase force (M = 159.9 msec., 95% CI = 149.9–169.9 msec.) was significantly longer than RT to decrease force (M = 124.4 msec., 95% CI = 118.7–130.1 msec.). This difference was partially caused by a difference in electromechanical delay (RT to increase force electromechanical delay was 63 msec., 95% CI = 60–67 msec., greater than the RT to decrease force electromechanical delay of 49 msec., 95% CI = 46–52 msec.). This difference in reaction time could be important in identifying and interpreting physiologically meaningful changes in muscle force and in intermuscular coordination during movement.

Neck Pain: Revision 2017: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health From the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

The Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has an ongoing effort to create evidence-based practice guidelines for orthopaedic physical therapy management of patients with musculoskeletal impairments described in the World Health Organizations International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The purpose of these revised clinical practice guidelines is to review recent peer-reviewed literature and make recommendations related to neck pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1-A83. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0302.

Effectiviteit van een schaatspasoefening in een oefenprogramma voor thuis na een voorste kruisbandreconstructie

Effectiveness of lateral slide exercise in an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation home exercise program [Journal of Orthopaedic & Sport Physical Therapy 2000;30(10):602-11]