Martínez-Cabrera and Núñez-Sánchez (2016) have assessed the acute effect of a foam roller (FR) in the rectus femoris muscle by using TMG. Seventeen male professional soccer players (age 21.4 ± 3.8 years, height 180.5 ± 7.7 cm, and mass 73.6 ± 10.7 kg) had performed 4 sets with the duration of 15s using the foam roller (FR) on the dominant leg with a 2-minute rest at 30 beats per minute. TMG measurements were performed during the rest after the second and fourth sets for both the dominant and non-dominant leg (control). The TMG parameters analyzed the included stiffness (Dm), and contraction time (Tc). Substantial differences were not found between the legs during rest. For the non-dominant leg, substantial differences in Dm were found after the second and the fourth sets. For the dominant leg, substantial differences in Dm were not observed after the FR was applied. No differences in Tc were found for any of the measurements. Our results suggest that the use of a foam roller in slowly executed small sets maintains the muscle stiffness and the contraction time of the RF.

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