# Acute effect of percussion and foam roller massage on flexibility, reactive and explosive strength, and muscular endurance in young adult males: a crossover pilot study

## TL;DR

This study compared the immediate effects of percussion massage and foam rolling on flexibility and muscle performance in young men, finding that percussion massage improved flexibility more than the other methods.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the acute effects of percussion massage versus foam rolling on flexibility and muscle performance in young adults.

## Key findings

- Percussion massage significantly improved hamstring flexibility compared to foam rolling and no treatment.
- Neither percussion massage nor foam rolling improved reactive strength, explosive strength, or muscular endurance.
- The study found high reliability in the measurements used to assess flexibility and muscle performance.

## Abstract

Percussion massage (PM) using massage guns has become popular for enhancing flexibility, muscle performance, and recovery, but evidence on its efficacy is mixed. Foam rolling (FR) is another standard modality with similar claims. This study aimed to compare the acute effects of PM and FR on hamstring flexibility, specific muscle performance types (reactive and explosive strength), and muscle fatigue.

A randomized, controlled crossover design was employed with 18 physically active university students. Participants underwent three conditions: PM with Theragun, foam rolling, and a no-activation control (WA), each separated by a 4–5 day washout. Flexibility was assessed via the Active Knee Extension (AKE) test. Muscle performance was evaluated using a Single-Leg Reactive Strength Test (SLRST), a leg press explosive strength test, and a 30-s side hop test to assess endurance and fatigue. Statistical analyses included repeated measures ANOVA and non-parametric tests where appropriate.

PM significantly improved hamstring flexibility, demonstrated by lower AKE angles compared to FR and WA (p < 0.01), while no significant flexibility differences were found between FR and WA. No significant effects of any intervention were observed on reactive strength index, leg press power, or hop test performance. The reliability of the measurements was high (ICC > 0.84).

PM provides an immediate enhancement in hamstring flexibility superior to FR and no treatment, but none of the interventions acutely improve muscle reactive/explosive strength or endurance. These findings suggest that PM may be an effective pre-activity tool for improving flexibility. However, it should not be relied upon as an acute performance enhancer for physically active individuals. Further research on long-term and varied protocol effects is recommended.