# Effects of a 3-week foam rolling warm-up intervention on ankle dorsiflexion measurements and jumping performance in young rhythmic gymnasts

## TL;DR

A 3-week foam rolling warm-up improved jump performance in young rhythmic gymnasts but did not significantly increase ankle flexibility.

## Contribution

This study is among the first to investigate the effects of foam rolling on biomechanical and performance parameters in rhythmic gymnasts over three weeks.

## Key findings

- Foam rolling improved countermovement jump performance significantly after three weeks.
- Angular velocity of ankle dorsiflexion increased in the foam rolling group.
- No significant changes were observed in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion.

## Abstract

Few studies have analyzed the medium- to long-term effects of warm-up protocols on biomechanical and performance parameters in athletes. This study evaluated the effects of a 3-week foam rolling (FR) protocol integrated into the initial phase of the warm-up on ankle dorsiflexion parameters and jumping performance through the countermovement jump test (CMJ) in young rhythmic gymnasts.

Twenty-six female young rhythmic gymnasts who met the inclusion criteria participated in the study and were divided into the FR group (n = 12; Age = 13.2 ± 2.59 years; Height = 152.3 ± 13.34 cm; Weight = 39.9 ± 11.22 kg) or the C (Control) group (n = 14; Age = 13.4 ± 2.17 years; Height = 149.5 ± 13.33 cm; Weight = 40.6 ± 10.14 kg). An initial evaluation (T0) and an evaluation after the 3-week FR warm-up protocol were conducted. An inertial sensor was used to analyze ankle dorsiflexion using the following parameters: range of motion (ROM) (°), angular velocity (°/s), and fluency index (0–1). An optical detection sensor detected the jump height and flight time of the CMJ test.

Significant differences were found between T0 and T1 in the FR group and between the FR group and the C group at T1. Significant between-subject interaction effects (F = 32.58; p < 0.001; ηp2 = .576) and group-by-time interaction effects (F = 9.73; p < 0.01; ηp2 = .288) were found. Specifically, significant enhancements in CMJ performance (p < 0.001) and angular dorsiflexion velocity of the right ankle (p < 0.05) were noted after the intervention in the FR group.

Our results suggest that a 3-week FR intervention incorporated into the warm-up routine of young rhythmic gymnasts led to an increase in jump performance, but not in ankle dorsiflexion ROM parameters. Further studies are necessary to investigate the effects of warm-up on biomechanical parameters using longer FR protocols.

NCT07113249. Registration date: 02/08/2025.