The impact of foam rolling and deep tissue massage on the range of motion in the ankle joint of football players

<ns3:p>Background. Limited ankle dorsiflexion increases the risk of movement compensations and lower limb injuries in young soccer players. Fascial techniques such as foam rolling and deep tissue massage (DTM) are proposed as rapid methods for improving flexibility. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of single-use deep tissue massage and calf muscle rolling in increasing the range of ankle dorsiflexion and to determine the duration of these effects.Material and Methods. A crossover study included 20 boys (16-17 years old) training in soccer. Each player underwent two interventions one week apart: 8 minutes of deep tissue massage and 3 x 45 seconds of self-rolling. Dorsiflexion was assessed using a goniometer () and the WBLT (cm) before the intervention and at 0, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after the intervention.Results. Both techniques induced an immediate increase in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion: in the WBLT and as measured by goniometry (p &lt; 0.001). The differences between deep tissue massage and rolling were not significant at any time point (p &gt; 0.26), although after 15 min in the rolling group the analyses showed a statistically significant effect compared to the baseline measurement.Conclusions. Both deep tissue massage and foam rolling effectively, although temporarily, increase ankle mobility in young football players. Due to its ease of self-administration and longer-lasting effect, rolling can be recommended as a warm-up component; deep tissue massage can be a valuable adjunct to sports physiotherapy.</ns3:p>