Foam Roller work can change the pressure pain threshold of the Ipsilateral and Contralateral Muscle Groups

Foam rolling is a popular self myofascial release tool used by sports, exercise, and general public. Current research suggests that foam rolling may have an effect on the ipsilateral antagonist muscle group and produce a cross-over effect in the muscles of the contralateral limb. A new study from Canada examined the acute effects of foam rolling to the left quadriceps on ipsilateral antagonist hamstrings and contralateral quadriceps muscle group pressure pain threshold (PPT). This research was published in Journal of Sport and Rehabilitation.

Twenty-one healthy adults (age= 27.52 ± 8.9 years) participated using a video-guided foam roll intervention on the left quadriceps musculature.

The results showed a significant difference between pre-test to post-test measures for the ipsilateral hamstrings  and contralateral quadriceps suggesting an increase in PPT.These findings suggest that foam rolling of the quadriceps musculature may have an acute effect on the PPT of the ipsilateral hamstrings and contralateral quadriceps muscles.

This study also follows a past study which found that foam rolling on plantar flexor muscles of one side of the limb can have an effetc in the PPT on the contralateral limb, suggesting that other mechanisms such as a central pain-modulatory system play a role in mediation of perceived pain following foam rolling.

Clinicians should consider these results to be exploratory and future investigations examining this intervention on PPT is warranted.