Acute Structural, Functional, and Biochemical Responses to a High- and Low-Volume Foam Rolling Exercise on the Hamstring Muscles: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Foam rolling (FR) is widely used to acutely enhance range of motion, yet the influence of different application volumes on neuromuscular, structural, and biochemical responses remains unclear. This study investigated the acute effects of low- and high-volume hamstrings FR interventions. Fifty-seven healthy male participants were randomly assigned to a high-volume FR group (IG10; 10 min per posterior thigh), a low-volume FR group (IG2; 2 min per posterior thigh), or a control group (CG; 20 min rest). Pre- and post-intervention assessments included sit-and-reach (SAR) performance, shoulder circumduction (SC) (mobility), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), biceps femoris muscle stiffness (MS), and creatine kinase (CK) levels. Linear mixed-effects models revealed significant Time effects for SAR performance and SC, as well as a Group effect for SC (p < 0.05), whereas no significant Group × Time interactions were observed for any outcome (all p > 0.05). Significant improvements in SC were observed in both intervention groups compared with the CG, whereas no differences were detected between the two intervention durations. In contrast, no differential effects were observed for MS, maximal strength, or CK concentrations between the intervention groups, indicating that extending the FR duration from 2 to 10 min did not provide additional acute benefits.