Volume 16, Issue 3 (Summer 2026)                   PTJ 2026, 16(3): 273-282 | Back to browse issues page


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Darvish B, Piri H, Rahimi M, Shadi E. Acute Effect of Massage, Static Stretching, and Foam Rolling on Hamstring Muscle Flexibility. PTJ 2026; 16 (3) :273-282
URL: http://ptj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-645-en.html
1- Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.
3- Department of Corrective Exercises and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Corrective Exercise and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract:   (1894 Views)
Purpose: Optimized flexibility, a critical component of physical fitness, substantially influences sports performance and injury prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of static stretching (SS), massage, and foam rolling (FR) on the flexibility of hamstring muscles.
Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test design. The statistical population consisted of football players with hamstring tightness. Thirty participants, aged between 17 and 25 years, were selected as research participants based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and entered the study with full consent and awareness. The participants were divided into three groups: SS, massage, and FR. The straight leg raise test assessed hamstring flexibility. A one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to compare the three groups, with a significance level of P≤0.05.
Results: A ANCOVA revealed a significant difference in the immediate effects of three interventions (F2, 27=5.274, P<0.05). The Bonferroni post hoc pairwise comparison revealed that the SS group showed a significantly greater improvement in flexibility than the FR group (P=0.004). Additionally, compared to the massage group, SS performed better (P=0.04). However, the Bonferroni post hoc test did not find a significant difference between the massage and FR groups (P=0.289).
Conclusion: Compared to massage and FR, SS seems to be a suitable option for increasing immediate flexibility in football players with hamstring tightness.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Sport injury and corrective exercises
Received: 2024/06/11 | Accepted: 2025/05/31 | Published: 2026/07/1

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