Vibrating and Non-Vibrating Foam-Rolling on DOMS

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common physiological response to unaccustomed or strenuous exercise. It typically develops several hours after exercise and may become most noticeable approximately 24 to 72 hours later. DOMS can be associated with muscle soreness, changes in passive muscle mechanical properties, reduced range of motion, and temporary alterations in muscle strength and functional performance. These changes may affect movement and physical performance during the recovery period.

Foam rolling is frequently used as a recovery strategy following exercise. It is generally performed by applying body weight over a cylindrical roller and repeatedly rolling the targeted muscle region. Previous studies have reported that foam rolling may produce acute changes in flexibility, range of motion, muscle mechanical properties, perceived soreness, and physical performance. Vibrating foam rollers have additionally been developed to combine mechanical pressure with mechanical vibration. However, it is not clear whether adding vibration provides additional benefits over conventional foam rolling without vibration when these techniques are applied during the DOMS period.

The present study uses a randomized within-subject split-body design. Both lower extremities of each participant are included in the intervention. One lower extremity is randomly assigned to the vibrating foam rolling condition, while the contralateral lower extremity is assigned to the non-vibrating foam rolling condition. The assignment of the two conditions to the right and left lower extremities is determined using a computer-based randomization procedure. Because each participant receives both interventions, each participant serves as their own control. This design helps reduce the influence of individual differences in physical characteristics and baseline functional capacity when comparing the two foam rolling conditions.

The study consists of two laboratory sessions separated by 48 hours.

During the first session, baseline measurements are obtained before the DOMS-inducing exercise. The assessment includes passive mechanical properties of the medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles, perceived pain and muscle soreness, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, dynamic balance, and gastrocnemius muscle strength. The order and procedures of the assessments are standardized for all participants.

Passive mechanical properties of the gastrocnemius muscles are assessed using a myotonometric device. Muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity are evaluated at standardized anatomical locations on the medial and lateral gastrocnemius. Multiple consecutive measurements are obtained from each measurement site, and the average value is used for analysis.

Perceived muscle soreness and pain are evaluated using a visual analog scale during a standardized gastrocnemius stretching procedure. Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion is assessed using the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test. Dynamic balance is evaluated using the Y-Balance Test, with each lower extremity assessed separately. Reach distances are recorded in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions and are normalized to lower-extremity length. Gastrocnemius muscle strength is assessed isometrically using a hand-held dynamometer while the participant is positioned prone with the ankle in a standardized neutral position.

Following the baseline assessments, participants perform a standardized exercise protocol designed to induce DOMS in the gastrocnemius muscles. The protocol consists of weighted heel-raise exercises performed on a 35-degree inclined surface. Participants wear an external load corresponding to approximately 25% of their body weight. The heel-raise movement consists of a maximal concentric contraction followed by a controlled eccentric phase. A metronome is used to standardize the movement tempo. Participants perform five sets of 30 repetitions with standardized rest periods between sets, with the final set continued according to the study protocol. Participants may use overhead straps for safety and balance, while verbal instructions are provided to minimize assistance from the straps during the exercise.

Participants return to the laboratory 48 hours after the DOMS-inducing exercise. At this time point, the same functional and physiological assessments are performed before the foam rolling intervention. This assessment represents the pre-intervention DOMS state and allows the acute response to foam rolling to be evaluated relative to the condition immediately before treatment rather than only relative to the original baseline.

Participants who meet the study requirement for exercise-induced muscle soreness proceed to the foam rolling intervention. The vibrating foam rolling condition is performed using a Compex Ion vibrating foam roller, with the vibration function activated at 48 Hz. The non-vibrating condition is performed using the same foam rolling device without vibration. Both interventions consist of three 1-minute sets, with a 30-second rest period between sets.

The foam rolling application is standardized across conditions. A four-second movement cycle is used, consisting of two seconds of rolling from distal to proximal and two seconds from proximal to distal. The application area extends along the posterior lower leg from the superior aspect of the Achilles tendon to the inferior aspect of the popliteal region. Anatomical reference lines are used to standardize the application area. Participants are instructed to apply as much body weight as tolerated within their individual discomfort threshold. During each intervention, the contralateral lower extremity remains off the roller to maintain a comparable unilateral loading configuration.

Immediately after the foam rolling intervention, the assessment procedures are repeated. Changes observed after vibrating and non-vibrating foam rolling are then compared within the same participants to determine whether the addition of vibration produces different acute responses.

The study evaluates the potential effects of the two foam rolling conditions on several aspects of recovery following exercise-induced DOMS, including muscle mechanical properties, perceived soreness and pain, ankle dorsiflexion, dynamic balance, and gastrocnemius muscle strength. The findings are intended to provide information about whether vibration offers an additional acute benefit over conventional non-vibrating foam rolling during the DOMS recovery period.

The study was approved by the Hacettepe University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (KA-22073). All participants provided written informed consent before participation, and the study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.