Is self-massage an effective joint range-of-motion strategy? A pilot study.

Increases in joint range of motion may be beneficial in both improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate short-term changes in passive hip flexion (HF) and extension (HE) after foam rolling (FR) and roller massage (RM) durations of 60 and 120s. Ten recreationally active men (27.

A comparison of the kinematics, kinetics and muscle activity between pneumatic and free weight resistance.

Pneumatic devices provide a resistance comprising minimal mass, possibly affording greater movement velocities, compared to free weight, while reducing the influence of momentum. Thirty men completed three testing sessions [free weight (FW), ballistic (BALL) and pneumatic (P)] each consisting of a one repetition maximum (1RM) and six sets (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90% 1RM) of four explosive repetitions of a bench press. Dependent variables were expressed as mean and as a percentage of the concentric displacement.