Foam Rolling Is More Effective Than Passive Stretching in Reducing Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in the Hamstring Muscles

Abstract

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) can impair muscle function, limit physical performance, and delay recovery, highlighting the need for effective recovery strategies. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Passive Stretching (PS) and Foam Rolling (FR) in reducing DOMS of the hamstring muscles following resistance training. A randomized pretest-posttest design was employed with 14 participants who were equally assigned to two intervention groups: Passive Stretching (PS; n = 7) and Foam Rolling (FR; n = 7). Muscle soreness was assessed using the Faces Pain Scale (FPS) at 24, 48, and 72 hours following resistance training, before and after each intervention. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Within-group changes were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, while between-group differences in pain reduction were compared to determine the relative effectiveness of the interventions. Both interventions significantly reduced DOMS at all assessment points (p < 0.05). In the PS group, pain scores significantly decreased at 24 hours (p = 0.002), 48 hours (p = 0.001), and 72 hours (p = 0.027). Similarly, the FR group demonstrated significant reductions at 24 hours (p < 0.001), 48 hours (p = 0.017), and 72 hours (p = 0.014). Furthermore, the reduction in pain was significantly greater following FR than PS at 24 hours (p = 0.015), 48 hours (p = 0.016), and 72 hours (p = 0.016). These findings indicate that both Passive Stretching and Foam Rolling may reduce DOMS-related pain, with Foam Rolling demonstrating a greater reduction in pain scores across all assessment periods. However, the small sample size limits the generalizability of these findings. Further studies involving larger samples and more rigorous experimental designs are warranted to confirm these results.