Research article - (2022)21, 13 - 22
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2022.13
Myofascial Treatment Techniques on the Plantar Surface Influence Functional Performance in the Dorsal Kinetic Chain
Anna Gabriel1,, Andreas Konrad2, Anna Roidl3, Jennifer Queisser1, Robert Schleip1,4,5, Thomas Horstmann1, Torsten Pohl1
1Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
2Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, Graz University, Austria
3Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
4Diploma University of Applied Sciences, Germany
5Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich Schiller University, Germany

Anna Gabriel
✉ Associate Professorship for Conservative and Rehabilitative Orthopedics, Technical University of Munich, Georg Brauchle-Ring 60/62, 80992 Munich, Germany
Email: anna-gabriel@tum.de
Received: 10-09-2021 -- Accepted: 19-10-2021
Published (online): 15-02-2021

ABSTRACT

Prior studies have shown that self- and manual massage (SMM) increases flexibility in non-adjacent body areas. It is unclear whether this also influences performance in terms of force generation. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of SMM on the plantar surface on performance in the dorsal kinetic chain. Seventeen young participants took part in this within-subject non-randomized controlled study. SMM was applied on the plantar surface of the dominant leg, but not on the non-dominant leg. A functional performance test of the dorsal kinetic chain, the Bunkie Test, was conducted before and after the intervention. We measured the performance in seconds for the so-called posterior power line (PPL) and the posterior stabilizing line (PSL). The performance of the dominant leg in the Bunkie Test decreased significantly by 17.2% from (mean ± SD) 33.1 ± 9.9 s to 27.4 ± 11.1 s for the PPL and by 16.3% from 27.6 ± 9.8 s to 23.1 ± 11.7 s for the PSL. This is in contrast to the non-dominant leg where performance increased significantly by 5.1% from 29.7 ± 9.6 s to 31.1 ± 8.9 s for the PPL and by 3.1% from 25.7 ± 1.5 s to 26.5 ± 1.7 s for the PSL. SMM interventions on the plantar surface might influence the performance in the dorsal kinetic chain.

Key words: Fascial chain, myofascial release, foam rolling, plantar fascia, superficial backline, Bunkie Test

Key Points
  • This study investigated the acute effects of self- and therapeutic massage on the plantar fascia on performance in the dorsal kinetic chain.
  • Our results showed a significantly reduced performance of the treated leg after the intervention.
  • In contrast, the performance in the contralateral leg (no intervention) improved.








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