School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland , St. John's, Newfoundland , Canada.
J Appl Physiol (1985). 2018 Apr 1;124(4):950-959. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00732.2017. Epub 2018 Jan 4.
Roller massage (RM) interventions have shown acute increases in range of motion (ROM) and pain pressure threshold (PPT). It is unclear whether the RM-induced increases can be attributed to changes in neural or muscle responses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of altered afferent input via application of RM on spinal excitability, as measured with the Hoffmann (H-) reflex. A randomized within-subjects design was used. Three 30-s bouts of RM were implemented on a rested, nonexercised, injury-free muscle with 30 s of rest between bouts. The researcher applied RM to the plantar flexors at three intensities of pain: high, moderate, and sham. Measures included normalized M-wave and H-reflex peak-to-peak amplitudes before, during, and up to 3 min postintervention. M-wave and H-reflex measures were highly reliable. RM resulted in significant decreases in soleus H-reflex amplitudes. High-intensity, moderate-intensity, and sham conditions decreased soleus H-reflex amplitudes by 58%, 43%, and 19%, respectively. H-reflexes induced with high-intensity rolling discomfort or pain were significantly lower than moderate and sham conditions. The effects were transient in nature, with an immediate return to baseline following RM. This is the first evidence of RM-induced modulation of spinal excitability. The intensity-dependent response observed indicates that rolling pressure or pain perception may play a role in modulation of the inhibition. Roller massage-induced neural modulation of spinal excitability may explain previously reported increases in ROM and PPT. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Recent evidence indicates that the benefits of foam rolling and roller massage are primarily accrued through neural mechanisms. The present study attempts to determine the neuromuscular response to roller massage interventions. We provide strong evidence of roller massage-induced neural modulation of spinal excitability to the soleus. It is plausible that reflex inhibition may explain subsequent increases in pain pressure threshold.
滚压按摩 (RM) 干预措施已显示出运动范围 (ROM) 和疼痛压力阈值 (PPT) 的急性增加。目前尚不清楚 RM 引起的增加是否归因于神经或肌肉反应的变化。本研究旨在评估通过 RM 施加改变传入输入对脊髓兴奋性的影响，这是通过 Hoffmann (H-) 反射来测量的。采用随机的受试者内设计。在休息、未运动、无损伤的肌肉上进行 3 个 30 秒的 RM 回合，回合之间休息 30 秒。研究人员在三种疼痛强度下将 RM 应用于足底屈肌：高、中、假。测量包括干预前、干预中和干预后 3 分钟内的归一化 M 波和 H 反射峰峰值幅度。M 波和 H 反射测量具有高度可靠性。RM 导致比目鱼肌 H 反射幅度显著降低。高强度、中强度和假条件分别使比目鱼肌 H 反射幅度降低 58%、43%和 19%。高强度滚动不适或疼痛引起的 H 反射明显低于中强度和假条件。这些影响是短暂的，RM 后立即恢复基线。这是 RM 诱导脊髓兴奋性调制的第一个证据。观察到的强度依赖性反应表明，滚动压力或疼痛感知可能在抑制的调制中发挥作用。滚压按摩诱导的脊髓兴奋性的神经调制可能解释了先前报道的 ROM 和 PPT 的增加。
最近的证据表明，泡沫滚轴按摩和滚轴按摩的好处主要是通过神经机制获得的。本研究试图确定滚轴按摩干预的神经肌肉反应。我们提供了强烈的证据表明滚轴按摩会引起对比目鱼肌的神经调制。反射抑制可能解释随后疼痛压力阈值的增加是合理的。
