Can foam rolling be used as part of a warm-up to acutely improve flexibility and muscle strength?
Self-Myofascial Foam Roller, a crossover trial (J Sport Rehabil 2016, PMID 27736289) — knee extension peak torque improved significantly after dynamic stretching and foam rolling, but not after static stretching. No numeric effect size is reported for Self-Myofascial Foam Roller in the source abstract.
Source: J Sport Rehabil 2016, PMID 27736289 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: low
J Sport Rehabil · 2016 · PMID 27736289 · DOI 10.1123/jsr.2016-0102
Foam rolling acutely improves flexibility more than static or dynamic stretching, and maintains or improves muscle strength, making it a good warm-up option.
The question
Can foam rolling be used as part of a warm-up to acutely improve flexibility and muscle strength?
What they tested
The study aimed to examine and compare the acute effects of foam rolling, static stretching, and dynamic stretching as part of a warm-up on flexibility and muscle strength.
How they did it
This was a crossover study involving 15 male and 15 female college students. Participants performed foam rolling, static stretching, and dynamic stretching in random order on three separate days. Isokinetic peak torque for knee extension and flexion was measured, and flexibility was assessed using the modified Thomas test for quadriceps and the sit-and-reach test for hamstrings.
What they found
Flexibility test scores improved significantly more after foam rolling compared to static and dynamic stretching. Knee extension peak torque improved significantly after dynamic stretching and foam rolling, but not after static stretching. Knee flexion peak torque remained unchanged across all interventions.
| Foam Rolling (Flexibility) | 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Static Stretching (Flexibility) | 0 | |
| Dynamic Stretching (Flexibility) | 0 | |
| Foam Rolling (Knee Extension Strength) | 1 | |
| Static Stretching (Knee Extension Strength) | 0 | |
| Dynamic Stretching (Knee Extension Strength) | 1 |
This chart illustrates the significant improvements observed for flexibility and knee extension peak torque across different interventions. A value of 1 indicates a significant improvement, while 0 indicates no significant improvement or less significant improvement compared to foam rolling for flexibility.
What it means
Foam rolling is more effective than static and dynamic stretching for acutely increasing quadriceps and hamstrings flexibility without negatively affecting muscle strength. It may be recommended as part of a warm-up for healthy young adults.
Limitations
The study was conducted on healthy young adults, so the findings may not generalize to other populations. The abstract does not specify other limitations.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Acute Effects of Foam Rolling, Static Stretching, and Dynamic Stretching on Flexibility and Strength |
|---|---|
| Journal | J Sport Rehabil |
| Year | 2016 |
| PMID | 27736289 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1123/jsr.2016-0102 ↗ |
| Topic | Pain, nerves & musculoskeletal medicine |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
This citation sits behind the evidence grade on the pages below. Grades are set from the research and are independent of affiliate commissions.
Self-Myofascial Foam Roller
Controlled trials and meta-analyses, mostly in young, healthy adults, show that foam rolling acutely increases joint range of motion to a degree broadly comparable with static stretching, and a 2024 meta-analysis of 16 randomized trials (n=515) found it moderately reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness 24-48 hours…
A foam roller is a cylindrical tool made of dense foam used for self-myofascial release (SMFR), a…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can foam rolling be used as part of a warm-up to acutely improve flexibility and muscle strength? [Plain-English summary of J Sport Rehabil 2016, PMID 27736289, DOI 10.1123/jsr.2016-0102]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d27736289.html@misc{magellan_d27736289,
title = {Can foam rolling be used as part of a warm-up to acutely improve flexibility and muscle strength?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d27736289.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 27736289; DOI 10.1123/jsr.2016-0102; J Sport Rehabil 2016. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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