Self-Myofascial Release of the Foot Plantar Surface: The Effects of a Single Exercise Session on the Posterior Muscular Chain Flexibility after One Hour

This study evaluated the effects of a single exercise session of Self-Myofascial Release
(SMR) on the posterior muscular chain flexibility after one hour from the intervention. Thirty-six
participants performed SMR using a rigid ball under the surface of both feet. Participants were tested
with the Sit and Reach (S&R) test at four different times: before (T0), immediately after (T1), 30 (T2),
and 60 (T3) minutes after the SMR intervention. The sample (n = 36) was categorized into three
groups: (1) flexible, (2) average, and (3) stiff, based on the flexibility level at T0 (S&R values of >10 cm,
>0 but <10 cm and <0 cm, respectively). For the whole sample, we detected significant improvements
in the S&R test between the T1, T2, and T3 compared to T0. The stiff group showed a significant
(p < 0.05) improvement between T1–T2 and T1–T3. Results were similar between the average group
and the whole sample. The flexible group did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05) over time.
In conclusion, this investigation demonstrated that an SMR session of both feet was able to increase
posterior muscular chain flexibility up to one hour after intervention. Considering that a standard
training session generally lasts one hour, our study can help professionals take advantage of SMR
effects for the entire training period. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that physical exercise
practitioners should also assess individuals’ flexibility before training, as the SMR procedure used in
this work does not seem necessary in flexible individuals.