CONTEXT: Self-myofascial release (SMR) is an intervention popularly used by rehabilitation, fitness, and sports professionals to improve recovery and performance. In SMR, the athlete/patient himself applies pressure to the muscle and fascia, using various tools such as balls, rods, foam rolls and massagers.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the acute effect of two SMR protocols (short- and long-term) of the posterior thigh and calf muscles on hip and ankle range of motion (ROM) in physically active men.

PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen adult males (24.9±3.2 years, 77.2±13.2 kg and 1.75±0.06 m) who exercise regularly (at least twice a week, 45 min per session).

INTERVENTIONS: Participants performed a short-term SMR protocol (2 x 10 repetitions, SSMR) and a long-term SMR protocol (2 x 20 repetitions, LSMR) of the posterior thigh (using a foam-roller) and calf (using a massage stick) muscles in counterbalanced order, on two different days with a 48-h interval.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ankle dorsiflexion and hip flexion ROM, evaluated at five moments: pre and post SSMR, pre and post LSMR and in the control condition, which was always performed at the first visit.

RESULTS: The SMR promoted significant gains for both dorsiflexion (F1,13 = 202.67, p <0.001, ηp2 = 0.94) and hip flexion (F1,13 = 66.46, p <0.001, ηp2 = 0.84), regardless of the protocol and limb analyzed. The average increase for both limbs corresponded, approximately, to 11% for ankle dorsiflexion and to 6% for and in hip flexion.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that SMR of the posterior thigh and calf muscles acutely increases the ROM of both hip flexion and ankle dorsiflexion; and that duplicating the SMR volume from 10 to 20 repetitions per set seems not to promote additional gains.