Webinar Dr. Jan Wilke Foam Rolling: an evidence-based update of its value in sports and therapy: 18 May 2022

Self-massage treatments of muscle and connective tissue with small rollers, sticks, or balls have gained worldwide popularity. Even more, foam rolling is one of the most frequently used methods by athletes and coaches in the sports, health and fitness sector. Studies demonstrate that rolling, if used correctly, can enhance range of motion, improve performance, decrease pain, and accelerate recovery. However, there are still many misconceptions about essential parameters such as optimal treatment duration, speed, or intensity. The webinar will provide participants with cutting edge knowledge about the mechanisms of foam rolling (tissue-specific and neural adaptations), different techniques (static compression, slow and fast rolling, shearing), and specific recommendations for different populations (e.g. young vs. old persons, athletes with or without pain). It will, furthermore, answer the following (and several more)

questions:

- When should I use static and when dynamic rolling?

- Should I perform stretching or rolling to improve flexibility? Can I combine both?

- Should foam rolling to improve regeneration be performed before or after training?

- Can I reduce muscle soreness using foam rolling?

- How do I treat trigger point pain with rolling?

- What are the risks of foam rolling treatments?

- Are effects of foam rolling due to local adaptations such as improved blood flow and reduced stiffness or due to neural adaptations (e.g. improved pain tolerance)?