The Immediate Effect of Percussion Myofascial Release Therapy on Hamstring Flexibility and Hip flexion Range of Motion Among Active Young Adults

Introduction: The study conducted involved pre- and post-assessments, measuring lower body hamstring flexibility, utilizing alternative self-myofascial release methods to assess the effectiveness of each modality group. Modalities within the study include a percussive massage gun, foam roller, and a control group with no intervention. The purpose of this study was to see if there was a significant effect in percussive massage gun intervention in comparison to the foam roller, within the 90-second intervention time. Methods: Participant (N-31) adherence to the two sessions, were conducted within a forty-eight-hour window. The participant filled out a demographic questionnaire before the initial trial. The participant would then warm up on a stationary cycle, pacing 60-70 rpms for five minutes consecutively. Participant then will go through initial baseline assessments, receive one of three modalities; percussive massage gun, foam roller, and control, and perform self-intervention for 90 seconds. Post baseline assessments were collected, participants were asked if they would be present at their next session. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA were set to determine significance between time or modality, specifically sit and reach day two’s session, specifically for percussive massage gun, t(10) = -4.41, p = .001. Foam roller showed significance within sit and reach day two session, t(8) = -4.53, p = .002. Though there was no interaction effect, or significance. For all other dependent variables, sit and reach day one, goniometer active day one and two, goniometer passive day one and two, there was no significance across groups or interaction effects. Conclusions: It was discovered that sit and reach improves hamstring flexibility post intervention, with the use of foam roller or the percussive massage gun. There was no significance among the other DV, in which it could be suggesting that more trials and extended periods of time to perform intervention and stretches would be beneficial. There was no significance to show that percussive massage gun did a greater job increasing hamstring flexibility, than foam roller, or the control group.