Comparison the effect of Training with Foam Roller and Massage on Motor Performance of Hamstring and Cuff Muscles in Elderly Females

Aging is one of the problems that has developed in the industrial world today and is gradually developing in the third world. Advances in medical knowledge have increased life expectancy and thus increased the elderly population. Unfortunately, most older people suffer from several diseases and serious health problems. For example, with increasing age, muscle becomes weak for various reasons, reducing the size of muscle fiber, reducing the number of type 2 fibers, reducing the number of motor units and also reducing the ability to activate motor units, including factors involved in muscle weakness and reduction. Functional abilities of the elderly. Decreased flexibility of the hamstring and cuff muscles is associated with a wide range of injuries. Due to the role of these muscles in motor function on the one hand and the reduction of motor function in the elderly on the other hand, for the treatment of motor function in the elderly, various methods such as hydrotherapy, release techniques, massage and rolling foam training are suggested. In this regard, researchers cite evidence and reasons that show that the use of massage increases peoplechr('39')s performance. As the massage relaxes the muscles. It can also help increase joint flexibility. However, there is conflicting information about the effect of massage.On the other hand, it is claimed that rolling foam corrects muscle imbalance. Rolling foam has been used in several rehabilitation programs to help soft tissue flexibility, increase range of motion, and optimally increase skeletal muscle function. Although the use of rolling foam has been strongly supported in research, there is little research to date in this field. Based on the above, the researcher seeks to answer the question whether there is a difference between the effect of two training programs with rolling foam and massage on the motor function of the hamstrings and cuff muscles in older women or not?

The statistical population of the present quasi-experimental study consisted of elderly women in District 4 of Tehran in 1397. Among the volunteers, 45 people were randomly selected from among the volunteers and randomly divided into three massage groups (15 people). (N = 15) and control (n = 15) were divided. Then the massage group underwent 20 minutes of sessions in the first two weeks and 30 minutes of sessions in the third week and 3 sessions per week. The foam training group also performed 6 weeks, three sessions per week and one hour of foam training with soft to hard models. Before the start and one day after the last training session, the subjects performed motor performance tests again. Finally, descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc were used to analyze the data using SPSS / 21 software at the significance level of p =0.05.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the effect of two training programs with foam rolling and massage on the range of motion of the hamstring muscles of the right and left legs on the one hand and the range of motion of the right and left hand cuff muscles on the other hand (p=0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the rolling foam group with massage (p=0.001), the rolling foam with control (p=0.001) and the massage with control (p=0.001).

In the present study, the use of rolling foam and massage showed a significant effect on the motor function of hamstring and cuff muscles in elderly women. Research has reported that massage, by increasing lymph and venous rinsing, removes excess metabolic products, enhances deep tissue relaxation, facilitates the reduction of muscle fibers, and promotes greater tissue mobility. It seems that these factors increase the flexibility of massage by reducing stiffness at the level of a thread and increasing the optimal length of the muscle. On the other hand, flexibility is one of the important factors in performing performance tests. This may be the reason for the effect of massage on the motor function of the hamstring and cuff muscles.Also, having the right motivation and not feeling tired can affect your work capacity. Since the location and center of fatigue is the central nervous system, performance is also affected. Balance also depends on the proper functioning of the cerebellum, middle ear, vision, touch, tendons and joints, muscles, and the ability to coordinate these factors. Therefore, strengthening the effective factors in maintaining balance, including deep sense of joints can be effective in treating and preventing balance problems, and stimulating the tactile receptor of skin, muscles and capsules using massage can improve joint deep sense. And thus contribute to joint functional stability. It seems that massage with different mechanisms and the effect on flexibility, balance, reduction of fatigue and the factors involved in them improve motor function.Another finding showed that the use of rolling foam has a significant effect on the motor function of hamstring and cuff muscles in elderly women. This effect may be due to the effect of foam on flexibility. This is because the increase in flexibility may be due to the increase in the temperature of the muscles involved due to the use of rolling foam. The steady motion of the rolling foam may also increase the viscoelastic properties of the muscle by increasing the temperature of the intramuscular tissue and blood flow. When the fascia is exposed to heat and pressure, it softens and assumes a more liquid state, otherwise it thickens and its viscosity and solid state increase. Thikiotropic properties of fascia are another possible mechanism for increasing flexibility.Finally, the greater effect of massage than rolling foam may be due to the rolling position of the hamstring muscles, in which people may place their body weight on the hands or other parts of the body instead of the foam. It is also possible that pressure is not applied to all parts of the body in the same way.