EFFECTS OF THE FOAM ROLLING ON RANGE OF MOTION, FLEXIBILITY AND LOWER EXTREMITY EXPLOSIVE POWER IN FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of foam rolling (FR) on hip range of motion (ROM), flexibility and vertical jump (VJ) performance in female basketball players. In the study which was conducted with the voluntary participation of a total , the participants were randomly divided into two as the FR (n=10; age: 19.7±1.4 year; height: 173.0±6.5 cm; mass: 71.0±10.9 kg) and the static stretching (SS) exercise groups (n=10; age: 20.3±2.5 year; height: 176.7±8.1 cm; mass: 74.0±12.9 kg). The participants are a total of 20 female basketball players who had no injury in the last year. The measurements were carried out in the first day and at the end of the three days after FR and SS exercise sessions including 48-hour rest periods. Goniometer was used for hip ROM, sit and reach test was used for flexibility and, lastly VJ test was used for jump height and power output, respectively. The paired sample t-test was used in the analysis of groups' pre-test and post-test outputs, whereas independent t-test was used in comparison between groups. Pre-test and post-test intragroup statistical analysis results showed that FR caused a significant difference in ROM and flexibility parameters (p<0,05). However, no statistical difference was found in comparisons between groups (p>0,05). It was observed that using FR with female basketball players had a positive acute effect by increasing ROM and flexibility results. It is thought that foam rolling can be beneficial in addition to stretching sessions in warm-up periods before the trainings and competitions.