Multiple techniques are used to treat fascial restriction in order to increase range of motion (ROM). There are many studies examining each technique individually but a deficit in studies comparing them to one another. The purpose of this study was to expand the literature by comparing the acute effects of two popular fascial release techniques on ankle ROM. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and foam rolling (FR) were studied because they are commonly employed by athletic trainers in clinic. Seventy recreationally active subjects were randomly assigned to one of two interventions: IASTM or FR. Following a 5 min warm-up on the stationary bike, each subject completed a three minute period utilizing the first intervention. Ankle dorsiflexion (DF) range of motion (ROM) measurements were taken pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 24 hours post-intervention. Following a 7 day washout period, each subject returned for the other intervention following the identical protocol. We used two different measurement devices to minimize chances of measurement error. Overall passive ankle DF ROM significantly increased with both IASTM and FR (p = .000) but neither intervention was significantly more effective than the other (p = .529).It appears that these results indicate that neither method is superior to the other showing either modality could be used interchangeably in clinical practice to produce an acute increase in ankle DF ROM, thus allowing the clinician to work with multiple athletes simultaneously by limiting one on one patient interactions.
