[Tissue flossing as a recovery tool for the lower extremity after strength endurance intervals].

CONTEXT: Tissue flossing is a technique used to improve range of motion, performance and regeneration, and to reduce pain, oedema and injury risks.

PURPOSE: To analyse if tissue flossing is an effective therapeutic modality to improve regeneration after strength endurance exercises and to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

METHODS: 42 active, healthy female and male subjects were randomly assigned to either the control (n = 21) or the tissue flossing group (n = 21). All subjects followed the same testing protocol. On the leg press, participants performed as many one-legged repetitions as possible with 65 % of their one-repetition maximum (1 RM) at measurement point one (M1). Between M1 and M2, all subjects performed a strength endurance program until they were fully exhausted (three times as many repetitions as possible with 65 % of their 1 RM, one-legged on the leg press). At M2 (immediately after the strength-endurance-to-exhausting program), M3 (30 minutes after the strength-endurance-to-exhausting program) and M4 (60 minutes after the strength-endurance-to-exhausting program), the participants performed as many repetitions as possible with 65 % of their 1 RM on the leg press. Between M2 and M3, the tissue flossing group received three flossing treatments lasting two minutes each as a regeneration tool. Each subject completed the numeric rating scale (NRS) (0 - 10) and the "Likert muscle scale" 12 h, 24 h, 36 h, 48 h, 60 h and 72 h post M4.

RESULTS: There were no significant effects over all four measurement points in favour of the tissue flossing group compared with the control group. No effects were found for the "Likert muscle scale". There was merely a significant effect on the NRS after 36 h (p = 0.044) in favour of the tissue flossing group.

CONCLUSION: Tissue flossing neither improves nor delays regeneration after strength endurance intervals. Tissue flossing has no effect on DOMS reduction.