What is one plausible reason foam rolling can temporarily make movement feel easier?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: It changes pressure and pain signals, increasing stretch tolerance
It builds new muscle tissue during the massage — Foam rolling does not build new muscle tissue during the massage. A temporary change in how a muscle feels is different from growth caused by repeated resistance training.
It permanently stretches muscle fibers into a longer shape — A brief rolling session does not permanently reshape muscle fibers into longer ones. Short-term gains in motion can involve changes in sensation and stretch tolerance instead of structural lengthening.
It changes pressure and pain signals, increasing stretch tolerance ✓ — Changes in pressure and pain signaling may let someone tolerate more stretch after rolling. Foam rolling can temporarily increase range of motion, but its mechanisms remain uncertain and it is not established that it breaks up knots in fascia.