To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis assessing the effects of foam rolling on range of motion, laboratory- and field-based athletic measures, and on recovery.
MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus and Science Direct were searched (2005-June 2018).
Experimental and observational studies were included if they examined the effects of foam rolling on measures of athletic performance in field or laboratory settings.
Two investigators independently assessed methodologic quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Study characteristics including participant age, sex and physical activity status, foam rolling protocol and pre- and post-intervention mean outcome measures were extracted.
A total of 32 studies (mean PEDro = 5.56) were included in the qualitative analysis, which was themed by range of motion, laboratory-based measures, field-based measures and recovery. Thirteen range of motion studies providing 18 datasets were included in the meta-analysis. A large effect (d = 0.76, 95% CI 0.55-0.98) was observed, with foam rolling increasing range of motion in all studies in the analysis.
Foam rolling increases range of motion, appears to be useful for recovery from exercise induced muscle damage, and there appear to be no detrimental effect of foam rolling on other athletic performance measures. However, except range of motion, it cannot be concluded that foam rolling is directly beneficial to athletic performance. Foam rolling does not appear to cause harm and seems to elicit equivalent effects in males and females.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on range of motion, recovery and markers of athletic performance.

A variety of treatment strategies for nephrosplenic entrapment of the large colon are reported, with conflicting evidence in the published literature as to the preferred treatment option. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic meta-analytical assessment of the efficacy of different treatment strategies in horses with confirmed or suspected nephrosplenic entrapment. This study involves meta-analysis including nonrandomized studies. A comprehensive literature search was performed from January 1970 to January 2017. Inclusion criteria were retrospective studies involving horses with confirmed and suspected nephrosplenic entrapment. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model, with the effect size calculated as an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was P < .05. Out of 84 peer reviewed publications that met the search criteria, 19 relevant studies were identified. Using an OR as the effect size, the meta-analysis noted that the choice of medical or surgical therapy had no statistically significant effect on survival (P = .134). Patients treated via the rolling technique were no more likely to resolve with medical management than those treated via jogging (P = .187). Patients treated with phenylephrine were no more likely to exhibit medical resolution than patients that did not receive phenylephrine, either when all medical treatment methods were considered (P = .290), or when rolling under general anesthesia was used (P = .331). Treatment strategy, including medical versus surgical therapy, does not affect the likelihood of resolution of nephrosplenic entrapment. However, the lack of randomized trials means the results should be treated with caution and case selection remains important..

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