Effectiveness of foam rolling and massage gun on muscle soreness (DOMS) among rugby players

Delayed onset muscle soreness commonly causes pain stiffness and restricted movement in university level male rugby players following strenuous lower body activity. This study compares the effectiveness of foam rolling and massage gun therapy as self-myofascial release techniques to alleviate soreness and improve range of motion in the quadriceps hamstrings and calves. By evaluating these two popular recovery methods on contact sport athletes the research seeks to offer evidence-based recommendations for optimizing training recovery and minimizing injury risks.