Comparison of tissue flossing and mobilization with movement effects on motion, vertical jump, gait, and balance

Abstract Background Tissue flossing and mobilization with movement (MWM) have been used to improve ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), vertical jump, gait, and balance in athletes after sports injuries or to increase sports performance. However, direct comparisons between tissue flossing and MWM in recreationally active, healthy young adults remain limited. This study aimed to compare the effects of tissue flossing and MWM on ankle ROM, jump, gait, and balance in recreationally active young adults. The secondary aim was to compare the perceived comfort level between interventions. Methods This crossover randomized controlled study included three groups: Flossing, MWM, and control. The interventions were administered with a one-week interval between sessions. The tissue flossing and the MWM were applied to both ankles. No intervention was performed in the control group. All measurements were conducted both before and after the interventions. Passive and active ankle dorsiflexion ROM was evaluated using ImageJ software and the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test, respectively. The BTS G-Walk IMU sensor was used for counter-movement jump, gait, and balance assessments. Results Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant group × time interaction effects for passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM and jump height (p < 0.05), with the MWM group showing greater improvements than the flossing and control groups. Active ankle dorsiflexion ROM also showed a significant interaction effect (p < 0.05), where both the MWM and flossing groups improved compared to the control group. Within-group comparisons showed no improvement in the control group (p > 0.05). The MWM group demonstrated significant gains in both active and passive dorsiflexion ROM and vertical jump height (p < 0.05), whereas the flossing group improved only in active dorsiflexion ROM (p < 0.05). The MWM was also perceived as more comfortable than flossing (p < 0.05). Conclusions MWM demonstrated advantages in specific outcomes (passive ROM, jump height, comfort) compared to flossing in the acute setting. Trial registration NCT06392880, 04/26/2024 (retrospectively registered), Link https//clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06392880.