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Voodoo floss is the name given to the tape that is used for muscle and joint flossing. It’s a long band that you wrap around a specific area on the arm or leg. It acts like a compression bandage. Active movement: 20 reps of dorsi/plantar-flexion and circumduction + 10 squats + 15 eccentric heel raisers (∑~2 min) Exercise is good for a healthy body. However, most people find it difficult to train while having an injury resulting from a previous workout. Muscle compression bands are a great tool to help you manage this period. The results of the individual studies show that 11 out of the 44 performance measures showed a significant improvement (i.e., individual results of the studies as a pre–post comparison) following the floss band application (see Table 3, in green color). Out of these 11 measures, there were seven jump parameters, and four parameters were isokinetic parameters [RFD and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)]. The remaining 33 parameters (22 measures were isokinetic parameters, three were countermovement performance parameters, seven were sprint performance parameters, and one was a balance parameter) showed no significant change in performance (see Table 3, in orange color). Thus, as with the range of motion, no (significant) negative effect of a floss band treatment has been reported so far. Out of these 33 measures with insignificant findings, it has to be noted that the effect size of two measures in the study of Driller et al. ( 2017) (CMJ force and 15 m sprint performance), one measure in Mills et al. ( 2019) (CMJ force), and one measure in Galis and Cooper ( 2020) (dorsiflexion power) indicated a favorable effect of the flossing treatment compared to a control condition (movement without a floss band).
If the pressure from the floss band becomes too intense or causes pain, remove it immediately and consult with a medical professional for guidance.Davies, G.J. A Compendium of Isokinetics in Clinical Usage and Rehabilitation Techniques; S&S Publishers: Onalaska, WI, USA, 1992. [ Google Scholar] If you’re still keen to learn more about mobility training techniques by the end of the post, I’m going to tell you about another very effective, and complementary technique to muscle flossing. Nakamura M., Onuma R., Kiyono R., Yasaka K., Sato S., Yahata K., et al.. (2021). Acute and prolonged effects of different durations of foam rolling on range of motion, muscle stiffness, and muscle strength. J. Sports Sci. Med. 20, 62–68. 10.52082/jssm.2021.62 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]
We scoured the market for the available ones, reviewed them and ranked the top ones below. Take a look and see if anything catches your eye. #1 – WODFitters Floss Bands Active movement: two cycles of: manual twisting of the wrapped part (4 times) + 20 plantar/dorsi-flexions−2 min rest in between (Σ ~4 min) Once the band is secure, move the joint that the floss band is around/close to. For example, if the band is wrapped around your thigh, bodyweight squats are a suitable movement. Perform the movement for 30 seconds to 2 minutes then stop and remove the band. You will feel the sensation of the blood rushing to the area that was restricted. Anything up to 2 minutes in a certain area will be sufficient to get results and you can perform flossing on a number of areas in concession. Green, B.; Bourne, M.N.; van Dyk, N.; Pizzari, T. Recalibrating the risk of hamstring strain injury (HSI): A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for index and recurrent hamstring strain injury in sport. Br. J. Sports Med. 2020, 54, 1081–1088. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed] Vanwye, W.R.; Weatherholt, A.M.; Mikesky, A.E. Blood Flow Restriction Training: Implementation into Clinical Practice. Int. J. Exerc. Sci. 2017, 10, 649–654. [ Google Scholar]Kaneda H., Takahira N., Tsuda K., Tozaki K., Sakai K., Kudo S., et al.. (2020a). The effects of tissue flossing and static stretching on gastrocnemius exertion and flexibility. Isokinet. Exerc. Sci. 28, 205–213. 10.3233/IES-192235 [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]
The sham treatment involved the exact same 4" elastic band with very light pressure. The floss band was applied the same way as the floss treatment while reducing the pressure so that the band was just tight enough to not fall off. Pressure was measured between 10 and 40 mmHg of pressure on the thigh. The control treatment involved no application of a band and the participants only warmed-up on the stationary bike, performed the pre-test, performed active movements as described below without a band, and then completed post-test measurements. This study was the first to investigate the application of floss bands to the muscles of the thigh and measure subsequent flexibility improvements and single-leg vertical jump performance. The main clinical finding was that flossing improved flexibility by an average of 4.68 degreesBaumgart C., Freiwald J., Kühnemann M., Hotfiel T., Hüttel M., Hoppe M. (2019). Foam rolling of the calf and anterior thigh: biomechanical loads and acute effects on vertical jump height and muscle stiffness. Sports 7:27. 10.3390/sports7010027 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar] To evaluate if flossing can have a positive effect for athletes or patients, there is a need to compare different warm-up strategies and therapy modalities with a floss band treatment. It is known from the literature that a single stretching exercise can increase the range of motion of a joint (e.g., Konrad et al., 2017b); however, if the duration of the stretch exceeds >60 s, it is very likely that impairments in strength parameters will occur (Behm et al., 2016). Two studies from one research group investigated the differences between a floss band treatment and dynamic stretching (Kaneda et al., 2020b) and static stretching (Kaneda et al., 2020a). Compared to dynamic stretching, Kaneda et al. ( 2020b) reported a more pronounced effect with a floss band treatment in the increase in hip range of motion and one strength parameter (maximal eccentric knee extension torque). With regard to static stretching and the comparison with a floss band treatment, Kaneda et al. ( 2020a) reported that RFD was more pronounced in the flossing group than the static stretching group (calf muscles). Interestingly, while the mechanism for the increase in the range of motion following static stretching was considered to be reduced muscle stiffness, the floss band treatment showed neurological adaptations as suggested by the observed increase in stretch tolerance (i.e., higher passive torque at end range of motion). Kaneda and colleagues concluded in both studies (Kaneda et al., 2020a, b) that flossing should be applied as a warm-up treatment rather than as a stretching exercise. Since it’s hard for patients to know what the source of their bleeding is, the best course of action is to talk with your dentist about your experience, says Dr. Reich. Your dentist can then refer you to a gum specialist, or periodontist, if necessary. One possible explanation for the positive results of flossing can be found in the function of the fascial system. The bands reduce myofascial adhesions and have an effect on the neural bioregulation system which is controlled by connective tissue and transfers information to and from the brain. Flossing therapy has not yet been scientifically proven, but the positive reactions from athletes and physiotherapists make the flossband exercises worth a try. The use of flossbands on animals Hjortskov N., Skotte J., Hye-Knudsen C., Fallentin N. (2005). Sympathetic outflow enhances the stretch reflex response in the relaxed soleus muscle in humans. J. Appl. Physiol. 98, 1366–1370. 10.1152/japplphysiol.00955.2004 [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]
Vogrin, M.; Kalc, M.; Ličen, T. Acute Effects of Tissue Flossing Around the Upper Thigh on Neuromuscular Performance: A Study Using Different Degrees of Wrapping Pressure. J. Sport Rehabil. 2020, 30, 601–608. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed]The band needs to be wrapped tightly enough to cause a compression effect (about 50% tension), but not so tight that the circulation gets completely cut off. It should also be overlapped by about 50% as you wrap. See specific information on how to voodoo floss further down this post. If you experience any pain, numbness or tingling, remove the floss band immediately. Taking the significant and non-significant findings together out of the 44 measures, in 43 measures, percentage changes were extracted. Concerning ankle flossing, 11 measures from three studies were extracted. Only two out of the 11 measures on ankle flossing showed a significant increase in performance. One study reported a significant increase in CMJ height following ankle flossing (Driller and Overmayer, 2017). Two studies (Driller et al., 2017; Mills et al., 2019) showed trivial to small changes in sprinting times following ankle flossing [5 m: −1.45% (95% CI, −2.00 to −0.90%); 10 m: 0.3% (95% CI, 0.00 to 0.60%); 15 m: 0.75% (95% CI, 0.00 to 1.50%)]. With regard to calf flossing, 14 measures out of three studies were extracted. Only one out of the six measures demonstrated a significant improvement following calf flossing on performance (RFD 0–50 ms in Kaneda et al., 2020a). While plantar flexor isometric strength (Galis and Cooper, 2020; Kaneda et al., 2020a) and balance (Pakarklis and Šiupšinskas, 2018) seem to be unchanged following calf flossing, RFD in various time frames (e.g., 0–50 ms) showed an increase ranging from 5.10 to 21.10% (Kaneda et al., 2020a). Knee flossing was only applied in one study (five measures) with all parameters (related to jumping) significantly improved when comparing before and after values (Marco et al., 2020). Thigh flossing was performed in three studies with a total of 13 measures. However, only three out of the 13 measures showed a significant increase following the flossing treatment. One study showed a non-significant decrease in CMJ height (−1.40%; Konrad et al., 2020a), and another study showed non-significant decreases in various time frames of RFD (e.g., 0–50 ms) ranging from −6.70 to 0.00% (Kaneda et al., 2020b). However, concerning MVC of both knee extensors and knee flexors, a moderate average increase was shown. The two measures of the knee extensor MVC (out of two studies) showed an average increase of 5.71% (95% CI, 5.62 to 5.80%). It has to be mentioned here that both studies reported these increases to be significant (Konrad et al., 2020a; Vogrin et al., 2020). Although the individual study results were shown to be not significant, the knee flexor MVC following thigh flossing, taken out of two studies (Kaneda et al., 2020b; Vogrin et al., 2020), showed an average increase of 3.00% (95% CI, 2.10 to 3.90%). Overall, it’s not clearly understood exactly why voodoo floss works. What’s known is that voodoo flossing, like other mobility techniques, is a form of myofascial release that results from the interaction between the nervous system and muscles. When it is used around a joint it may help to temporarily create space in the joint and in turn, reduce movement restrictions. Konrad A., Reiner M. M., Thaller S., Tilp M. (2019). The time course of muscle-tendon properties and function responses of a five-minute static stretching exercise. Eur. J. Sport Sci. 19, 1195–1203. 10.1080/17461391.2019.1580319 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar] Konrad A., Stafilidis S., Tilp M. (2017b). Effects of acute static, ballistic, and PNF stretching exercise on the muscle and tendon tissue properties. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sport. 27, 1070–1080. 10.1111/sms.12725 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]
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