Blood Flow Restriction Therapy: An Evidence to Practice Review

Document Type

Poster

Abstract

In the athletic training profession, there is a time-related pressure to rehabilitate patients and it is necessary to administer therapy as efficiently as possible. With this demand on athletic trainers (ATs), there is a drive to seek out therapeutic interventions to augment the process. Blood-flow restriction (BFR) is a therapeutic technique that has been used for many years in resistance training (RT) and has been the topic of numerous studies examining its impact on strength, muscle volume, hormonal response, and neural and intracellular effects. The guiding systematic review examined the effectiveness of resistance training in combination with BFR on subjects who had musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limb compared to conventional high-load resistance training (HLRT) and/or low-load resistance training (LLRT) on its own. The purpose of the guiding review was to evaluate randomized controlled studies who implemented BFR therapy to patients with lower-limb disorders. The guiding review examined exercise protocol (including load, duration, frequency, and cuff pressure), exercise mode, assessment of protocol (including muscular strength and size), and outcomes after intervention (including muscular strength, cross-sectional area, and perception of pain). In addition to evaluating these protocols, the guiding review also took into consideration the effect of open- and closed-chain resistance training in combination with BFR. The guiding review found no substantial evidence that LLRT and HLRT with BFR is more effective for increasing strength, muscle cross-sectional area, and reducing pain in musculoskeletal rehabilitation of the leg than conventional resistance training alone. It is possible to state there are similar effects from LLRT with BFR (LL-BFR) compared to conventional HLRT. Utilizing LL-BFR and conventional RT show comparable effects on muscle strength in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, regardless of open- or closed kinetic chain. LL- BFR and conventional RT have similar effects on muscle cross-sectional area and pain reduction in musculoskeletal rehabilitation.

Publication Date

Fall 2022

Comments

Poster presented at ATSU-ASHS DAT Fall - 2022. This is a Kubify based presentation hosted at https://api.ltb.io/show/ABQWV It includes a video presentation, references, a PowerPoint presentation, and summary poster.

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