{"id":3292,"date":"2022-10-18T16:32:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T16:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andreasphysioblog.com\/?p=3292"},"modified":"2022-10-18T16:33:32","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T16:33:32","slug":"3292","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andreasphysioblog.com\/?p=3292","title":{"rendered":"Safety concern when using blood flow restriction (BFR)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Safety concern when using blood flow restriction (BFR)<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n

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Introduction\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The objective of the blogpost is to assess the safety and potential side effects of Blood flow restriction (BFR) training clinical application to patients with early post operative conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training involves the use of cuffs placed proximally around a limb, with the aim of maintaining arterial inflow while occluding venous return during exercise (Scott et al. 2015). When combined with low-intensity resistance exercise, BFR has been reported to promote similar hypertrophy and strength gains as moderate to heavy load and lower joint forces\/stress in a manner comparable with that of high-intensity resistance exercise in healthy adults.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At rest, cuff pressure is slowly increased until the flow of blood is no longer detected, a term frequently referred to as total limb occlusion pressure (LOP) or arterial occlusion pressure (AOP). A submaximal percentage (eg, 40%-80%) of that pressure is prescribed for the exercise session as this method allows for appropriate progression of the pressure, similar to the way progressive loading resistance training (Bond, 2018).<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the first publication in 1987 on the effect of BFR training (Eiken, 1987) many studies have highlighted the important role BFR training may play in rehabilitation settings to optimize recovery after surgery (Rolnick, 2021). The physiological mechanisms behind these muscle adaptations include acute muscle cell swelling, increased anabolic hormone production, altered muscle fiber-type recruitment associated with hypoxia and fatigue, decreased myostatin, decreased atrogenes, and satellite cell proliferation, increased cell signaling for pathways related to muscle protein synthesis and decreased cell signaling for pathways resulting in muscle protein breakdown (Minniti, 2019; Bond, 2018, Nascimento et al 2022).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there has been a concern on how safe BFR training are when introduced early after post op procedure as most studies have stringent inclusion\/exclusion criteria, leaving limited data on individuals with comorbidities frequently seen in rehabilitation clinics (Nascimento et al 2022).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To address this the clinician can ask (Nascimento et al 2022).:<\/span><\/p>\n