Blood Flow Restriction

What is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training?

BFR is the brief and intermittent occlusion of arterial and venous blood flow using a tourniquet while at rest and during exercise. Using this technique, research shows that you can get the same results with exercise using significantly less weight and still achieve significant gains in muscle strength and size.

Muscle weakness commonly occurs in a variety of conditions, surgeries and pathologies. High load resistance training has been shown to be the most successful means in improving muscular strength and obtaining muscle hypertrophy. The problem that exists is that high load and high intensity exercises may not be clinically appropriate for all patients. Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training is a technique that combines low intensity exercise with blood flow occlusion that produces similar results to high intensity training.

BFR Training

BFR involves the application of a pneumatic cuff (tourniquet) proximally to the muscle that is being trained. It can be applied to either the upper or lower limbs. The cuff is then inflated to a specific pressure with the aim of obtaining partial arterial and complete venous occlusion. The patient is then asked to perform resistance exercises at a low intensity of 20-30% of 1 repetition max (1RM), with high repetitions per set (15-30) and short rest intervals between sets (30 seconds)

BFR Training

The aim of BFR training is to mimic the effects of high intensity exercise by recreating or changing the physiologic environment in the muscles being targeted by using a cuff. The cuff is placed above the muscle being exercised and low intensity exercises can then be performed. The same physiological adaptations to the muscles (eg. release of hormones, hypoxia, and cellular swelling,) will take place during the BFR training at the much lower intensity as would occur with higher intensity exercise. Schedule an appointment today.

SPECIALTIES

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