Blood Flow Restriction
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) is a safe and highly effective treatment intervention that involves placing external pressure around a limb to cause occlusion of blood supply to enable patients to make greater strength gains while lifting lighter loads, thereby reducing the overall stress placed on the limbs.
It is a method that not only facilitates significant increases in strength, but also lead to stimulating bone growth (osteogenesis), improve tendon strength, and increase blood flow to the affected regions.
BFR is used regularly as part of rehabilitation to gain strength following injury or surgery but is also an excellent technique to use in-season when heavy lifting may not be feasible. It is also extremely beneficial for older populations looking to add strength training without subjecting heavy weights to their joints.
When a person engages in high-intensity exercises, the adrenal system releases human growth hormone and testosterone to promote muscular growth, known as hypertrophy. The metabolites that accumulate during exercise and serve to mediate this hypertrophy are amplified by the relative ischemic and hypoxic conditions of blood flow restriction.
Additionally, type II fast-twitch fibers, which are normally only recruited with exercise at high intensity, become activated at lower loads when blood flow restriction is utilized.
Lastly, it is believed that due to the early fatigue of the muscle groups below the level of BFR cuff will also cause a greater recruitment in the muscle groups more proximal, or above, the level of the cuff.
Blood Flow Restriction “kind of tricks the brain into thinking it’s lifting heavier loads than it is. At 30% of your one-rep max, you’re mimicking 80% of your one-rep max", according to Nick Colosi, the founder of SmartTools.
Contact us to assist with improving your strength, and ultimately, your function with Blood Flow Restriction treatments.
A referral for physical therapy is not required for you to be seen at Biokinetics Rehab; you can call us to make an appointment right now at (828) 528-1222.
We work one-on-one with our clients instead of having 1-2 other clients overlapping your session. Your sessions will always be for a 60-minute duration with the same physical therapist. We will make every attempt to get you seen within 24-48 hours instead of having to wait weeks for an appointment. We have the ability to spend the time needed to address your concerns and have the knowledge and experience to restore you to your highest level of function.
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Cognetti DJ, Sheean AJ, Owens JG. Blood Flow Restriction Therapy and Its Use for Rehabilitation and Return to Sport: Physiology, Application, and Guidelines for Implementation. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2022 Jan 28;4(1):e71–e76.
Liberatore J. Why Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training Might Be the Next Big Fitness Trend. Athletech. https://athletechnews.com/blood-flow-restriction-bfr-training-smartcuffs/
