The Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Upper and Lower Extremity Strengthening

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training consists of low-weight exercise performed under vascular occlusion via an inflatable cuff. This produces similar physiologic and clinical effects to high-load routines with the advantage of less joint and tissue stress. Postoperative and injured patients may benefit from more efficient rehabilitation, though literature regarding its use in orthopaedic conditions is limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of low-weight BFR training, both proximal and distal, in the upper and lower extremities.