The effects of blood flow restriction combined with low-intensity resistance training on muscle strength and pain during postoperative recovery in patients with knee injuries: a meta-analysis

To investigate the effects of low-load blood flow restriction training (LL-BFRT) on muscle strength and pain during postoperative rehabilitation in patients with knee injuries. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches through PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase yielded 1049 articles, of which 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. Quantitative analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata. LL-BFRT showed a significant positive effect on muscle strength, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.70 (p < 0.00001, 95%CI: 0.49, 0.92, I2 = 42%, p = 0.07). In terms of pain reduction, LL-BFRT significantly lowered the outcome of visual analog scale (VAS), with an SMD of -0.60 (p < 0.00001, 95% CI: -0.85, -0.36, I2 = 0%, p = 0.44). LL-BFRT effectively improves muscle strength and reduces pain in patients recovering from knee injuries postoperatively. It presents an alternative rehabilitation method for patients who are unable to perform high-intensity resistance training.